How to Handle Vinyl Records Correctly - Vinyl 101

If you’re new to the vinyl hobby, or perhaps rediscovering an old collection, it pays to understand a few golden rules that will ensure your collection remains in tip-top condition.
Handle vinyl records correctly, and they will reward you with a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Mishandle them, on the other hand, and you will quickly ruin the listening experience. Or worse, render a record unplayable.
In this video, I explain how to handle vinyl records correctly to avoid damage.
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Full guide on "How to Handle Vinyl Records":
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How to Use a Record Brush:
• How to Use a Record Br...
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#vinylrecords #vinylcommunity #audiophile #vinyl #hifi

[@soundmatters]

Thanks for watching! Do drop your comments and questions below. If you'd like to support the channel, check the video description for many DISCOUNT CODES codes to enjoy money off various products and feed your vinyl habit! (I earn a small commission - no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

[@someoneunknown2003]

Do you place the needle on the very start of the record or after those first two little grooves at the start ?

[@soundmatters]

@@someoneunknown2003 hey! Place the stylus somewhere over the lead-in groove (the outer edge of your record). Just be aware that if you're too close to the edge, the stylus will miss the lead-in groove and will slip off the record surface. Also: make sure you're using the cue lever to lower the stylus rather than simply placing the stylus on the record by hand. Hope this helps

[@shaunmk]

been taking my vinyl out the same way since i was teenager, im now 56....all play flawless still...and the number of times ive touched the surface of vinyl ive lost count

[@user-tl7mj2bm4m]

I"m 59..and yeah...with just a little care it's amazing how good they can still sound SO many years later.

[@justinm.6327]

Yep, I put extra effort into handling my favorite record carefully, and as a result of tip-fingering and delicate handling, I dropped it and ran a huge scratch across one side. It's the only record I remember dropping in 15 years! Still bitter.

[@Kate-it1py]

Bold of you to assume my hands are big enough to remove a record from the sleeve without touching the sides. -Signed a member of the tiny hands club (I’ll definitely be trying the mitts!)

[@Licoricedisc]

I suggest NOT putting you hand inside the inner sleeve to pull the record.... you will be doing the exact same thing you are trying to avoid... you will be transferring what is on your hand onto the inside of the inner sleeve. What you should do, is gently slide the record out of the sleeve, cradling the outer edge with your free hand and supporting the record by putting your index and middle finger of the cradling hand onto the underside of the label. Then, after setting down the inner sleeve use both hands to cradle the outside edge of the label. Again, putting your hands inside the inner sleeve does the same thing as touching the playing surface of the record... you are transferring whatever is on your hand on the inside of the inner sleeve, then onto the playing surface of the record.

[@drukepple]

Was going to say the same thing. After all the emphasis of not getting your skin oils transferred to the record...you just go ahead an transfer the oil to the inside of the sleeve, which then transfers it to the record. I think I have a similar approach as you do, but perhaps different enough to mention: I take the inner sleeve in my left hand (being right-handed) by the bottom edge, and support the top edge with my right hand, then turn the sleeve top-edge-down. Then rather than removing the record from the sleeve, I more pull the sleeve off the record, which is supported in my right hand. Slowly, of course. It's not a magician's flourish. As soon as the sleeve clears the spindle hole, I place my thumb there and make sure the record is angled so that it will rest in my right hand. Then I set down the inner sleeve and carry on from there as described. As a bonus tip, all techniques will benefit from consistently placing your records with side A facing the front of the inner sleeve, and always place the inner sleeve back in the cover with the front facing...the front. If you do this consistently, and perform the record removal consistently, you will have side A facing up when placing it on the turntable. In my case, I pick up the inner sleeve with the front facing up, which puts my thumb on the side A label. Then when I use both hands it naturally goes side-B-down.

[@mat.b.]

exactly my thoughts when watching this

[@andrewperry9663]

Records are more stronger than you think, touching the playing side is not a very big deal as they clean easy but that can be your next video. Just make sure you have clean hands and short nails

[@dietmarsteiner1070]

It's not a big thing NOT to touch! You can't get your hands clean enough not to leave fingerprints on a record!

[@donny303]

Oil prints left from your fingers will attract dust/debris and will stain the vinyl if left on for too long.

[@CircletolunA]

@@donny303not if you clean them often

[@hectortorres8188]

I better use the two fingers method instead of risking your record by placing your whole grassy hand on it.

