Ever since I was little, I have always been intrigued by records. The way you put the needle on and the sound came out of nowhere, just like magic! I always loved raiding my parents record collection, from the questionable Englebert Humperdinck to Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights. So a few years ago, I decided to start my own collection which I would play on the old record player in the living room. That broke however a year and a half ago, halting my collecting. But this Christmas, my wish came true, receiving a shiny new record player for my room and a whole bunch of new records to go with it. I'm going to talk about how to go about collecting records if your just starting out or immersed in the record community already.
Get a Decent Record Player
Obviously you need something to play it on. Invest in something that is good quality, and you can get some good ones around $150. Bad record players can destroy your records over time with a badly weighted needle. So by investing in a good record player, it will last you years but also keep your records in good shape!
Buy What You Love
It's no secret that records are expensive. So buy music that you love or by artists that you know you will like so that you can treasure your record collection. My first record was Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, which is probably one of my favourite albums of all time. Over time, I've bought records that I know I will listen to for the rest of my life.
Go Crate Digging
Go to flea markets or record stores and go through their second hand records, you can always find a gem. They are usually cheaper than newer ones, but might not be in pristine condition. However, they make good additions to have. One of my favourite second hand records is a Beach Boys compilation with my favourite songs on there. Sometimes the record shops let you test it out before you buy so you don't get a dud.
Store It Right
Records are very delicate objects, and they need to be stored right so they have a long life. Please keep them away from heat so they don't melt or warp, so don't ever leave your record in a car, ever! They are best stored standing upright on a shelf or in crates. Stacking them on top of each other also warps them. It can be tricky to find a nice way to store them, but it is definitely worth it to preserve the quality.
Do you have a record collection or are you wanting to start one, let me know!
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