We use the The Goldmine Grading Scale as the basis of our grading. For simplicity we have adapted it slightly as follows.

Records are graded visually under strong light, ranging from best to worst:

• Excellent (EX): A nearly perfect record with no obvious wear, glossy, with no signs of handling.

• Very Good Plus (VG+): Shows signs of careful handling, perhaps light scuffs or hairline scratches that don't affect play, or slight surface noise.

• Very Good (VG): Surface noise is evident, especially in soft passages, with noticeable scratches/wear.

• Good Plus (G+): Significant wear, surface noise, and scratches, but will play through without skipping.

• Fair (F): Significant surface noise, surface damage, and likely skips.

We provide Vinyl Listening Areas in both our Burbage and Hinckley shops to help you evaluate playback condition before you buy - and we encourage our customers to do this.

It’s worth bearing in mind that whilst the Goldmine Grading Scale is widely adopted it remains subjective. Your satisfaction is our number one priority, accordingly we offer a no-quibble refund or exchange for any item you buy that doesn’t meet your expectations. Please just pop into the shop or give us a call to discuss.

Finally, experience tells us that different Turntable and Cartridge combinations - and the surface they’re sitting on - often play a significant role in how a record sounds.

Whether it’s an entry-level/ budget turntable with limited tonearm controls (such as counterweight or anti-skate), or higher-end audiophile equipment (perhaps fitted with a uni-pivot tonearm and suspended sub-chassis) can all be influenced by their set-up and environment. To counteract this some turntables are specifically designed to deliver continuous playback from vinyl in almost any condition.

In short, there’s no single factor that can ensure that every record (sold by any shop) will play as hoped on every turntable. But rest assured, if you have any significant issues with any disc we sell we’re available to put it right.

How we prepare our second-hand stock

With the exception of our 50p, £1 and FREE records we visually inspect, clean and grade ALL our second hand stock. We play all our ‘Rarities and Collectable’ items and often write playback or condition based comments on our pricing labels. All records from £3 and above are supplied in a Vinyl Protection Sleeve.

Due to the volume of records we process it’s possible that we might miss a record here and there - but it’s very unusual and we’ve had no complaints so far. It’s also worth bearing in mind that we’re only human, but we’re always on hand to resolve any issues that might occur.