The Art of the Hunt: A Beginner's Guide to Crate Digging
"Crate digging" is our term for hunting for records. It's an essential part of the ritual and one of the most rewarding. Here's a quick guide to the hunting grounds and the skills you'll need to bag a trophy.
Your Home Base: The Local Record Store
This is your sanctuary. Nothing beats the tactile pleasure of flipping through a curated selection of records. The staff are your greatest allies; they are obsessive music fans who can turn you on to your next favorite album. Don't be shy. Tell them what you love and ask them what's new in the "used" bin.
- The Good: You can find both new and used records. The staff are experts. You can often listen to a used record before you buy it.
- The Trade-off: You'll pay fair market price. The thrill here is discovery, not necessarily the bargain.
The Wild West: Thrift Stores & Flea Markets
This is where the real hunt begins. It's high-risk, high-reward. Ninety-nine percent of what you find will be junk—scratched, warped, or just plain bad music. But that one percent... that one percent is where you'll find a pristine jazz record for a dollar and feel like you've won the lottery. This is where you hone your skills.
- The Good: Incredibly cheap. The potential for finding an amazing bargain is very real.
- The Trade-off: The condition is almost always a gamble. You are completely on your own, and you must inspect every single record with extreme prejudice.
The Global Crate: Online Marketplaces
The internet gives you access to a record store the size of the planet. A site like Discogs is an indispensable tool—a massive database and marketplace where you can find almost any pressing of any record ever made. It's the best place to find a specific album you've been searching for.
- The Good: The selection is practically infinite.
- The Trade-off: You can't physically inspect the record. Your only currency is trust. Rule #1: Only buy from sellers with a high feedback rating (99.5% or higher). Rule #2: Read the comments. A seller who describes a record's flaws honestly is one you can trust.
The Most Important Skill: How to Inspect a Used Record
This is what separates the novices from the veterans. Learn to do this, and you'll save yourself a world of heartache. Use the light from your phone.
- Check the Vinyl: Take the record out. Look for deep, feelable scratches that go across the grooves. Those will almost certainly be audible. Light paper scuffs that go with the grooves are often just cosmetic. Tilt the record in the light. Does it have a healthy, glossy sheen, or does it look dull and grey? A dull-looking record has likely been played to death.
- Check for Warps: Hold the record at eye level and look across its surface. A gentle, slight wave is often fine. A sharp, pronounced warp is a dealbreaker.
- Check the Cover: Look for seam splits on the top and bottom. Is there water damage or mold? Is the spine legible? A well-cared-for cover often means a well-cared-for record inside.
The Final Word
The most important rule of crate digging is to enjoy the process. It's about the discovery, the conversation, and the thrill of finally finding that one album you've been searching for. Happy hunting.
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