Do you play your records at home

[Soulfinger]

Playing them is what I buy them for. I play them for an easily pleased audience of one, two if I include some Aretha for the Mrs. I have a turntable in my living room and a nice set up in my loft / music room which is extra insulated to keep the noise in. I'm never happier than when listening to vinyl up there. I can't understand anyone buying stuff and not playing it. 

[Ian Stacey]

well KK normally ska if its fried eggs  of course as I quoted like has scratch

[Ian Stacey]

how long do you ostrich eggs take mine always take that long ,I like em  runny

[Tlscapital]

Off course play them home loud ! I was 7 years old when I was given (my guess is that it would have been thrown away otherwise) my first turntable, well it was a Teppaz pick-up (exactly like this) and a pile of then (1977) top tens crap 45's. Since that day I've always had to have a phono home and only upgraded through the decades my set-up and my record collection as well to fully enjoy the sound these babies can dish out on a properly thought from beginning to end hybrid build-up phono set-up ! With age, it get only worse when the sound at friend's or on a night out is just saturating from Hi's to Low's. The only way I know to give justice to your favorite music is to play it on it's most original and noble support; vinyl or styrene. Mp3's & Co. sound nowhere as good in real direct comparaison and can't never for the life of me give me a kick. 

Edited July 14, 2016 by tlscapital

[Roger Williams]

On 9 July 2016 at 13:21, Mick Holdsworth said:

I've often wondered this, but how many of us who buy records for our own collection, regardless of value or rarity, actually PLAY them on a regular basis. I find it much easier these days to click a few buttons on my PC and listen to just about anything I want. I still buy records for myself of course, but I often just record them and play the mp3's.

DJ's obviously play them out, but when the party's over, and the lights go out, what do we do at home.

For me, it's the enjoyment of collecting that keeps it going, but it's the convenience of technology that gives me 90% of my lisening pleasure.

Cheers
Mick

 

Great post. 

For years I've enjoyed the convenience of non-original media (CDR, mp3) for listening to privately, and (shock horror!) for playing out at 'modden' venues where none of the NS/rare values were ever a concern to anyone, but when it comes to buying for the collection then it would always have to be original where possible, but recently I've started to gain a huge amount of pleasure from spending time with a few drinks and friends in the record room, digging out the real deal vinyl records and playing them and looking at and listening to them for what they are - just fantastic pieces of classic art and great memories which have been the soundtrack to most of my adult life.

As I said, excellent post Mick, I'm sure most can relate to what you're saying.

Cheers

Roger

[Ljblanken]

On July 11, 2016 at 13:29, KevinKent said:

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

Holy cow. Do the same thing. 

I'll play "pain" by Mitty Collier, and then pick up "i know you don't want me" by the Endeavors - but then have to tell me wife "it'll take me three records to get there!" 

 

[Seano]

Still love pulling records off the shelves and playing them. Sadly it's quite sporadic, but record fairs help and give me a fresh burst of discs to check out. Fridays do tend to be a favourite.

I've got all of them all over the floor at the moment planning to sort out better shelving (Ikea is great but Ivar doesn't fit the alcoves fully and I want more space!).

The physicality of handling the records just feels special, and I love the visual treat of label designs, especially where the quality of the artistic skills can feel a bit like the rough and ready brilliance of the track itself which isn't polished but has something just right about it that we all appreciate.

What I struggle with is letting go of the often scrappy paper sleeves and moving onto good quality card ones, and in many cases I've kept the paper one slipped inside the card one. 

[Guest phillybuster]

Phillybuster.I always play records at home.Wouldn't be without it.

[Bbrich]

15 hours ago, seano said:

Still love pulling records off the shelves and playing them. Sadly it's quite sporadic, but record fairs help and give me a fresh burst of discs to check out. Fridays do tend to be a favourite.

I've got all of them all over the floor at the moment planning to sort out better shelving (Ikea is great but Ivar doesn't fit the alcoves fully and I want more space!).

The physicality of handling the records just feels special, and I love the visual treat of label designs, especially where the quality of the artistic skills can feel a bit like the rough and ready brilliance of the track itself which isn't polished but has something just right about it that we all appreciate.

What I struggle with is letting go of the often scrappy paper sleeves and moving onto good quality card ones, and in many cases I've kept the paper one slipped inside the card one. 

