What to do with 500 vinyl LPs?

OK, I've been hauling these around for 30 years now, and I don't think I've played one of them since 1995.  They bring back great nostalgia from my college days, but they are heavy and take up valuable space, and I think I'm finally ready to part with them.

But what to do with them?  There are a lot of classic rock albums from the 70s and early 80s in great shape, but 95% of ebay posts have 0 bids and nothing sells for more than 99 cents.  I don't imagine craigslist would be any more promising.

Any suggestions?

Mail them to me! I got a record player for christmas and I want to expand my collection! 

Or try listing them on ebay as a group - you might get more bids. I'm not sure, I know I bought records on ebay before for dirt cheap so I guess that's no help.

i agree with lafoutloud.  sell them as a group.  you might not get more than a buck a piece (and you'll probably get less), but the alternative is letting people pick the best and you're stuck with the ones nobody wants.

maybe skip ebay and find a dealer or an on-line vinyl community, though.  might aw well target people who are really interested.

Another idea is to call a few stores in your area that sell used records and ask them for advice. Sometimes, depending on the collection, they'll send someone over, or tell you which albums they won't take if you bring them in. If they buy from you, you can usually get store credit at a higher value than the cash. A lot of stores that sell used vinyl also sell used and new cds and dvds...

Forward them to me. My daughter is trying to steal my collection (I have several hundred as well, but I won't let her). We have 2 record players in my house.

I think a store is a good idea. We had at least two very popular used record stores here that bought collections. Unfortunately, both went out of business within the past two years and I never got around to contacting them about my records before it was too late. BTW, I don't believe either one went out of business because of a lack of interest in used records, because I read newspaper articles about both closings and owner's retirement was the issue.

I hope you can find a dealer who will buy the entire lot, not cherry pick the valuable collector's items.

Yes, I agree with everyone who said to find a store and sell them. A store in a college town will probably be the best bet, they usually have lots of buyers who want vinyl.

Check out how much they are worth first.  First editions can be worth a lot of money, others maybe a dollar or two.

I had a 45 of The Bob Seger System that I was told was worth $400 and that was twenty years ago.

I think I will check out the used record store idea.  Seems like many of these ought to be worth something to somebody---even without the vinyl, there is all the cover art and liner material.  (Ever seen the inserts with the vinyl Beatles' White Album, for example?)

I have the Beatles White album. 

The cover work is what is collectable.  Can't get that detail on a CD cover.
I have Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones, it has a working zipper on the cover.
Pink Floyd's The Wall, it just isn't the same on a CD cover.

I saw this artsy-fartsy idea on the DIY network, where you put scratched and unusable LP's on a oven safe inverted bowl.  Set the oven to 250 degrees and let it slowly wilt down enough to make a funky bowl of some type.  Interesting.  Carefully take it out of the oven and let it cool.  I believe they applied cork coasters to the bottom of the bowl and used it to hold fruit, golf balls; stuff like that.  No wet foods like soup of course.

I had an old Stairway to Heaven album (my very first album) that had been cracked.  Since it had a center hole already, I turned it into a clock.  I used the inside of the album jacket to mount the clock on and put some roman numerals on the face.  It was a definate conversation piece.  Somehow I lost that clock in a haphazard move.  Someone got a treasure.

*drools over jfk61's albums* oooooh sorry, yah they're pretty much worthless now, better I take them

Do your self a favour, you can probably get more for them from a dealer / collector if you sort and catalogue your collection before you try to sell it. I`ve never tried to sell records but it is certainly the case with used books (technical aspects of managing the collections / inventory should be very similar)

Wow,

Take photos of all of them lined up (impressively 500) and the cover art of the more nostalgic ones to keep for looking at if you get an urge to remember that you ever had them. THEN

give them all to a 20 year old since vinyl is a must have for any college kid. My son who is now 20 has not forgiven me for giving away my 400+ collection 10 years ago....when he didn't know he wanted them....

you will really make some kids day

PS, In my opinion, its not worth the time to try to get a few bucks for them. If you already put them on ebay without bites,then there probably isn't any interest. How long would it take to catalogue and haul them around to dealers?

PPS You probably won't miss them

I still have mine too. A big stack- 40 yrs old some should be worth something sometime. I did check at a sound store that was selling some and they didnt' want any more right now. I've got the Beatles, and who what else down in the den. Just can't bring myself to trash some of them and I usually don't keep things.

Want to hear something that will make you cry?  I have every Beatles album---on 8 Track!  And I also still have an 8 track player.  Those take up less space, so I'm saving them do donate to the Smithsonian in 2030

I just saw an ad in Bed, Bath and Beyond's circular for a record player that records to MP3.  You could keep all that great music in a modern format before getting rid of it.

I would, anyway, I'm sorry I got rid of all my records years ago with no way to save all that music. 

You could use them to "wall paper" your game room.

You could get double the coverage if you put the albums themselves on one wall and the album covers on another wall.  Would be very unique.

Or you could get a half-sphere mold and melt them into bowls which you could sell at a flea market for $7-$10 each.  Or you can contact these folks and they can turn your records into bowls for you - dunno how much they'll charge you.

Original Post by jfk61:

Want to hear something that will make you cry?  I have every Beatles album---on 8 Track!  And I also still have an 8 track player.  Those take up less space, so I'm saving them do donate to the Smithsonian in 2030

that made me cry....

Use them to defend yourself from zombies

Make a buttload of Sleeveface pictures.