Ten 78 RPM 10" Records Lot #112: Mostly Folk & Country Leaning Styles 1946-1952 - Untested

Comments: 

Here is a nice batch of records issued from 1946 to 1952 or so. Most of the records are good looking, but I did not clean or play test. The records are sold as is. I wouldn't have included any of these in this lot if I didn't think they were winners in some sense. You never know for sure how well any record will play until you actually play it though and it's possible you might find a clunker or two in this lot. 

Cleaning before playing is highly recommended. Expect to see some dust, dirt, grime, spots and maybe occasional fingerprints on the records since I didn't spend the time to clean that stuff off.

What Is Included: Please see the photos for song titles and other details. Artists included in this lot (with release year and record grading) are:

Joe "Fingers" Carr and the Carr-Hops, 1952, E Roy Smeck and the Music Men with Bob Houston vocal / Red River Dave, 1950s release probably, V+ The Weavers and Terry Gilkyson, 1951, E- Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely, 1950, E+ Dorothy Shay, 1948, V+, some edge flakes not affecting play Hank Snow and his Rainbow Ranch Boys, 1951, V+, a few edge flakes nap Dinah Shore and her Happy Valley Boys, 1948, V+, small edge flake nap Ted Weems and his Orchestra with whistling by Elmo Tanner, vocal by Country Washburn, 1947, V-, I played this one and it sounds much better than it looks. The tunes are wonderful too! Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys, 1948, E- Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, 1946, V+

Visual Grading Notes For The Records: 

The visual-only record gradings are listed above. I mentioned a few defects worth noting above, but made no attempt to catalog defects for each record. Examine photos closely for the big picture. Expect to see decent gloss (especially once cleaned) and some surface scuffs on most of these records. Occasionally you'll see some surface scratches, groove wear, edge flakes, slight warps or insignificant hairlines/lams that don't affect playability. You can see the condition of the labels in the photos section. These are mostly all decent quality records based on appearance - some better than others. All of the records are sleeved in kraft paper sleeves. Although I use new sleeves when needed, assume the sleeves are ones that have housed the records for a long while. The sleeves might show some amount of wear like bends, creases, writing, marks or even small tears. I didn't notice any seam splits on the sleeves.

Play Test Notes and Tips For Best Play Results: I did not play test these records. (It's not that I never played any of them. It's just that it may have been 30 years ago when I listened.) Some will sound better than others. Expect varying levels of record surface noise (like crackle, ticks, clicks in some cases) and you'll probably not be disappointed.

Getting better results by cleaning the records before playing: Before I play most old records that look a bit dirty, I usually clean them. If lightly soiled, a damp record cleaning cloth might do the trick. But for dirtier records, washing works pretty well. It's not hard. Washing has the potential to affect labels, but doesn’t normally cause any serious harm. This is how I do it:  Lay out a bath towel next to the kitchen sink and place a record on it. Add a little dish soap to warm water in the sink. Dip a soft cloth, suitable for record cleaning, in the soaped water and wring out much of the water. I use a record cleaning sponge that is designed to be safe for records. Gently rub the dampened cloth over one side of the record following the grooves in a circular motion as much as is needed to pick up dust and some fingerprints. Repeat for the other side. Rinse both sides with cool or warm (not hot) running water and place the record on a drier part of the bath towel. Use a hand towel to press the record gently from the top side to get most of the moisture off the labels and grooves. Flip the record and repeat the drying. (Don't use too much pressure when drying or you could break the record.) Let the record stand for a while in a drying rack if you have one, or securely leaning against something while allowing air flow. Sometimes extra attention is needed to remove stubborn specks that may be stuck to the surface.  

Shipping Notes: There will be an abundance of padding to help ensure safe travels. I'm an expert record packer, if I do say so myself! Rest assured that I know what I'm doing when it comes to packing shellac records for safe shipping. I always pack carefully, but will be extra cautious with this batch of records.