Yes it is nice to have the original paper sleeves ("birthsleeves") so I put my records into plain brown paper sleeves that then fit into a cardboard one, this is then placed into a polythene sleeve. If I have the original paper sleeve then this goes between the cardboard sleeve and the polythene sleeve. That way it is visible but not subject to any more wear when taking the record out/putting it back. Also some orig paper sleeves wont fit nicely into the cardboard ones so this usually solves that issue. I am sure loads of people do this but I haven't seen any one else.

[Robbk]

1 hour ago, bbrich said:

Yes it is nice to have the original paper sleeves ("birthsleeves") so I put my records into plain brown paper sleeves that then fit into a cardboard one, this is then placed into a polythene sleeve. If I have the original paper sleeve then this goes between the cardboard sleeve and the polythene sleeve. That way it is visible but not subject to any more wear when taking the record out/putting it back. Also some orig paper sleeves wont fit nicely into the cardboard ones so this usually solves that issue. I am sure loads of people do this but I haven't seen any one else.

I have a stock of about 500 music publishing company cardboard "outer sleeves" that I could use in my chosen "Top 500" show records.  But, they cover about only the bottom 2/3 to 3/4 of the record, and 500 records forms an infinitesimal portion of my 40,000 collection 45s.  So, I just use them for housing my Top 500 for sale or for swap duplicates. 

I keep my collection 45s in company sleeves, and hand-made "company logo sleeves" made by colour and black & white photocopying the label logos of companies which had no printed company sleeves (Old Town, Apollo, Prestige, SAR/Derby, Cortland/Witch/Ermine, etc.), I fill my labels which had no original company sleeves in related company sleeves (i.e. all Bobby and Danny Robinson involved labels (Red Robin, Vest, Everlast, Holiday, Whirlin' Disc) into Fire and Fury covers, (Phillips in Sun covers, and other companies in the same situation); and labels that didn't have their own company covers, into distributor covers of their appropriate distributors (e.g. Jay-Gee (Jubilee-Josie Group), Jamie/Guyden (J/G), Amy/Mala/Bell Group, ARDCO, CIRCA, NRC(National Recording Corp.), Atlantic/ATCO Group, Chess, Checker, Cadet, Cadet Concept Group, Jewel, Scepter-Wand Group, etc.

I used colour photocopies for my hand-made more important or more intricately designed "company covers", and I have hand-coloured, using normal, blunt-tipped and finer tipped markers, those photocopies made in black and white of less important and less intricately designed company label logos.  The handmade logos fit over roughly the area above the hole in the sleeve, or much of that area, and they are pasted onto white slick jackets or lightweight green, yellow, turquoise and red coloured covers that are thicker than the lightweight  generic thin white or brown record sleeves, but yet still soft enough to not scratch the record as the harder cardboard sleeves might do.

So, ALL my "collection" 45s have some form of company covers.  My duplicates are just held in soft white generic sleeves, inside the large cardboard "publisher" categorical "outer sleeves" (record holders).

Those records which are very important in my collections, Motown and Detroit labels, Chicago labels, yellow Atlantic 45s(1947-1956), early Chess, Checker and Argo, early Vee Jay and Falcon/Abner, early King, Federal and De Luxe, early Modern, RPM, Flair and Crown, early Chance/Sabre, and Parrot/Blue Lake , and the like are kept inside their printed, or hand-made company covers, also inside a clear plastic (polyethelene?)  record jacket (originally used to house picture/photo 45 record jackets.

The only exception to that use is my entire Specialty Records collection of a few (about 300?) hundred, which is sleeved in hard cardboard slightly large printed Specialty covers, which I bought directly from Specialty owner Art Rupe near the beginning of the 1970s, when he was selling his reprints in them. 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2016 by RobbK

[Psamsara]

1 hour ago, RobbK said:

I have a stock of about 500 music publishing company cardboard "outer sleeves" that I could use in my chosen "Top 500" show records.  But, they cover about only the bottom 2/3 to 3/4 of the record, and 500 records forms an infinitesimal portion of my 40,000 collection 45s.  So, I just use them for housing my Top 500 for sale or for swap duplicates. 

