Or maybe you are new to collecting and well, just wondered if you could get away with doing this or that. Nobody should feel scared to handle their collection as long as they prepare and understand that today's standard of rushing weren't there in the early day of the phonograph.
Enjoying an album takes on its own experience. While many listeners of digital only music sources tend to overlook certain aspects of musical genius that draws in others, ie. lyrics, notes, and really just "like the beat" - which trust me, is 100% fine. There just also happens to be those of us that want to sit back, give our focus & listen, maybe for relaxation, sometimes spiritual purposes, or yeah, simply just to casually pass the time.
With that being said it's important to ready ourselves into that exploration of sonics, as vinyl LPs tend to be a tad different in size than a CD [no more holding the center of the disc with a finger while leveraging the swap out] and certainly nothing to compare in digital music catalogs.
Here are some major points to keep on deck:
Storage
Store your vinyl records vertical with the spine facing outwardwards. This prevents warping and keeps your records in the best condition.
Although experience will open you up to how to pile stacks - the variable out of our control for us had always been that clumsy friend or outsider that spills your pile, surface wear is more likely to happen with all that weight on top. Just not worth the risk for beginning collectors. Basically, avoid stacking your vinyl records on top of each other. This can cause warping, and can also scratch the playing surface.
Also high-quality inner sleeves to store your vinyl records inside the album jackets. This helps protect the record from dust and other debris, always replace an inner sleeve if its a generic one, all that dust in the sleeve would just return to the grooves if we returned it to the old dusty inner sleeve.
Temps
Keep your vinyl records in a cool and dry environment.
Exposure to heat, humidity, and direct sunlight can damage the vinyl. Let's face it UV rays are harmful to about everything they touch.
We don't see a damn thing wrong with 'showing' off your wax but please treat the recording like a historical document and keep the exposure limited.
The heat causes the vinyl to warp under the stress.
Humidity can be a tough thing to fight in some regions of our great nation. So, we will over tips on how to on a later date.
Handling
Avoid touching the playing surface of the vinyl record with your fingers. The oils from your skin can leave residue that can damage the grooves and sound quality. We also suggest and assume you wash your hands prior to any sessions.
We will tell ya - you can't live scared to handle your collection, confidence in knowing where and how to handle will allow you to learn your system on flipping or swapping an album.
Always handle your vinyl records with care. Avoid dropping, bending, or mishandling them in any way, as this can damage them permanently. You can do this by having your system in place. Understand your space and where you place things as you are changing out albums.
Cleaning
Use a carbon fiber brush to remove dust and other debris from your vinyl records before playing them. This may help improve the sound quality as well as prolong the life of your records, which is good. We have cleaning supplies available in our shop and we only carry products that we have tried and can respect enough to recommend.
If your vinyl records are dirty or have fingerprints, use a record cleaning solution to clean them. Make sure to follow the instructions on the package, avoid using tap water or chemicals that can damage the vinyl.
Also try to keep your turntable clean and dust-free. Dust, dirt, and debris can affect the quality of the sound as well.
Keep you turntable cover on when not in use as well. Saves you from all the dust and debris that settle on your turntable or cartridge.