How we grade a pre-owned record
What Near Mint, VG+ and VG mean in our shop, and why we play every record before grading it.
Cleaning and storing records
How to keep records quiet for decades: inner sleeves, upright shelves and a brush before every play.
Most of the noise on an old record is dirt, not damage. Dust settles in the grooves, the stylus grinds it in, and the crackle grows. A few habits stop that from happening. Before each play, sweep the record with a carbon-fibre brush while it spins, holding the brush still for two turns and then lifting it slowly off the edge. After playing, put it straight back in its sleeve. Handle records only by the edges and the label.
Replace paper inner sleeves with anti-static ones. Old paper sheds fibres and can scratch. We sell packs of 50 for ₹750. Keep the inner sleeve opening facing up inside the cover, so dust does not fall in.
Store records upright, never flat in a pile, and not leaning at an angle, which warps them over time. They should be snug on the shelf but easy to pull out. Keep them away from windows and from the wall that gets afternoon sun.
For a deep clean, wash the record with a proper record-cleaning fluid and a soft brush, then dry it with a vacuum machine or a lint-free cloth. Avoid household cleaners and alcohol. If you have a box of records that needs help, bring them in; our machine cleans a record for ₹80.