I keep my collection 45s in company sleeves, and hand-made "company logo sleeves" made by colour and black & white photocopying the label logos of companies which had no printed company sleeves (Old Town, Apollo, Prestige, SAR/Derby, Cortland/Witch/Ermine, etc.), I fill my labels which had no original company sleeves in related company sleeves (i.e. all Bobby and Danny Robinson involved labels (Red Robin, Vest, Everlast, Holiday, Whirlin' Disc) into Fire and Fury covers, (Phillips in Sun covers, and other companies in the same situation); and labels that didn't have their own company covers, into distributor covers of their appropriate distributors (e.g. Jay-Gee (Jubilee-Josie Group), Jamie/Guyden (J/G), Amy/Mala/Bell Group, ARDCO, CIRCA, NRC(National Recording Corp.), Atlantic/ATCO Group, Chess, Checker, Cadet, Cadet Concept Group, Jewel, Scepter-Wand Group, etc.

I used colour photocopies for my hand-made more important or more intricately designed "company covers", and I have hand-coloured, using normal, blunt-tipped and finer tipped markers, those photocopies made in black and white of less important and less intricately designed company label logos.  The handmade logos fit over roughly the area above the hole in the sleeve, or much of that area, and they are pasted onto white slick jackets or lightweight green, yellow, turquoise and red coloured covers that are thicker than the lightweight  generic thin white or brown record sleeves, but yet still soft enough to not scratch the record as the harder cardboard sleeves might do.

So, ALL my "collection" 45s have some form of company covers.  My duplicates are just held in soft white generic sleeves, inside the large cardboard "publisher" categorical "outer sleeves" (record holders).

Those records which are very important in my collections, Motown and Detroit labels, Chicago labels, yellow Atlantic 45s(1947-1956), early Chess, Checker and Argo, early Vee Jay and Falcon/Abner, early King, Federal and De Luxe, early Modern, RPM, Flair and Crown, early Chance/Sabre, and Parrot/Blue Lake , and the like are kept inside their printed, or hand-made company covers, also inside a clear plastic (polyethelene?)  record jacket (originally used to house picture/photo 45 record jackets.

The only exception to that use is my entire Specialty Records collection of a few (about 300?) hundred, which is sleeved in hard cardboard slightly large printed Specialty covers, which I bought directly from Specialty owner Art Rupe near the beginning of the 1970s, when he was selling his reprints in them. 

 

 

 

You have 40 000  45s?

[Robbk]

3 hours ago, psamsara said:

 

You have 40 000  45s?

Roughly,

But they are not all in the same continent, nor country within the 2 continents, nor city within the 5 or 6 individual countries.

[Gotsoul]

Oh yeah, I play em and they still sound good. 

[Raremusicdirect]

Play all new releases about every 2 weeks, unless desperate hurry for something, and then it often extends to up to 4/5 hours worth of playing, with JDnCoke, Bad Dancing and enthusiastic raving about how great the 45 is.........

 

[Tiberius]

On 22/07/2016 at 14:04, RobbK said:

I have a stock of about 500 music publishing company cardboard "outer sleeves" that I could use in my chosen "Top 500" show records.  But, they cover about only the bottom 2/3 to 3/4 of the record, and 500 records forms an infinitesimal portion of my 40,000 collection 45s.  So, I just use them for housing my Top 500 for sale or for swap duplicates. 

I keep my collection 45s in company sleeves, and hand-made "company logo sleeves" made by colour and black & white photocopying the label logos of companies which had no printed company sleeves (Old Town, Apollo, Prestige, SAR/Derby, Cortland/Witch/Ermine, etc.), I fill my labels which had no original company sleeves in related company sleeves (i.e. all Bobby and Danny Robinson involved labels (Red Robin, Vest, Everlast, Holiday, Whirlin' Disc) into Fire and Fury covers, (Phillips in Sun covers, and other companies in the same situation); and labels that didn't have their own company covers, into distributor covers of their appropriate distributors (e.g. Jay-Gee (Jubilee-Josie Group), Jamie/Guyden (J/G), Amy/Mala/Bell Group, ARDCO, CIRCA, NRC(National Recording Corp.), Atlantic/ATCO Group, Chess, Checker, Cadet, Cadet Concept Group, Jewel, Scepter-Wand Group, etc.

I used colour photocopies for my hand-made more important or more intricately designed "company covers", and I have hand-coloured, using normal, blunt-tipped and finer tipped markers, those photocopies made in black and white of less important and less intricately designed company label logos.  The handmade logos fit over roughly the area above the hole in the sleeve, or much of that area, and they are pasted onto white slick jackets or lightweight green, yellow, turquoise and red coloured covers that are thicker than the lightweight  generic thin white or brown record sleeves, but yet still soft enough to not scratch the record as the harder cardboard sleeves might do.

