The Future of Vinyl Collecting? Learning About Vintage Media Grading (VMG)
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- Опубликовано: 4 сен 2024
- Something different for you with this one, Buddies. For this latest 'sode on Vinyl Community Podcasts, I'm joined by Chad and Drew from Vintage Media Grading (VMG). The guys were kind enough to inform and share what their business is about: namely, introducing a new way to collect vinyl into the marketplace. Taking cues from other collectible spaces like sports cards, comic books, etc., VMG offers third party grading services on vinyl records, including "slabbing", which is commonplace in those aforementioned hobbies. As VMG has been gaining awareness in the hobby, there's some natural questions that come from this new way to collect vinyl records. Listen ahead to learn more about this alternative to traditional vinyl collecting, additional services VMG offers (the "V" doesn't mean "vinyl" for a reason), and also the origins of this new company (hint: we have some fellow record collectors in our midst). All this and more on this latest installment of Vinyl Community Podcasts!
#vinylcommunity #vinylcollection #slabbing
For more information on Vintage Media Grading:
(Website) www.vmgvinyl.com
(IG) / vintagemediagrading
(Podcast) www.buzzsprout...
For more information on Vinyl Community Podcasts:
www.vinylcommunitypodcasts.com
This is why the pod is so good. Going beyond just the usual dialogue around vinyl and venturing into different areas, educating us on the trends that are coming (whether we agree with it or not - to each their own). Great interview Buddie. Killing it.
Man, thank you for that! Needed it. Been in a rut of late. Probably the holidaze. But hearing feedback like yours here helps me keep going. Thanks bro 🙏🏻
Very interested in getting more newer/younger collectors into understanding grading!
Interviewed a record store recently & they shared how time-consuming it is to do at scale. But is not only doable, but important! keep on groovin' ~mark
Right on Mark! It’s imperative to get young folks into the hobby who are engaged to stick with it.
Is the interview available on your channel? If not, please point me in the right direction to check it out, thanks!
working on the edit as we speak. did 4 videos with them but this one will be roughly ~1hr (out next week)@@ConcertBuddie
Nice video, man! The thumbnail alone is worth the price of admission!
Duuuuude, thanks for noticing! I put some effort into this one, happy how it turned out. Cheers Jason! 😎
Very interesting podcast video. I had heard about VMG but I’m glad you did a deep dive. Thanks Chance 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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Aw the science of grading, great topic but also conversation. I have no idea who your guest were but they were very interesting. A true collector, I buy one to listen to and one that is sealed lol. Pretty amazing
One to keep and one to sleep, as I like to say 🙂
There is definitely a market for this. Early stages but early entrants will have good upside. Just need to invest early on in what you like. Sealed product stands to benefit a ton. Which is good. Sealed condition always fetches the most money grading or no grading. At least there’s a way to better preserve them rate them and catalog them online. Overall a net win for vinyl investors. And collectors need not worry - most records have been re pressed several times. There is to some extent an affordable copy of what you want. Unless it’s niche or was never repressed. Than in that case it’s just natural scarcity at play and you should in response be willing to cough up the few hundred dollars it might cost. And worse case scenario, your favorite records can still be streamed or bought on cd if you’re really that afraid of price movements
A lot of sound points here. Regardless of what people think (good or bad) it’s here now, and to stay. Adapt or die, as Mark Parker famously said. Thanks for commenting + watching!
An interesting psychological aspect of slabbing, it almost creates a sense of a treasure chest. As a male dominated market, we are possessive creatures and I wonder if it will artificial create a drive to buy slabbed valuable records as it gives that sense of a "treasure" that needs to be hidden and protected. Very interesting to watch it unfold in the coming years.
First, really enjoy your channel! You’ve got a real talent and hustle to find some SICK records. Always enjoy checking your videos. I’ve got your latest one que’d up to check out on my next YT binge (another crazy collection I bet from your socials).
As for this video/chat/podcast here, I think it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the coming years. Like the VMG guys admit: it’s not for everyone, but it does serve a part of the community similar to those others collectible markets. They also offer other services (3rd party grading, record cleaning, sticker off sleeve removal, etc) that diversifies their offerings (which I found pretty smart to do). Have a great rest of your Sunday! Means a lot you checked this one out. 🙏🏻
My rating system is this - Sealed or Played Once - Meaning that if I have opened it I have digitized it. Seems to work. I have been screwed (like many) on the VG+ vs Mint deal. Thanks for your video! I have sub'd Eh.
