Vinyl Me Please (store, exclusives, swaps, etc)

[Joe Mac]

Mmmmmm it kind of does hit me with not saving up! Like I know I’ll have to go into a share house but I’ll get one with en-suite and it means I’ll just have less leisure spending money which I’m fine with. If it’s a struggle, I just gotta deal with it - but I know I’ll still be happy and fine!

Like of course I’d prefer to rent and have a small place to myself or to have a house, but I don’t want to work too much and have little to no spending money! Like I’m not a hard working person. I’m a bit lazy

And yeah, I think I’ll live well into retirement so that’s why I think I might still be working when I’m like 70 years old! I’m gonna work when I’m old! I’m gonna show off my positive, fun, cheeky, cool, vibrant personality and I think I’ll be good! Don’t want to sound conceited but I think my personality will help in the future if there’s job stability issues!

I’m going to post this one message and then stop because every attempt you make to convince me that you’re not being daft is making you sound more daft.

Our generation are all going to be 70 before any state retirement benefit kicks in. Our parents generation broke the system by consistently voting for low taxes and their parents living far beyond the original actuarial models for old age pension, social security etc. The only way anyone is even considering retiring before that is by having a good workplace/private pension. What you’re planning as being extreme is the normal.

 

[NathanRicaud]

I have some magic beans for sale if you want to invest that $6000 wisely....

But seriously don’t steal from your future. A seriously bad idea. I worry for you reading this @NathanRicaud, you are getting one free album a month. Enjoy that. Enjoy those you have already purchased and when your financial situation is different then get more. Life can have cruel twists at times and you don’t know when that money might be more useful for yourself and your family. If jumping into a $400+ Herbie Hancock boxset is a necessity to you then curb other spending until it is announced. The advice from others on here is unanimous and comes from people who care about your future.

You know what actually, I’m going to cut spending money on vinyl completely! Like I’m gonna get rid of Amazon, and just get VMP exclusives I REALLY want! So I think I’ll only be getting like 3-4 records a month from VMP and won’t be purchasing vinyl outside of that! Because I know I’m gonna be getting that Herbie Hancock boxset! It’s a must for me!

I am really grateful for the free ROTM/subscription to VMP I get, but maybe I’m not grateful enough! I need to appreciate more of what I have!

Yeah, life can have cruel twists! I’ve met people at work with a really dark past and stuff and that are in debt and I’m like

I haven’t had any cruel twists in life but I don’t want to believe something bad can happen to me - like a really bad car accident or where I become physically/mentally disabled in some way...

I just have to take out the $6,000 Murfocakes! I need too because I’ve spent so much and need to put that money into my savings for when I go to New Zealand, for a new Mac laptop I’m getting next week and for me moving out! *don’t kill me*

And I’ll be starting my super/retirement fund fresh from the start, which means I’ll be able to track how much I contribute to my super each year and can work towards a goal!

 

[NathanRicaud]

Question for all: Do you own more "One Great Track" lp's, or more "FOMO Records I Should Have Never Bought Because They Suck" lp's? I have a lot of the latter.

I’ve gotten rid of around 6-7 records because I was like “I’m not gonna spin this”. So I’ve done really well! Everything I buy, I really do enjoy!

 

[Bluecloud777]

Question for all: Do you own more "One Great Track" lp's, or more "FOMO Records I Should Have Never Bought Because They Suck" lp's? I have a lot of the latter.

Personally, I'm pretty good in avoiding any FOMO purchases as I try, whenever possible, to check out the album on streaming, often a few times, before buying it and thinking about if I really need it. That's why I also have preferred the spreadsheet VMP had in the past as it allowed people to preview their upcoming exclusives several weeks in advance.
I think for me the most difficult are pre-orders that you know will sell out quickly and that have maybe 2 first great singles you already know of, but then possibly the rest isn't that great.

 

[NathanRicaud]

I’m going to post this one message and then stop because every attempt you make to convince me that you’re not being daft is making you sound more daft.

Our generation are all going to be 70 before any state retirement benefit kicks in. Our parents generation broke the system by consistently voting for low taxes and their parents living far beyond the original actuarial models for old age pension, social security etc. The only way anyone is even considering retiring before that is by having a good workplace/private pension. What you’re planning as being extreme is the normal.

My apologies if I seem to sound more daft after your advice. I think I’m a hopeless romantic - but like in a futuristic way because I can be a little bit delusional and a bit overly optimistic about things.