So, ALL my "collection" 45s have some form of company covers.  My duplicates are just held in soft white generic sleeves, inside the large cardboard "publisher" categorical "outer sleeves" (record holders).

Those records which are very important in my collections, Motown and Detroit labels, Chicago labels, yellow Atlantic 45s(1947-1956), early Chess, Checker and Argo, early Vee Jay and Falcon/Abner, early King, Federal and De Luxe, early Modern, RPM, Flair and Crown, early Chance/Sabre, and Parrot/Blue Lake , and the like are kept inside their printed, or hand-made company covers, also inside a clear plastic (polyethelene?)  record jacket (originally used to house picture/photo 45 record jackets.

The only exception to that use is my entire Specialty Records collection of a few (about 300?) hundred, which is sleeved in hard cardboard slightly large printed Specialty covers, which I bought directly from Specialty owner Art Rupe near the beginning of the 1970s, when he was selling his reprints in them. 

 

 

Would love to see a couple of photos of your hand-made  "company covers.

[Girdwoodinc]

I play them every day, only listen to mp3s when I'm in the car or travelling...no point in collecting records if you don't play them, it's the equivalent of collecting china tea cups and not drinking tea out them...

[Guest]

On 22/07/2016 at 18:59, RobbK said:

Roughly,

But they are not all in the same continent, nor country within the 2 continents, nor city within the 5 or 6 individual countries.

Just looking at your new picture, you're looking pretty young these days!

Edited August 4, 2016 by Guest

[Robbk]

10 hours ago, tiberius said:

Would love to see a couple of photos of your hand-made  "company covers.

I'll try to remember to post some when I get back to my main 45s.  Right now I'm in Muenchen, where I have mainly LPs.

[Bruv]

I try and play a few records every day and I like to play them in some sort of order, which is pretty well how I go about dj-ing be it mainstream gigs or Soul nights. 

[Djr]

I do play my records at home, although not as often as I would like to. Generally I only have time when my wife and daughter have gone to bed, and some nights I just don't have the energy.......

[clevesoulie]

At times, I do play my records at home. I was so despondent about not being able to make it to the other side of town for a soul dance party, that I played records in my room and danced to them by myself. I didn't get to meet anybody like I wanted to, but I at least got to dance.

Best,

Mark

[PabloWinchester]

Actually I don't. Well, rarely. I can't see the point of risking damaging a possibly expensive disc just to hear the song when I've either already transferred it to my PC, or can hear it on YouTube, just a click away. 

I play 'em out though ;)

[Guest oldsoulgit]

I play mine almost every day, I have LP or certain artist sessions, although I've been selling for a while I still have loads to go at.

Cheers Jim.

[Robbk]

On 8/4/2016 at 06:10, tiberius said:

Would love to see a couple of photos of your hand-made  "company covers.

Here are some of my hand-made record company label jackets:

[Robbk]

Here are more:

[Robbk]

And yet More:

[Robbk]

And more:

 

[Robbk]

Moving from Chicago to Detroit (already one on previous post):

[Robbk]

More Detroit:

 

[Robbk]

One more from Detroit, plus random:

[Robbk]

A few more of interest:

Mind you, I have hundreds of '50s labels with hand-made "company" sleeves.  But, as this is a Soul, rather than R&B forum, I've shown mostly '60s.  But my collection is about 1/2 & 1/2.  I started collecting in 1953, and collect music from 1936-1972 (but very, very little of it is 1969-72).  My U.S. Red Bird records are placed in UK Red Bird sleeves.  But my Blue Cats are as below.

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by RobbK

[Robbk]

A few more:

[Mick Holdsworth]

Those look great, did you draw them yourself ?

[Ryan Wilson]

Records should be purchased to be enjoyed.

Nothing better than spinning some 45s in good company, at home or events. 

[Spacehopper]

cant believe people would rather listen on a pc!..has to be 2 x technics 1210s through a seperates system with 4 speakers

as soon as a new mailer drops onto the doorstep its on the technics..as soon as we get back from a nightout the decks are spinning and normally stay that way for the next 12 hours!

through the week after a days work I may play a few but its normally at the weekends now,cant beat a Saturday afternoon playing tunes before going out and as someone has said having two decks is the best way to work out which tunes follow others best if you have a dj spot coming up..i love spending hours changing the playbox selection depending on what ive been buying and where I will be playing

my earliest memories are playing records when I was about 5,i will never stop!

 

dean

[Robbk]

2 hours ago, Mick Holdsworth said:

Those look great, did you draw them yourself ?

