A vinyl fair can be a blessing or a curse. I've been to only three of them but I made classic mistakes on each of them. I still came home with a bunch of great heavy metal records, but I literally paid my tribute for not being prepared. So here are the lessons I learned the hard way.
Expectation I:
It doesn't matter if I show up an hour after opening.
It doesn't matter if I show up an hour after opening.
Reality:
The good/reasonably priced records go fast. I arrived late on my first fair and people showed me what they've purchased today. Thrilled to find similar records I kept on digging only to find that the interesting records where already gone. With that in mind I went to my second fair with...
The good/reasonably priced records go fast. I arrived late on my first fair and people showed me what they've purchased today. Thrilled to find similar records I kept on digging only to find that the interesting records where already gone. With that in mind I went to my second fair with...
Expectation II:
I will find a rare record for a good price.
Reality:
Reality:
A vinyl fair here in Austria is an event where record stores sell their used or in some cases new records. These guys know exactly what they have and what to sell it for. You can find rare records but don't expect them to come at a bargain. The prices are usually slightly above discogs prices, and the rare records by a margin. Darkthrones first pressing of "A Blaze In The Northern Sky" was available for €200 while Burzum's "Aske" Mini EP was seen for 900€. Those records are usually used to show off and nobody with experience in buying vinyl would buy the records for those prices. With my hopes of finding a rare record for cheap crushed I lowered my standards to...
Expectation III:
At least I'll get some good metal records from the past few years.
Reality:
At least I'll get some good metal records from the past few years.
Reality:
95% of the records at the fairs are non-metal. 95 % of the metal records are from the same few bands: Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and you find a lot of rock filed under metal/heavy like Bon Jovi or the Scorpions. With my hopes crushed again I settled for...
Expectation IV:
The price tag on the records I find and want to buy will be okay.
Reality:
If you don't barter, you'll lose money. Many sellers set their prices 5-10 € above value so it seems you'll make a good purchase. 20 € price tag for a 1982 VG+ edition of Iron Maiden's - Number of the Beast? "Hey for you I'll make it 15." - Emperors reissue of "In the Nightside Eclipse"? - "Usually 29 but for you 22". Bartering is essential if you want the records for their market value. I am all for supporting local record stores but sometimes it's a total rip off.
Lessons learned:
- If it is a small fair, show up early.
- You will find rare records but the price tag is hefty
- Be prepared that most of the records are non-metal
- Be prepared that the heavy/metal section consists of the same few classic bands
- Be prepared to pay a bit more than online
Vinyl fairs are a great event when you keep in those lessons in mind. And it's an interesting place to meet vinyl enthusiasts and metal fans alike. Especially when you talk to collectors or sellers who dedicated their lives to vinyl you may hear some very interesting stories.
So here's a quick overview of what I came away with this time:
Lamb of God - Sturm und Drang
I was fortunate enough to come across a sealed copy of Lamb of God's recent album. According to the seller he bought two copies by mistake. This is the 2LP clear limited edition (Discogs link). The price was the same as on discogs and below retail.
Enslaved - Frost
I am a big fan of Enslaved and I am collecting all their releases. So when I came across the picture disc of Frost. The front is the album cover and the back is a ridiculous image of the band. (If you need to know, check this link).
Primordial - Where greater men have Fallen
This was one of the few newer records I stumbled upon. There where actually three sellers with this album and the prices varied by a margin. I got the record for a bit over discogs prices which was okay.
Lessons learned:
- If it is a small fair, show up early.
- You will find rare records but the price tag is hefty
- Be prepared that most of the records are non-metal
- Be prepared that the heavy/metal section consists of the same few classic bands
- Be prepared to pay a bit more than online
Vinyl fairs are a great event when you keep in those lessons in mind. And it's an interesting place to meet vinyl enthusiasts and metal fans alike. Especially when you talk to collectors or sellers who dedicated their lives to vinyl you may hear some very interesting stories.
So here's a quick overview of what I came away with this time:
Lamb of God - Sturm und Drang
I was fortunate enough to come across a sealed copy of Lamb of God's recent album. According to the seller he bought two copies by mistake. This is the 2LP clear limited edition (Discogs link). The price was the same as on discogs and below retail.
Enslaved - Frost
I am a big fan of Enslaved and I am collecting all their releases. So when I came across the picture disc of Frost. The front is the album cover and the back is a ridiculous image of the band. (If you need to know, check this link).
Dark Funeral - In the sign...
This is a 2000 reissue of the original Dark Funeral self titled EP with two bonus tracks. This record is amazing in every way. The sound and the music alike.
Primordial - Where greater men have Fallen
This was one of the few newer records I stumbled upon. There where actually three sellers with this album and the prices varied by a margin. I got the record for a bit over discogs prices which was okay.
Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse
This is a purchase I regret a lot. I like Emperor, I am fan of Ihsahn but this 2008 reissue sounds very very bad. Seriously, Back on Black, the label behind the reissue, is known for bad sounding records. So there's the newest lesson I learned: Do some research before buying from unknown labels.
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