Will be interesting to see what’s going on in 25 years though when I’m 50! I hope I have a job I love and that I’m in a house I really like too! But most importantly, I just hope I’m still really happy like I am now!

I don’t think much into what you said in the last paragraph as I’m not a critical thinker like that. I mean, i want low taxes too! I plan on working part-time when I’m older, that’s if everything goes to plan!

I’m just lucky I’ve got some really super duper close friends! This sounds bad, but my best friend has a house that’s already paid off because it got given to him when his dad passed away. And he’s happy for me to live in it, without paying any rent. So I’m lucky I have him, not that I’d ever want to depend on him, even if it was cheap rent. But yeah, I feel like things just look really good for me!

But my best friend has 3 dogs, 2 ferrets and an Indian ringneck bird and f*** living with all those animals! Plus, he would be like with me playing vinyl all the time. And everytime I sleep over, I’m like when the bird makes loud noises early in the morning or when the dogs bark at the screen when we play video games etc.

 

[supahypeag]

Last year was when I started my vinyl collection, I got way too much “omg this is the best new thing,” “this record has a great history and has never been repressed,” FOMO BS hyped stuff that I never listen to. I look at my collection on Discogs and see those albums think “wtf even is that?”

so after taking control of my collection, treating VMP like a store instead of any useful source of information, my collection this year has been (1)favorite, Best records of the past (2) new releases after several streams to make sure, to the highest extent possible, they’ll be my favorite records later too (3) N&G record of the month.

 

[NathanRicaud]

I think for me the most difficult are pre-orders that you know will sell out quickly and that have maybe 2 first great singles you already know of, but then possibly the rest isn't that great.

Mmmmm I know that feeling! It’s such a risk, ey! No more of me doing that, unless it’s an artist I really like, like Tyler The Creator, Billie Eilish, Caroline Polachek, Frank Ocean, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Danny Brown, Noname, Yves Tumor, FKA Twigs, Weyes Blood, Kanye West, Natalia Lafourcade, Rosalìa, Earl Sweatshirt, JPEGMAFIA, Playboi Carti, Sade etc

 

[uvwxVinyl]

@NathanRicaud post your discogs!

 

[NathanRicaud]

@NathanRicaud post your discogs!

I feel like that would take so long though , no?

 

[Joe Mac]

I feel like that would take so long though , no?

im guessing that means you don’t use it

it did take a couple of weeks doing it batches the first time alright, I just do it as i buy/packages arrive now though so it’s easy. It’s saved me buying multiple copies of albums by accident on more than one occasion though...

 

[NathanRicaud]

im guessing that means you don’t use it

it did take a couple of weeks doing it batches the first time alright, I just do as i buy/packages arrive now though so it’s easy. It’s saved me buying multiple copies of albums by accident on more than one occasion though...

I’ve used it to buy some records! Got some of your fave - Father John Misty - VMP exclusives recently from Discogs! Hahahaha

But yeah, I don’t use it for anything else apart from looking at reviews of pressings (if there are comments on the pressing quality), and to see what coloured variants there are, that I’d like to hunt down! Like I might get the VMP exclusive of The War On Drugs’ Lost In The Dream as someone in Australia is selling it for AUD$99!

 

[NathanRicaud]

Quick question! Has anyone here got the VMP exclusive of The War On Drugs’ Lost In The Dream? The green looks really nice!

How does it sound, sound quality wise? Is it a great sounding pressing??? Thank you!

 

[MikeH]

Quick question! Has anyone here got the VMP exclusive of The War On Drugs’ Lost In The Dream? The green looks really nice!

How does it sound, sound quality wise? Is it a great sounding pressing??? Thank you!

I don’t have Lost In The Dream but I do have the Slave Ambient VMP album which sounds awesome. Maybe someone else can chime in but I think the regular black version is the same pressing? Same plates and same plant. I have the regular black pressing of Lost In The Dream and I paid $12 for it and mine sounds great.

Also didn’t you just say you weren’t going to buy any other records outside of VMP? Hah.

 

[NathanRicaud]

I don’t have Lost In The Dream but I do have the Slave Ambient VMP album which sounds awesome. Maybe someone else can chime in but I think the regular black version is the same pressing? Same plates and same plant. I have the regular black pressing of Lost In The Dream and I paid $12 for it and mine sounds great.

Also didn’t you just say you weren’t going to buy any other records outside of VMP? Hah.

