To open or not to open

texasistheSTEVEN · December 2011

Where do you stand on this?

Personally if I buy a record or dvd I am buying it to get the most out of it and not let it sit on a shelf and do nothing. It's like buying a car only to leave it in the drive and not use it, it's like buying a football and leaving it in the garage, it's like buying some shoes and not wearing them.

For the non openers can you explain why you do this? is it purely with the idea of a trade in mind and that the inherent value/goods you can get back will be higher if the item is un-opened?

As an aside, if you leave the original plastic around a record then over time as the weather fluctuates, when it's hot it can cause the shrinkwrap to shrink and heat up and it has been known for the records inside to become warped. It is far safer to open a record and be put into a thick plastic sleeve.
If I was buying a record I would actually prefer it to be opened.

I am genuinely interested in this so please let me know your thoughts/opinions?

In before "I payed for it and I can do what I want with it"

frazba · December 2011

I'm a music fan first and foremost, a collector second. I rarely download, I like to have the hard copy (probably something to do with my age) . I can't really understand the keep it sealed crew, surely you're buying the CD, LP, whatever, for what is contained therein?
I don't actually remember many LP's being sealed back in the pre CD days, I used to buy an album, play it once to tape it and then file it in a plastic sleeve, I still have about 1000 LP's in very near mint condition because of this, much to my wifes annoyance.

texasistheSTEVEN · December 2011

The amount of sealed Benaroya LP's I read about makes me so sad. I would play the shit out of that record if I had a chance to

frazba · December 2011

I just read your Ian Mackaye story, you're a lucky, lucky man. I'm a huge admirer of his principles and music.

texasistheSTEVEN · December 2011

Hahaha. That was a very silly day, in the best way possible

Kathi · December 2011

I don't buy stuff that I don't really want to watch/listen to, so it'd be almost impossible for me to keep something sealed. I love having tangible stuff that comes with art and booklets, and for me it makes exploring an album much more enjoyable if I have something to go with it.

Thief of Silence · December 2011

In my case, I almost exclusively get CDs or DVDs, so those I'll always open.

I've had the chance to pick up some LPs that I won't listen to, so if they're sealed, I'm fine with leaving them that way. It doesn't bother me that my No Code vinyl is open, I simply bought it to have as a collectible at a good price ($20). I was lucky enough to snag a Bennaroya LP through the original 10C sale. I don't see myself needing to part with it anytime soon, so I'm just leaving it sealed for protection mainly.

texasistheSTEVEN · December 2011

Thief of Silence wrote:

In my case, I almost exclusively get CDs or DVDs, so those I'll always open.

I've had the chance to pick up some LPs that I won't listen to, so if they're sealed, I'm fine with leaving them that way. It doesn't bother me that my No Code vinyl is open, I simply bought it to have as a collectible at a good price ($20). I was lucky enough to snag a Bennaroya LP through the original 10C sale. I don't see myself needing to part with it anytime soon, so I'm just leaving it sealed for protection mainly.

If you wanna send me that Benaroya box I will post you videos of me listening to every song and losing my shit constantly about finally being able to hear 'Man of the hour' from that set on my turntable.

As a fair Trade I will send you a high quality rip of the vinyl so you can hear it on CD

Kathi · December 2011

where did you get a no code vinyl for $20?

djklambake · December 2011

Open. It wasnt made to be looked at and to be dusted from time to time. That's why god gave us posters.

gunter1976 · December 2011

i haven't bought any vinyl since forever, but i did buy extra copies of some (nowadays hard to get) hardcore cd releases in the past. i then kept one of those in its original wrapping and then had an extra copy to actually play and listen to. i guess that comforted me mentally in a way, to always have an extra copy of said albums aside. still, one copy usually sufficed though

but maybe this is different from the situation you portrayed here. ..

dimitrispearljam · December 2011

depence..i get the deluxe dvd,almost 2 weeks now,and didnt open it yet..must be somewhere in the house.
i was more exiting whern i order it,than now.

all this talking after sold out,make me tired about the whole..

maj4e · December 2011

open that shit, it's music, meant to be played.

Eraserhead · December 2011

Buy the CDs to play/burn, buy the vinyl to remain in mint condition to be buried in my tomb. Maybe with me in there too.

Thief of Silence · December 2011

Kathi wrote:

where did you get a no code vinyl for $20?

I just got lucky. I was in Quebec City for a concert in 2006. I stopped into a music store, picked up an 03 boot, and the guy there showed me the LP. At the time, I wasn't sure if I wanted it - I had no idea of its value/collectibility and almost passed on it. I'm happy enough now though and it's in pretty good shape for a used copy.

niall · December 2011

I'd open it. The whole point of buying something is to use it, otherwise you can look at pictures of it on the internet!

The shrink wrapping can cause a record to warp. It depends how tightly the machine wrapped it. This was a problem with the Melvins - Nude With Boots record. They were sealed so tightly it cause all the records to be warped. I have not heard of a single person who got a flat (ish) copy.

But at the end of the day it is your call and what you do amigo.

To open or not to open

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