The Sound Extraction J-Three Records #509 Kentucky Garage Rock VG Condition

$

500

The Sound Extraction J-Three Records #509 Kentucky Garage Rock VG Condition
M Mint Looks new and unplayed. Very high vinyl luster with virtually no visual artifacts (such as scuffs and hairlines) and no noticeable label defects. A new record is by definition mint, unless it has some manufacturing/handling defect that affects the label, vinyl, or audio. Such defects are described in the definition of near mint. Visual artifacts that are hard to see or are not readily apparent are allowed at this grade.  Sounds brand new. (Note that with vinyl 45rpm records, this does NOT mean there is no surface noise at all?especially if the record needs cleaning. Mint styrene records are typically quieter than equivalent vinyl pressings, assuming normal-grade vinyl was used.) We are tougher on the audio grade than on the appearance grades, and almost invariably, if we grade a record's audio "Mint," that means it has no audible surface noise and no distortion. That's because a new (Mint) record should be free of noise and distortion. (There are exceptions, of course: New pressings on inferior vinyl, mis-pressings where the grooves are stamped slightly off-center, or other manufacturing defects that affect the audio.) M-

Near mint

Looks almost new, but has usually no more than one or two minor flaws, such as:

1. Drillhole on the label. The drillhole should be small, located so as to detract only slightly from the label's visual appeal, and implemented with minimal damage to the surrounding label.
2. Small, unobtrusive writing on one label (e.g., an X on a promo copy). Writing on the label is usually not allowed at this grade, but a small, neatly written date on an otherwise mint label can be an exception. It's a matter of judgment. For example, if the date in this case is on the B side label and is rendered unobtrusively, this otherwise mint label could be graded near mint.
3. A few scuffs and other faint visual artifacts on the vinyl. A virtual lack of visual artifacts is the definition of mint vinyl, so if the vinyl has a very small and unobtrusive number of light scuffs or other faint visual artifacts, it could be graded near mint. The visual appeal is close to mint, but not quite.
4. Minor ringwear or color flaking on the label. A small amount of light ringwear will lower the grade from mint, and it could grade near mint if it's visually unobtrusive. For example, the light ringwear may affect only a small section of the label, or a bit of color flaking at the edge of the label detracts only slightly from the visual appeal of the label.
5. Very slight warping. Very slight warps that do not affect playback are allowed at near mint, but the defect should be noted in the description.
6. Light "bubbling." One of the more common manufacturing defects is bubbling ? the creation of small air pockets beneath the label when it was affixed. Very unobtrusive bubbling is allowed at mint, and a small amount of bubbling that hasn't otherwise damaged the label (such as by additional ringwear) is allowed at this grade.
7. Off-center labels. The degree to which a label has been affixed or printed off-center can lower a mint label's grade to near mint.
8. Very small and/or light stains on the label. For example, an otherwise mint label that has two tiny, unobtrusive stains on one side will grade as near mint. Likewise, a mint label that has very light staining on one side (preferably the B side) can grade near mint, especially if the stain is so faint as to be not initially apparent.
9. Other visual flaws that only slightly detract from visual appeal.

Excellent

Less than near mint. The vinyl and label appear used, but well cared for. Records in this category have a few more obvious flaws, but ones that are not too visually degrading, such as:

1. Small stickers on the label. The sticker should be placed so as not to detract much from the label graphics and typography.
2. Some noticeable, but not garish, writing on the label that typically does not deface the label design in any way.
3. Scuffing and minor scratches on the vinyl.
4. Minor discoloration of the label.
5. Very minor warping in the vinyl.
6. Small, light staining or sticker residue on the label.
7. Minor ringwear. The label has too much ringwear to grade near mint, but not so much that it distracts from the graphics and typography.