Appreciate you, thanks! Grading is sooooo polarizing, and it shouldn’t be IMO. One of my biggest pet peeves in the hobby, bar none. I’ve been burned by overgrading by sellers, mostly online. What say you?
I agree 100%. I bought a Deep Purple LP from Germany (I think) and it came water damaged and had a warped cover.. The disk was ok but it was promoted as mint cover and disk. I reported the seller. Now I buy new or local. @@ConcertBuddie
Great page by the way! @@ConcertBuddie
@@WillsRushpage you are too kind - thanks for the kind words!
Thanks Chance for the interview with Chad and Drew, interesting engagement 🎸👍🏻
Of course you can probably guess where the record hobbyist that have been doing this for decades stand. Thats me lol…
We know difference is to many, as was briefly mentioned in so many words:
You don’t listen to baseball cards or stamps. Vinyl is made for listening. Really that is the bottom line for folks who are against this practice. “Slabbing”, sounds like something you do to a dead person. And music is dead when you are not playing the record. All of these are the justifications against this.
Furthermore, once you go down this route you will see lp prices so jacked up eventually that only the very elete will be able to buy certain records in true NM condition.
Also, the idea that this will somehow present a more uniform grading to help consumers be more confident in their purchase is imo not reality. It really comes down to playgrading. And even then, unlike looking at a stamp with your eyes, we know that playgrading can be system and individually dependent. Uniform visual grading just does not work for records imo. It barely works in practical terms and certainly not on this level. With baseball cards, cars, stamps etc it is all visual. With records collectibility is not only visual but also audio. That is why Goldmine never has really worked.
And some of these slabbed pieces may or may not be playgraded. How is that uniform?
Not much a fan of this practice of slabbing records. The “next cool way to collect” is not always the best thing for a hobby or the hobbyist. Maybe for the fellas that are in the slabbing business and those who slab in order to flip but for the record hobbyist who actually buys to listen and will have to pay exorbitant prices due to this practice? Thats a big NO.
The only time I can see it being helpful is possibly you have a really rare record. Say Ringo Starrs copy of the White Album or John Lennon signed Sgt Peppers. That, I can get behind in a limited way.
One of the defenses seems to be “Only a marginal amount of the highest graded lps will make it into the market” But that isn’t true for baseball cards, so it doesn’t seem a logical defense for lps either. And the trickle down affect will increase prices in other gradings also with lps. While I get the idea that sure I have records in my collection that I may consider very rare and also ones that are not meant to be played everyday, I still want that option. Again though, my issue concerning this is more how this will affect record prices.
Another quote…
“Music lovers are looking for a new way to collect”
That may be true. But you should replace music with another word. Because gathering “music” is useless unless you are actually listening to it. Think about it. Maybe “Vinyl Collectors That Want To Look At Their Collections Instead Of Actually Listening Want To Hermetically Seal Records”
“In most cases the reissues will sound better than the original pressing”
No, I would not agree with that at all and see this statement as simply trying to justify the slabbing of originals. Sorry, but yeah.
Uniformity in grading may work within your business, but that does not mean that you will convince an entire world of vinyl collectors to be assured of a standard when there really is no standard. Goldmine couldn’t assure that, so I dont believe a company that bases their grading on Goldmine will either. Too many variables. And again, when you put playgrading into the equation this intensifies the variables.
If you grade something as a 10 visually but it plays at a 7, who wants to pay for that? And how will the buyer know it will play 10 on your system but 8.5 on another?
In conclusion, Im not totally against archiving this way as long as it is kept very limited. But in order to be profitable this will end up spreading out into a bigger arena than simply the rarest of rare. And will in turn increase record prices much higher than they already are. And the idea of uniform grading as far as records is an impossible venture imo.
Ok, Ill stop there. I did watch the entire video though 😁
Good topic though Chance. No knock against you. Good to bring it to folks attention. Not all will react positively to this development brother.
Keep em comin. 🎸✌🏻
Appreciate the deep dive and thoughts Mr Bandy! And for watching all the way til the end - bonus points sir!
I feel you on music a much different animal for slabbing than cards, even comics. I was just watching a video earlier today matter of fact of a baseball card collector breaking a case to open a sealed pack of 52 Topps looking for a Mantle rookie (spoiler - wasn’t one in there). So I can appreciate those that collect on “what could be”.
Pricing will be interesting to watch as this grows/expands. The market is already speculative in a lot of ways on open used pieces; this could compound that too.
