Sold Date: July 9, 2023
Start Date: July 2, 2023
Final Price: $20.50 (USD)
Bid Count: 3
Seller Feedback: 7
Buyer Feedback: 0

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense LP, Album, Sire 1-25186, 1984 US.
I use discogs.com for LP & Sleeve Grading I use discogs.com for Market Value & Pricing Recommendations. I wash all LP's with Spin Clean Record Washer before listing. I listen to all LP's on a Victrola Record Player with a New Needle prior to listing.
I follow these Guidelines:

MINT (M)
These are absolutely perfect in every way. Often rumored but rarely seen, Mintshould never be used as a grade unless more than one person agrees that therecord or sleeve truly is in this condition. There is no set percentage of theNear Mint value these can bring; it is best negotiated between buyer andseller.

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-)
A good description of a NM record is “it looks like it just came from a retailstore and it was opened for the first time.” In other words, it’s nearlyperfect. Many dealers won’t use a grade higher than this, implying (perhapscorrectly) that no record or sleeve is ever truly perfect.

NM records are shiny,with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannot appear onthe label, nor can any “spindle marks” from someone trying to blindly put therecord on the turntable. Major factory defects also must be absent; a recordand label obviously pressed off center is not Near Mint. If played, it will doso with no surface noise. (NM records don’t have to be “never played”; a recordused on an excellent turntable can remain NM after many plays if the disc isproperly cared for.)

NM covers are free ofcreases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.

NOTE: These are highstandards, and they are not on a sliding scale. A record or sleeve from the1950s must meet the same standards as one from the 1990s or 2000s to be NearMint! It’s estimated that no more than 2 to 4 percent of all records remainingfrom the 1950s and 1960s are truly Near Mint. This is why they fetch such highprices, even for more common items.

Don’t assume your recordsare Near Mint. They must meet these standards to qualify!

VERY GOOD PLUS(VG+) or EXCELLENT (E)

A good description of aVG+ record is “except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint.” Mostcollectors, especially those who want to play their records, will be happy witha VG+ record, especially if it toward the high end of the grade (sometimescalled VG++ or E+).

VG+ records may show someslight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that donot affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the soundare OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around thecenter hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be somevery light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable.

VG+ covers should haveonly minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split(less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location. Also, aVG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking. Covers withcut-out markings can never be considered Near Mint.

Very Good (VG)
Many of the imperfections found on a VG+ record are more obvious on a VGrecord. That said, VG records — which usually sell for no more than 25 percentof a NM record — are among the biggest bargains in record collecting, becausemost of the “big money” goes for more perfect copies. For many listeners, a VGrecord or sleeve will be worth the money.

VG records have moreobvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of theoriginal gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight,as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VGrecord has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in softpassages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpowerthe music otherwise.

Minorwriting, tape or a sticker can detract from the label. Many collectors who havejukeboxes will use VG records in them and not think twice. They remain a finelistening experience, just not the same as if it were in better shape.

VGcovers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or alongthe edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious,though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splittingwill be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won’t beobvious upon looking. Someone might have written or it or stamped a price tag onit, too.

Good(G),
Good Plus (G+)
or Very Good Minus (VG–)
These records go for 10 to 15 percent of the Near Mint value, if you are lucky.

Gooddoes not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, so it canserve as filler until something better comes along. But it has significantsurface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn, with significant ringwear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tapeor stickers and failing miserably. A Good to VG– cover has ring wear to thepoint of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have evenheavier writing, such as, for example, huge radio station letters writtenacross the front to deter theft.

If theitem is common, it’s probably better to pass it up. But if you’ve been seekingit for a long time, get it cheap and look to upgrade.

POOR(P)
and Fair (F)
Poor (P) and Fair (F) records go for 0 to 5 percent of the Near Mint value, ifthey go at all. More likely, they end up going in the trash. Records are cracked,impossibly warped, or skip and/or repeat when an attempt is made to play them.Covers are so heavily damaged that you almost want to cry.

Onlythe most outrageously rare items ever sell for more than a few cents in thiscondition — again, if they sell at all.