Buying Secondhand Records

Collecting used vinyl not only saves you money, but it also opens up a whole new world of choice. Simon Berkovitch reveals where to shop, what to avoid and how to check your potential purchase like a pro

Whether you’ve recently been bitten by the vinyl bug or are rediscovering your collection all over again, one thing’s for certain – music collecting is addictive, and secondhand vinyl can provide everything from a cheap fix to a very pricey hit.

But expanding your collection isn’t as easy as wandering into your local charity shop and emerging with your arms full of records, blindly purchased. Like assembling any system, secondhand vinyl shopping requires insider knowledge, attention to detail, patience and determination to put the work in. The good news is that, with this masterclass, we’ll turn you into a used vinyl expert in next to no time.

This is first-hand knowledge too: before his illustrious career at HFC, our writer chalked up more than 10 years’ worth of experience at a London-based secondhand vinyl institution. Here’s your foolproof guide to secondhand record heaven, starting with a bit of homework…

For the vast majority of us, gone are the days of letting our fingers do the walking through the Yellow Pages for information about local businesses. What you need is a quick Google search away, and in next to no time, you’ll not only know what secondhand shops are in your area but also the location of market stalls, dates of car-boot sales and a directory of charity shops. All Good Record Shops (allgoodrecordshops.co.uk) is also a useful, easy-to-use directory of British stores, plenty of them secondhand.

Shopping list