Please see the photos for more info and a closer look at condition. Use your zoom-in powers for a real close look.
A word on costs for safely shipping shellac 78 RPM records: They are fragile and easily breakable. (You know that!) If shipped in packaging that would be perfectly safe for a vinyl record, the chance of breakage is pretty good. I pack shellac 78's between stiff cardboard pads in an oversize box with plenty of padding all around. Proper packing materials cost me a bundle per package and the costs keep going up. On top of that, another pile of money is needed to buy the USPS media mail postage. Shipping costs are very real and add up to more than most people realize. It might not be apparent to you, but the amount that I ask you to pay for shipping is actually less than what it actually costs me to ship a record.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL PICKUP RULES: If Free Local Pickup is offered for this item and you choose that option instead of an option to have the item shipped to you, there are a few rules to be aware of. We both have to allocate time to make a pickup work smoothly, so please understand the local pickup rules. Don't choose free local pickup if you are expecting the item to be shipped to you (obviously). That won't work. Don't choose free local pickup if you live far far away, but think you might be in the area someday. That won't work. Pickup arrangements will always be made for a specific date and time, very close to the purchase date. Please don't ask me to hold something for extended periods of time. Pickup arrangements will be made after payment is received for the item. I will specify a location to meet. Payment must be made through eBay as soon as the item is purchased, just like for items shipped though USPS or UPS. No payments will be accepted in person. Failure to pay for the item in a timely manner may result in order cancellation. eBay provides a method to confirm the item has been picked up. At the time of this writing, that method is a QR code plus a six-digit code that can be found by looking at order details or in an email from eBay. YOU MUST BRING THE PICKUP CONFIRMATION CODE WITH YOU FOR EVERY ITEM TO BE PICKED UP. I can't hand over the item(s) without first scanning the pickup confirmation code(s). The codes can be printed or can be presented on your phone (eBay app or email). Items purchased for local pickup must be picked up in a timely manner, preferably the day of purchase or the next day. If you need more time than that to pickup your purchase, we must make arrangements before the item is purchased. Orders not picked up in a timely manner, as described, are subject to cancellation and the item will be relisted for sale. Failure to show up for the arranged pickup meeting will result in order cancellation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------  

