Don't keep your vinyl records sealed!

VWestlife
VWestlife
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Published 2022-10-19
Collectors like to keep new vinyl records sealed, because that way they have the highest resale value. But if the shrink wrap is too tight, leaving it sealed for a long period of time can end up causing the record inside to become warped so much that it is unplayable, especially if the record has been exposed to heat or direct sunlight. The plastic sleeve in some LPs can also outgas over time, depositing a film on the vinyl that is impossible to remove. You don't need to remove the shrink wrap entirely, but at least slit it open at the side to relieve the pressure on the jacket and allow any outgassing to escape.

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#vinyl #record #shrinkwrap
All Comments (21)
  • @victotyorvalhalla
    “Hey, it’s not skipping … even though their music is so repetitive that you can barely tell the difference.” 🤣🤣🤣 Savage!
  • @stereophonicstuff
    I’m surprised that the thrift store didn’t just toss that record out and I’m even more surprised they were asking $9.99 for it.
  • @chrisofchris
    “Even though their music is so repetitive you can hardly tell the difference” the absolute SHADE!!!
  • @ohhhcrud..
    "Even though their music is so repetitive that you can barely tell the difference" oh my lord someone finally said it
  • @jamesslick4790
    "That's about as straight as I am ". 😂 I didn't expect that line. Rock on!
  • @thanosb.5403
    "About as straight as I am!!" LMAO... Love people with a great sense of humour!!! Too bad that we live oceans apart!! Love your videos and the personality that you display in them!!!! Cheers.
  • @pineappleroad
    Wait… so my habit of opening sealed things may actually be helping to preserve it?
  • @emancaindec9731
    As a vinyl collector myself, it is never a good idea to leave records sealed for too long because you'll never know what's its condition beneath the album jacket/sleeve. It may have slight warp regardless if its jacket is straight flat, like what if it's a bad pressing? You have a point VWestlife! Also, the method of using books to flatten a warped record is not effective for me. I think you should make a video about it Kevin, if the "2 glass and oven trick method" works or if it is effective, that would be an interesting experiement to do. Thank you for the video!
  • @NJRoadfan
    I remember seeing imploding boxes of software on the shelf when they were BRAND NEW. The last NOS vinyl record I opened (Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward) was sealed for about 20 years and didn't have this problem. It really depends on the shrink wrap. I guess Sire Records did a decent job during the final years of mass market vinyl.
  • @douglasallen9428
    Even though I personally have never bothered to keep any of my records sealed for any reason, this video actually gives me an excellent reason why… thanks again!!!
  • @clocked2002
    0:45 got a laugh out of me, lol. thanks for another great video ❤
  • @robbieblackmon1801
    An excellent message for collectors! Unwrap the records and enjoy them! (I do keep the hype stickers, though!) A few salient anecdotes in book form-- I got the Run Out Groove 2-disc version of The Monkees' debut lp that had about half that bad of a warp right out of the package. Rhino/Warner replaced it with no problems but, when I checked the original discs again after a month or so, the warp had settled out. I've heard of this phenomenon with newer vinyl formulation as being a sort of plastic "memory" where the disc eventually returns to its original shape. Older lp's from the 70's/80's tend to not fare as well. Beware gatefold covers left in shrink, as the insides may stick together, damaging the artwork if left too long. Also, not just for quality reasons, beware of any second-hand picture discs that go for ridiculously low prices, even rare ones. Those are more prone to warp by design and collectors will cherry pick the best of several and unload the rest that are damaged. Collecting records can be fun and can truly suck at the same time.
  • @phononut
    I've had good results putting a warped record between two pieces of heavy glass left out in the sun. Depending on how warm it is outside, it doesn't take too long and the record retains its shape. Great video!👍🇺🇸
  • @eric690
    “Even though their music is so repetitive, you can barely tell the difference” LOL - some great gags in this video and equally as informative. Great work!
  • @audubon5425
    I've bought a few lps from the sixties advertised as mint that came sealed. Even with the older plastics, stiffer cardboard and thicker vinyl, they had slight warps from the shrinkage.
  • @dlarge6502
    What you need is a birds beak. The Flintstones records were just as warped as that but their players employed (or enslaved) talking birds to act as the stylus.