Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What types of music do you offer?
A: We carry many types of music to accommodate most musical interests. We have everything from Rock to Jazz with two rooms chock full of records to serve you with a staff of three who have diverse tastes and knowledge to help you find what you are looking for.

Q: What other products do you sell?
A: We carry a selection of inner and outer 7" and 12" record sleeves. We also carry Tonar brand phonograph diamond styli, cartridges and audio accessories.

Q: Do you carry new vinyl?
A: No, we don't carry new releases on vinyl, however, we do carry sealed records when we are able to find them. Some of the sealed records we find are first issues, others are reissues.

Q: Do you carry CD's and other formats?
A: We do have a small number of CD's, but we are mainly a "Record Store". We do have a number of 78 R.P.M. records, a few acetates, 8-Track cartridges, cassettes, and on rare occasion, pre-recorded Open Reel Tapes. We will stock almost any vintage format, depending on availability, like anything that is used, and most likely out of print.

Q: Do You carry 45's?
A: Yes. We have an ever-expanding department of 45's.

Q: How do you grade records?
A: We use a system that describes the specific damage that occurs on vinyl. Below is a summary of how we grade records.

"As Is" - means that we guarantee that it will spin, period. This usually means that the record is trashed and may only be of value for the cover, or only a portion will be playable due to excessive scratches, warpage/heat damage, or extremely careless handling/storage. On The Goldmine scale, these records would grade less than Poor.

"Ruff" - means that we feel this record is likely playable, but very noisy and visually unappealing. Again, this type of record is very scratchy, dirty and may be slightly warped, but may appeal to those looking for a rarity as a way to fill a gap in your collection until a better copy comes along. On The Goldmine scale, these records would grade Poor.

"SN" - means that there is likely to be audible damage, such as pressing flaws, scratches or small gouges caused by dust and grit inside a jacket without an inner sleeve, as many LP's were sold in the 1950's and 1960's. On the Goldmine scale, these records would grade VG- to Poor.

"SS" - means that there are surface scuffs. It may be anywhere from a light scuff to many inaudible marks. These records are suitable for listening, and may still be collectible. On The Goldmine scale, these records would grade VG+ to Poor.

(" ") - No marking means that the record is visually perfect. There may be small imperfections, such as a label that is slightly off centre, spindle marks, writing/stickers on the label, or very slight warpage due to previous owners' storage, but there should be nothing to detract from the aural enjoyment of this record. On the Goldmine scale, these records would grade NM+ to VG-.

We do not grade covers, but usually reflect the condition of the cover in the price. We would be happy to answer any questions you have on a particular item. Most records are only visually graded due to time constraints, though we do play grade the rarer items.

Q: How do you clean the records, and what methods do you recommend?
A: We generally clean the records for visual inspection only, using a clean, soft lint-free cloth, such as J-Cloth's using lukewarm water, a drop of sunlight soap to remove finger marks and light debris.

However, with rarities and very dirty records, we use a soft paint brush, lukewarm water, and absorbent paper towels. The method we use is to wet the paint brush with water, add 1-2 drops of "Sunlight" dish detergent (NO OTHER BRAND SHOULD BE USED AS IT WILL LIKELY DAMAGE THE VINYL / SHELLAC / ACETATE) and gently scrub the disc in a circular motion with the groove. Then we rinse the record under tepid water, not too warm as it will warp the disc. Following a rinse, we use a soft paper towel to dry the record, moving the towel in a slow firm circular motion to absorb the water (capillary action), instead of trying to rub it off. We recommend not playing the record for at least 12-24 hours to allow the last of the water to evaporate. We cannot recommend air drying as it leaves mineral deposits and the last of the debris in the groove. (I use the singular term "groove" as most records only have one groove that when stretched out straight would measure up to a 1/2 mile long).

There are also a number of commercially available record cleaning machines that may have their advantages, such as the Nitty Gritty, and the VPI record cleaning systems, however, we've found that our method is just as effective for a lot less money. Out method is safe for any record (vinyl, acetate, shellac, etc., through we recommend caution with cardboard based picture discs and "Hit Of The Week" Records).

Q: Where are you located?
A: We are at 1174 Queen Street East, 6 doors east of Jones Avenue, or 1.5 blocks west of Leslie Street, on the north side of Queen Street East.

Q: If I have questions, can I e-mail you?
A: Definitely, we are always happy to hear from you and will answer your questions in a timely manner, with any information that we have at our disposal. If we don't have the answer you need, we will try to recommend other resources to you that we are aware of. Just go back to our homepage to find the link to our e-mail address to contact us.