The record I decided not to sell

A record can look almost perfect and still be one I decide not to sell.

Recently I checked a copy of Harry Nilsson’s A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night. The sleeve and most of the vinyl looked close to Near Mint. Then I found two tiny spots on one side where the lacquer was missing. Both caused an audible click when the record played.

That is a manufacturing defect rather than the usual sign of a record being played too often. It is also exactly the kind of detail a photograph of a glossy LP can miss. Once I heard the clicks, the condition on paper no longer told the whole story. I took that copy out of the shop.

When you buy a used record, it helps to read the condition of the vinyl and sleeve separately. NM/NM describes a clean looking copy, but specific notes about sound, marks and packaging matter just as much. A sealed record can have its own unknowns because the disc inside has not been inspected.

At Mr. Hansen Records I describe the individual copy as clearly as I can. If you want matrix details or extra photos of a particular pressing, just ask. The aim is simple: you should know what will arrive before you open the parcel.

What is the strangest pressing flaw you have come across?