I’m a HUGE fan on the integration of play-grading into the grading puzzle. I’m dumbstruck why this hasn’t happened already, TBH. But also the creative liberties people take with the Goldmine “standard” are maddening to no end, and Goldmine (instead of trying to fine tune their grading scale) seems content on sitting on their hands. Another rant for another day…
So great to hear from you on this topic JB - talk soon Buddie! ✌🏻
Very cool concept. I would love to see a more standardized grading. Something that is more concrete than the goldmine system. It seems to be too subjective. I dont currently own anything like the 1st state butcher or teal Zeppelin I that I would want to slab. Maybe some day?
I would love to know more detail about their process for identifying variants. Discogs is good for finding some of that info, but there always seems to be gaps in the information and has been left to the people who are making contributions.
Great interview Chance.
Thank you sir! Grading needs more uniformity IMO, and Goldmine could/should be doing more there. I think choice is a good thing, and while slabbing may not appeal to all, it sounds like it appeals to some. I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes: “some people like some things…and other people like other things”. Will be interesting to see where this goes in the hobby for sure. 🙏🏻
Hi Chance, Great show. When I buy a slabbed coin I break it out so I can hold it and show it to a few friends so they can actually hold it too. I'm not a flipper, and my collection won't be around for posterity. I'll never slab a record (Never say Never!). Audible grading? Hmmmm. This hobby sure is getting complicated and expensive! I'm gonna be late to the party again!
Better late than never, right? I think the guys say it best in the video: slabbing may not be for most collectors, but for those that do want it, they’ve got the service available to fill that space.
Thanks for checking this one out! Good vinyl luck in the week ahead! ✌🏻
Thanks!@@ConcertBuddie
Slabbing a record is analogous to slabbing a baseball card in a an opaque case. Also, I think issuing an NFT for a Copyrighted work, albeit a physical medium that can be freely traded, may run into legal issues. But, maybe not.
Hey there! I’m the last person to comment on the NFT space, but I’d trust these guys to do their due diligence. That said, what do you think about slabbing in this hobby? Would love to hear your expanded thoughts!
@@ConcertBuddie For me, I don;t like the idea of it. But, I suppose people can do whatever they want with their records. To me it would make actually listening to the greatest records even more valuable.
Interesting video Chance. Not something I was aware of. More of interest to me is the grading. UK is even worse than the US for this. Excellent grade between vg+ and NM for example...does my head in! I've got more fussy in my old age I'm usually disappointed when I buy something online. Why should vg be attached to any item that clearly is knackered? 'Very good' to most would mean just that, virtually perfect. Not 'very good = scratches/clicks/pops etc. My partner as a non-record person certainly doesn't understand it and I agree with her. Until the next vid... cheers Nige
I'm afraid if I go too deep into my issues with grading (and the lack of consistency) I'd be banned by RUclips. It's my #1, 2, and 3 pet peeve about the hobby. Well, that and companies/people that do not know how to properly pack + ship records. Thanks for dropping by Nigel! Always enjoy hearing from you 🙂
@@ConcertBuddie You and me both mate...I sound literally like a broken record when it comes to grading...haha.
:: nifty 👍
Glad you checked it out! 🤘🏻
Hey Buddie🤘
Waddup Sir! Thanks for stopping by, as usual. 🤘🏻
I hate everything about this.. this topic triggers me.. much like Chance gets triggered with haters. You didn't ask my #1 question.. when I'm forced to buy a slabbed record (like at recent heritage auctions) because the record is so rare can't find an unslabbed.. can you take the plastic off and play it without wrecking the cover/record. I buy records to play, i collect records to collect and play, i buy sealed records to unseal and play. Hate this! I've seen a bunch of common 5.0 slabbed lps, what's the point? aghh. No matter what they say I bet 85% of their research is discogs. But again Chance, great video, keep it going. :)
Thanks Chris. I’m down to a steady three haters at this point, two of which just happen to have 38 accounts between them. 😂 I do appreciate you spending some time on this topic with this video/podcast. Good vinyl luck to you sir!
Really not a fan of slabbing.. I'm also a classic video game collector and it's really screwed up the market, imho. Hopefully this isn't as big a thing with vinyl than it is with classic gaming, but I can see why someone would do so with a sealed grail pressing I suppose. 🤷🏻
The WATA scandal on that Super Mario sealed game a few years ago really muffed up that market IMO. I can appreciate that different people collect different things different ways. Thanks for checking the channel and this podcast out! ✌🏻