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*************************************************************** Y O U R   Q U E S T I O N S   I M A G I N E D   &   A N S W E R E D ****************************************************** ********
M y   G r a d i n g   M e t h o d   f o r   7 8 r p m   R e c o r d s :
Grades assigned to 78's shouldn't be confusing, but some confusion exists. The Goldmine Magazine grading system is commonly used for LPs and 45's, but the Vintage Jazz Mart Magazine (VJM) grading system is commonly used for 78's. Buyers accustomed to VJM grading might mistakenly interpret Goldmine grades for 78s in an unfairly negative way. VJM grades tend to give a more positive impression than corresponding Goldmine grades. 
I make use of both grading systems. The reason I use both systems is because Ebay only allows Goldmine grading values for "item specifics". Since many 78 buyers expect VJM grades, I also include a VJM grade in comments along with the corresponding Goldmine grade in the Ebay item specifics. I use Goldmine grading for sleeves.
I always add descriptive comments that hopefully make the condition more clear. COMMENTS IN THE DESCRIPTION ARE A PART OF THE GRADE.  Buyers should be able to make informed decisions based on the letter grade, comments, photos and sound samples (if provided). 
THE GRADE LISTED IN THE "ITEM SPECIFICS" SECTION IS THE GOLDMINE/EBAY GRADE. THE VJM GRADE IS SHOWN IN DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION NOTES ONLY.
Record grading is heavily reliant on physical appearance, but also takes the sound of the record into consideration. That is why I play-test all 78s before assigning a final grade. (If no play-test was done, then the visual-only grade should be considered provisional, not final.) The play-test can slightly raise or lower the grade derived by visual inspection. For instance, a record might look E- but sound E+ and end up graded E. Some level of general background record surface noise is expected with 78s even when surfaces look really good. General background record surface noise only lowers a grade if it seems excessive for the visual condition. I always comment on the level of background surface noise heard during my play tests. Record label condition is also noted and can, but doesn't necessarily, affect grade.   The VJM record grading System vs. The Goldmine record grading system (This is my interpretation / adaptation of the guidelines. The attempt at mapping VJM grades to Goldmine grades is my own and is probably not perfect.)
N (VJM) vs. M (Goldmine). New and unplayed (rarely used since it is next to impossible to assert "unplayed" for unsealed records).
N- (VJM) vs. NM or M- (Goldmine). Looks very close to perfect, but may have been played. Signs of wear or damage are negligible. Any extremely small imperfections should be noted.
E+ (VJM) vs. EX (Goldmine). Looks and plays extremely well with only light signs of handling and light wear. There may be very light, superficial scuffs / marks. Record surface noise is typically negligible but may be reasonably mild if noted.
E  (VJM) vs. VG+ (Goldmine). Glossy with mostly insignificant signs of wear like light surface scuffs or small blemishes whose effect on play is minimal. Small blemishes, such as a tiny shellac pimple, that might be heard for a few revolutions could exist but usually will be noted.
E- (VJM) vs. VG (Goldmine). E- represents a higher end average grade for a 78. Retains some shine but may have a more significant covering of light surface scuffs and a few light scratches. Record surface noise is more noticeable but the record plays fine and the music can be enjoyed.
V+ (VJM) vs. VG- (Goldmine). V+ represents a lower end average grade for a 78. Scuffs, light scratches and general use has dulled the finish somewhat. Wear is moderate to mildly heavy. Distortion and distractions while playing are not overwhelming. Surface noise is heard but the music is not buried by it. Still, no skips or repeats during play.
V (VJM) vs. G+ (Goldmine). Moderately heavy wear, but still very playable. Surface noise and scratches are more audible, possibly competing with the music levels, but not overtaking them.
V- (VJM) vs. G (Goldmine). Quite playable still, but distortion and heavy greying may be evident especially in louder passages. Surface noise and scratches may be quite loud, competing with the music for attention, but the music can still be heard well enough to be enjoyed. The listener may be required to tolerate heavier surface noise.
G+, G-, G (VJM) vs. G- (Goldmine). Different degrees of a grade for records with thoroughly dulled surfaces and probably lots of scuffs and scratches. Can still be played without skips or sticks. The music might be nearly buried in surface noise but can certainly be heard.
Grades of F and P are reserved for records that are in very, very bad shape that play with more serious issues. I will almost never bother to offer records with F or P grades for sale. With rare exceptions, nobody wants them.
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When multiple items are shipped together, I can almost always give you a better deal on the shipping cost compared to the individual shipping costs. I promise to give you the best rate possible based on the items purchased and the shipping method required.
For "Buy It Now" items (most of what I offer), simply add each item that you want to your shopping cart. When ready to commit to buying, request a total from me from your cart and I'll send an invoice as soon as I can. Since I'm not a computer and I do other things like sleep and take the dogs for walks, you might not receive an immediate response, but I will get back to you as soon as possible. If you decide to pay for items you want individually instead of requesting a total from the shopping cart, I will promptly send back whatever money I can for a shipping discount. Some items are not compatible for combined shipping.  Combining shipping might require changing the shipping method or increase packaging materials expense.  A few items that I offer are not eligible for combined shipping.  Of course it is ok to ask about combined shipping costs up front. You have to tell me exactly what you intend to buy and where it will be shipped. I can't always give an exact cost, but I can at least give you an estimate. I reserve the right to limit the number or total value of items that I'm willing to send in a single package. For international sales I use ebay's international shipping program. Combined shipping depends on the ebay shipping program rules in place at the time of shipment. It is possible that no combined shipping discount is available for international orders.
************* End of long-winded answers to hypothetical questions ***********