Happy to know your black pressing of Lost In The Dream sounds great!

This will be my last non-VMP purchase outside of VMP. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist’s Alfredo will also be an exception! I’m just gonna wait for that one to hit my local in the future! I love the album so much - it’s a must grab!

But yeah, from tomorrow, no more vinyl purchases that are not in the VMP store!

 

[MikeH]

Happy to know your black pressing of Lost In The Dream sounds great!

This will be my last non-VMP purchase outside of VMP. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist’s Alfredo will also be an exception! I’m just gonna wait for that one to hit my local in the future! I love the album so much - it’s a must grab!

But yeah, from tomorrow, no more vinyl purchases that are not in the VMP store!

Yea I try not to get sucked into color variants on resale unless the pressing sounds substantially better. I’m not sure this one does or not. I’ll buy a color variant on preorder if it’s a similar price but typically end up staying away from a limited variant later on unless it’s an album I love and it’s a better pressing. Otherwise I would end up buying even more records than I already own.

Also I recommend starting a discogs collection. I find it’s very useful especially once you get into having so many albums. As @Joe Mac said, it helps you keep track of everything especially when you’re out shopping and aren’t sure if you already own an album. 800 records is a lot and it’s almost impossible to remember everything you own. I found it pretty fun to enter everything in and then you can even see what your collection is roughly worth. I had about 600 7” Records and 700 LPs when I finally entered mine in. I just made a goal to enter in 30 or so a day for awhile. Doesn’t take a ton of time. The discogs app even has a barcode scanner for newer records. Just throw a record on and enter as many albums as you can for the duration of the record. You’ll get it done quicker than you think!

 

[NathanRicaud]

Yea I try not to get sucked into color variants on resale unless the pressing sounds substantially better. I’m not sure this one does or not. I’ll buy a color variant on preorder if it’s a similar price but typically end up staying away from a limited variant later on unless it’s an album I love and it’s a better pressing. Otherwise I would end up buying even more records than I already own.

Also I recommend starting a discogs collection. I find it’s very useful especially once you get into having so many albums. As @Joe Mac said, it helps you keep track of everything especially when you’re out shopping and aren’t sure if you already own an album. 800 records is a lot and it’s almost impossible to remember everything you own. I found it pretty fun to enter everything in and then you can even see what your collection is roughly worth. I had about 600 7” Records and 700 LPs when I finally entered mine in. I just made a goal to enter in 30 or so a day for awhile. Doesn’t take a ton of time. The discogs app even has a barcode scanner for newer records. Just throw a record on and enter as many albums as you can for the duration of the record. You’ll get it done quicker than you think!

Might do it then actually! I’ll play some records and will do my Discogs entries at the same time! Makes it easier that way!

 

[Bluecloud777]

Might do it then actually! I’ll play some records and will do my Discogs entries at the same time! Makes it easier that way!

Discogs really gets quick, a good method is to type in the number on the side of the record, that mostly gives you the best results.

I've just had a quick calculation. If you've bought 800 records in 3 years, that means you've bought a new record every ~1,36 days during that time.

 

[MikeH]

Discogs really gets quick, a good method is to type in the number on the side of the record, that mostly gives you the best results.

I've just had a quick calculation. If you've bought 800 records in 3 years, that means you've bought a new record every ~1,36 days during that time.

And most new records have barcodes which you can just scan in the phone app. Older records that have tons of pressings can be tricky to figure out specifically what you have, but just look at the numbers etched into the deadwax at that point if you can’t figure it out.

 

[Gavaxeman]

I think someone needs to send Nathan a piece/documentary on old age poverty, the reality of it is so grim.

Also 800 records in 3 years!

That’s absurd, it’s taken me just over 7 years to get to roughly that point, I have a good job and I think I spend far too much, you be insane.

Yeah but he gets them all free #corporateman

 

[Skalap]

@NathanRicaud I would like to tell you what to do but I might be worst than you. I try to do what I want and can do but I haven't played a record quietly in a while. I would only suggest to purchase more records you want from local stores instead of VMP or trying to build the perfect collection. I have tons of "classics" (Hendrix, Beatles, Stones, etc..) I never listened to and just bought because they are considered must have. On the other hand, I have obscure jazz records from unknown bands that I enjoy a lot even if these are not cut by Kevin Gray or pressed on 180g at RTI. I mean, listen with your own ears what you want to listen to and not what other ears tell you to listen.