Good Sounds uses a visual grading process. We would love to play grade every record, but time constraints make this impossible. Also with a mail order delivery system it’s rare that you get a chance to hear the record before you buy.

If a request is made to play grade a record(s) prior to purchase, we will do so on the understanding that the price could change downward or upward. Good Sounds uses a simplified version of the Goldmine grading guide, and is as follows:

Some final words on grading. Visual grading is subjective, and applies mostly to 45’s and EP’s. Any record in any grade could have one or more of the conditions listed for that grade, but it is unlikely to have all the defects. Remember, most of these records are over 40 years old. For LP's we do not have a separate grade for the record and the cover. If the condition of the cover is important to you, we will be pleased to provide a grade on request. If you are interested in any VG grade LP it is best to check whether the condition of the record or the label has led to this grade.

When copies are sold, all efforts are made to keep the catalog content current.

We are anxious to avoid any after sale misunderstanding about original issues, therefore Good Sounds record catalogs contain a “LABEL” column to name the record company that issued the record

Recording industries in different countries developed at different paces and at different times, and this situation alone creates confusion about what constitutes an “original” recording. It may not be simply the first record label the artist recorded for. Also various reissues over the years have to be recognized and dealt with accordingly.

Our pricing policy with regard to record labels is as follows:

If different record companies issued a particular record by a particular artist simultaneously in different countries, all are considered original, regardless of the artist’s “home country” label. For example if a UK record company issues a record by a UK artist on record label “A” in the UK, and simultaneously that same artist and song was issued in America, by an American record company on record label “B”, both issues are considered original. In most cases of a simultaneous release, the “B” label will say something like:

• “By agreement with record company A”
• “By arrangement with record company A”
• “Recorded by record company A”
• “Produced by record company A”
• “Trademark of record company A”
• “From record company label A, record--------“

If you do not see any of the foregoing on record label “B” it is not considered an original issue. It could be a bootleg copy, a reissue, or issued by some small independent record company. For issues other than an original, except for a rare bootleg copy, the record is worth less than an original version.

Another subject loosely associated with the record label is the strength and quality of the pressings. Very early 45’s were noticeably thicker than later pressings, but thickness and vinyl quality varied between companies. For example, Canadian pressings are considered top quality recordings, as Canada was one of the few countries to press records on pure vinyl. Most reissues are quite thin and don’t seem to play too well on the older record players. There is always a lower price for reissues due in part to this fact

The mixture of different labels for the same artist appears more common with 45 rpm records, although the same general comments apply to EP’s and LP’s.

45-rpm records have random sleeves, with a plain white paper, brown paper, company logo paper, picture sleeve, or cardboard cover supplied with each record.

If a customer specifically requests that the paper sleeve matches the record label, we will do our best to accommodate this request, but cannot guarantee it.

45’s with picture sleeves are so noted in the remarks column of the database.

EP’s have a mixture of paper sleeves (original cover missing) and/or the original cardboard picture sleeve in various conditions.

The EP database identifies which EP’s have original covers.

LP’s have the original covers in various conditions and an inner sleeve. Outside plastic covers are provided on all LP's.