Condition Information
Mint (M)
Record
Perfect. No scuffs/scratches, not played with - probably still sealed.
It is the term used for unopened records . The product is completely sealed. It is untouched after printing.
CD
Perfect. No scuffs/scratches, not played with - probably still sealed.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Excellent. No wear, marks or other defects.
Tape
The J-Card is crisp, clean and perfect in every way. The packaging has probably never been opened. The tape is brand new and professionally manufactured.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
Record
An almost perfect recording. An NM or M- recording has most likely never been played, but once unpackaged, it will perform perfectly without any defects during playback. Many dealers don't give a grade higher than this, meaning (perhaps correctly) that no recording is truly perfect. The record must show no obvious signs of wear. The 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the slightest defects, such as any signs of light use. An LP cover must be free of wrinkles, folds, seam splits, cut holes or other noticeable similar defects. Ditto for posters, lyric headlines, etc. It should also be valid for other suffixes such as .
CD
Close to perfect. There are no obvious signs of use, it may have been tampered with - but it was handled very carefully.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Near Perfect. There is no obvious wear, only minor marks from use.
Tape
It should be completely clean with only the slightest evidence of use. The tape is probably new, with no wear or damage.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
Record
It is usually worth 50% of the Near Mint value. A very good registration will show some signs that it was stolen and otherwise used by a previous owner who took good care of it. Defects should be more of a cosmetic nature, not affecting actual playback as a whole. Recording surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have light scratches or very light scratches that do not affect one's listening experience. There may be slight scratches that do not affect the sound. The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. Mile markers may be present. Picture sleeves and inner sleeves will have minor wear, slightly bent corners or a slight seam split. An LP cover may show slight signs of wear and may be marred by a cut hole, dent, or cut corner. Overall, it would be Near Mint if not for a few minor errors.
CD
A few minor scuffs/scratches. This CD has been used before, but has been treated with good care and attention.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Light wear, may have marks, indentations, possibly a cut-hole (or similar).
Tape
The handle has minor wear, marks, dings and/or may possibly have a cut hole (or similar). The band has been very well maintained and may have light marks or shaft wear. It should play cleanly with minimal noise or distortion.
Very Good (VG)
Record
It is usually worth 25% of the Near Mint value. Many of the flaws found on a VG+ recording will be more noticeable on a VG disc. Surface noise will be particularly noticeable during soft passages and when playing during the intro and fade-out of a song, but will not otherwise drown out the music. Groove wear will begin to be noticeable, as will light scratches (deep enough to be felt with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be stained with writing or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true for picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not experience all these problems at the same time.
CD
Fairly light scuffs/scratches or a few more noticeable scratches.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: More wear, marks, dings than a VG+. There may be slight fading, a small rip/tear, or some writing.
Tape
The case will have more wear, marks and/or dents than VG+. There may be slight fading, a small rip/tear, or some writing. The shell may have more severe marks and wear than VG, including plastic discoloration. It may play with a slightly stronger hiss or distortion, but not enough to drown out the quality of the music.
Good (G), Good Plus (G+)
Record
It is usually worth 10-15% of its Near Mint value. A record in Good (G) and Good Plus (G+) condition can be played without skipping. However, there will be significant surface noise, scratches and visible groove wear. A cap or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or back. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will be present. Although the recording can be played back without skipping, significant surface noise and "tics" will almost certainly accompany playback.
CD
There are a lot of dents/scratches. However, it will still play smoothly.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Well worn, marked, more noticeable indentations, fading, writing, than a VG - probably a more noticeable tear/tear.
Tape
The case is worn, marked and has obvious dings, fading and/or a tear/tear that is more noticeable than VG quality - possibly more so. The tape will have heavy wear on the shell. The felt stopper may be missing. The tape may have slight creasing but may not be broken. There may be more severe distortion that will interfere with the music.
Poor (P), Fair (F)
Record
It is usually worth 0-5% of the Near Mint price. The record will be distorted, badly warped, and will not play without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve was water damaged, split at three seams, and badly marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely holds the LP inside.
CD
The CD may or may not play some or all of the tracks. See seller's comments for details.
Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Very worn. It may have obvious writing on it, be torn/torn, significantly faded, or water damaged.
Tape
The sleeve will be torn, heavily stained, generally badly damaged or partially lost. Likewise, the band will be severely damaged and will show complete fading on the face, wrinkled band, missing screws or threads, staining and other heavy wear. The tape will most likely not be played
generic
In the context of rating items in Analog Culture, the term "generic" refers to a type of cover that is not version-specific. A generic sleeve is a plain sleeve or a company sleeve with standard company artwork. A sleeve rated "Generic" does not need another rating because a generic sleeve generally adds little value to the item and can be easily replaced.