How to Care for Vinyl Records

Vinyl records or LPs are making a comeback after nearly disappearing from the market with the introduction of the digital CD. Bob Dylan's "Modern Times" and Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" are two noted albums of late that have been released in the LP format. But, generations of music fans born after the initial decline of the LP likely are unaware of the special care that vinyl discs require.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Partitioned shelves or holders
• Record brush
• Vinyl LP cleaning fluid
• Turntable with counterbalanced arm
• Scales

1. Remove the plastic wrap from the cardboard record album cover. If this is left on for an extended period of time, climate and temperature may cause the wrap to shrink. Shrinkage causes the record to warp.

2. Store the album upright on a shelf or partitioned holder made for record storage. Never stack records on the flat side or lay items on top of a record. This can cause vinyl to warp.

3. When you remove the record from the album cover, handle it gingerly by the edges. Certainly avoid dropping it. This will help keep scratches from developing.

4. Ideally, you should use a turntable that has a counterbalanced arm and a brand-name, replaceable hi-fi needle. Avoid players that automatically place the needle on the record. If you are using the turntable for the first time and it is high quality, the manufacturer will recommend a downforce weight for the needle. Usually turntables of this type come with scales for calibrating the weight. Adjusting the weight of the needle end of the arm will preserve the shape of the vinyl grooves and that distinctively warm LP sound.

5. Brush the surface of the rotating record with a soft brush. There are brushes and cleaning fluid made for this purpose. This will collect the dust and lint that otherwise would accumulate on the needle. When dust collects on the needle, the sound becomes tinny and filled with static.

6. Carefully place the needle on the wide strip that runs around the outer edge of the record's surface. This strip will pull the needle into the recorded portion of the vinyl. Lower the turntable cover to prevent dust from accumulating on the record while it plays.

7. Replace the record into the album's inner paper or plastic sleeve. This sleeve helps to prevent scratches that might otherwise develop from contact with the scruffier cardboard cover. Place the sleeve into the cover with the open end at the top of the album. This will prevent the record from sliding out the next time you pull it off the shelf.

Resources

• Jerry Raskin's Needledoctor Turntable Store
• Calgary Herald on LP's Resurgence