No.  They are from photocopies of original records onto paper, and the paper cut into smaller pieces with mostly the logo.  Some of the photocopies were made in colour, and some in black & white.  I hand-coloured the black & white photocopies as close as I could get to the label colours, using marking pens.

[Bruv]

7 hours ago, RobbK said:

A few more:

They look fantastic Robb, thank you for sharing.

[Baz1]

5 hours ago, spacehopper said:

cant believe people would rather listen on a pc!..has to be 2 x technics 1210s through a seperates system with 4 speakers

as soon as a new mailer drops onto the doorstep its on the technics..as soon as we get back from a nightout the decks are spinning and normally stay that way for the next 12 hours!

through the week after a days work I may play a few but its normally at the weekends now,cant beat a Saturday afternoon playing tunes before going out and as someone has said having two decks is the best way to work out which tunes follow others best if you have a dj spot coming up..i love spending hours changing the playbox selection depending on what ive been buying and where I will be playing

my earliest memories are playing records when I was about 5,i will never stop!

 

dean

Here here that man 

[BabyBoyAndMyLass]

Lovely thread!

Robb those sleeves are smart!

Me I only have one hotbox of about 150, some good'uns though, I tend to play them as a special treat usually if my lass is doing some washing or drying in the kitchen next to my study, then I plug my turntable into a lovely vintage Vox valve stage amp, they sound totally authentic through the mono valve technology!

[Bruv]

I was spoilt over the weekend when a good friend surprised me when he suddenly appeared with one of those Portable record player gizmos out of the boot of his old Buick and a cardboard box of 45's unfortunately he didn't have any Soul amongst his collection.

But I did enjoy hearing Pat Boone's - Speedy Gonzalez getting a spin with a few other old classics!   

[Wayne61]

I love playing my northern at home when I have free time mick. 

[Bruv]

I need to get me one of these Gizmo's, then I can play the vinyl where ever I go.....       

[Emjaygee]

So just got home from working away for a few days, everyone in bed early so dragged a pile of records out. Played Victoria Williams & J B Ledbetter Show Some Sign as I remebered playing that eons ago.

Then flipped it over and found We're So Satisfied is bloody brilliant, and if I'd just been click playing would never have done that.

 

I'm a happy boy :-)

[Robbk]

6 hours ago, Bruv said:

I need to get me one of these Gizmo's, then I can play the vinyl where ever I go.....       

That walking street looks like Germany.  Is that in Osnabrück?

[Woodbutcher]

4 hours ago, RobbK said:

That walking street looks like Germany.  Is that in Osnabrück?

Belgium , from the trike's registration plate and the Geox and Olivier Dachkin on the street ...  

To be precise it's ...

Rue des Fripiers 2
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium

Edited April 7, 2017 by WoodButcher

[Tattoodave]

43 minutes ago, WoodButcher said:

Belgium , from the trike's registration plate and the Geox and Olivier Dachkin on the street ...  

To be precise it's ...

Rue des Fripiers 2
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium

I knew it was Brussels from the picture, there's a Manneken Pis in the window of the shop, but couldn't name the street.  I think you missed your vocation, you should have been a detective!

Edited April 7, 2017 by TattooDave
I'm a dumbass

[Pga1]

Great stuff, selling snacks to the folk at the front, while spinning  tunes. Obviously all popcorn.  Cheers

[Steve S 60]

Over the coming months I'll be playing most of my vinyl at home, as I've just taken delivery of a Sony PS-HX500 turntable.  It has a built in analogue to digital converter and allows you to record wav or high definition audio files to your computer via USB. Introduced last year at £450, Sony have just knocked £150 off, and I got a further £30 off at Peter Tyson.  Gave it a trial run yesterday, and not only does it sound good, the software is easy to use.

https://petertyson.co.uk/index.php/sony-ps-hx500-turntable.html

 

[Robbk]

16 hours ago, WoodButcher said:

Belgium , from the trike's registration plate and the Geox and Olivier Dachkin on the street ...  

To be precise it's ...

Rue des Fripiers 2
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium

Aha!!!  Brussel!!!  I know the place.  I have cousins there who I visit each year, same in Antwerpen en Luik (Liége).

[Robbk]

15 hours ago, Pga1 said:

Great stuff, selling snacks to the folk at the front, while spinning  tunes. Obviously all popcorn.  Cheers

The snacks sold should be popcorn!