[@angrym0nkeysh0w]

Yes, placing your whole hand over the record sounds counterproductive to me

[@nickleary1982]

I preffer to toss it like a frisby trying to hit the hole. I've gotten pretty good.

[@georgeanastasopoulos5865]

Excellent demonstration; and a very good, useful pad for handling vinyl! The Hudson Hi Fi Record Mitt is certainly a practical, and valuable tool for handling most records.🔉🎵🎶

[@soundmatters]

Thanks for your kind words snd comment. Yea, I think for many folks, they’re a good idea and a nice option to have 🎶🎧

[@Bondrkmz]

Thanks! You just answered my question referring to what record brush you recommend. I had asked in the comments section on another video. Audioquest it is then.

[@soundmatters]

As a carbon fibre record brush yes. As a microfibre towel style brush: I use the GrooveWasher ones. Different purposes though. Thanks again for your questions and watching 🎶🎧

[@rosswarren436]

Kudos to Hudson Hi-Fi for the mitts. Great idea! Better than using a glove that might transfer static electricity.

[@soundmatters]

Yea! They’re a good idea for many situations I think. Kudos indeed. Thanks for watching and commenting. Enjoy the music 🎶

[@user-vk8rz8wj2h]

Good topic. For the last 30 years I have used soft cotton cloths that are used by glaziers. They are about the same size as a record cover, I never touch or handle my records bare handed.

[@soundmatters]

Thanks for watching. Interesting to hear the technique with cotton buds. Let me know what you think of the Hudson HiFi record mitts 🎶🎧

[@adamlemons7909]

My wife and I keep a box of non-zipper sandwich bags on our turntable stand and use them as gloves whenever we handle our records. Our friends and family think we’re crazy but they haven’t invested the money, spent hours in the kitchen cleaning or had the hours of enjoyment we have had either 🎶😎🎶 Thanks! Going to look into the gloves, think my wife will like them.

[@budsmoker4201120]

Nitrile gloves work very nice

[@adamlemons7909]

@@budsmoker4201120 actually the last time we purchased some cleaning solution we also got a few pairs of microfiber gloves, which are amazing :-)

[@teto9272]

Thank you jack frags !!

[@soundmatters]

This won't be the first time or last time this has been mentioned :)

[@bastiwen]

The mitts are a good idea! I have smaller hands so I always struggle

[@soundmatters]

Indeed: very handy!

[@djm5k]

I was a DJ on my college radio station in the early 1980’s. There were over 40 different DJs over the course of a week that handled both LPs and 45s. I can’t tell you how many times I observed DJs holding records by gripping the front and back playing surfaces when placing records on the turntables. There were many records in the station collection that DJs played frequently. As a result of excessive abuse, many of these records had to be replaced with new like every six months or so. Since we only played one cut of an LP at a time, DJs would handle something like 10 to 15 records per hour. Most of the records in the station were filthy. I always cleaned each record I played during my shifts the best I could before playing them. We had three turntables we had to keep cued up at all times as long as the turntables were not broken.

[@wesleymartinez]

I have the cleaning brush kit

[@enricolisk1357]

1. I use mitts, since I have carpel tunnel. It not only keeps the record clean, it also provides a good grip. 2. For countries that have no access to amazon, Ali Express has one that i use. Great video!

[@budsmoker4201120]

I use nitrile gloves

[@ccsc9728]

DJ´s: YES

[@davidrobertson671]

At 1:30 I invert the sleeve and record & let gravity assist. Hand is all opened like you showed. The way I see it you've missed an opportunity to make things easier, and a as a result: greater chance of touching the playing surface

[@davidrobertson671]

At 3:20, you properly let gravity assist, on the way back in. (Where it's actually less needed)

[@soundmatters]

Sounds like a good extra step to me. Universally obviously everyone agrees to avoid the playing surface, but each have their own approach to that fundamental rule. Happy listening 🎶🎧

[@hovz-zo8lf]

"Don't stack your records..." Record shops didn't get this memo because every record store i've been to where they have shown me their back room stock, or a KZbin video tour of a record stores back of shop has a ton of records that are stacked lol. I'm not saying it's ok to stack records. Just pointing out what i've seen IRL and online.

[@strykerking]

Nah, i like the pinch. Quick, easy, securem My fingers arent greasy, lay off the crisps boys.

[@soundmatters]

Imagine the absolute state of Gary Lineker's record collection! :P

[@IsaacWale2004]

You have my favourite album in the background :D

[@soundmatters]

You have great taste sir 🎶🎧

[@IsaacWale2004]

@@soundmatters Thank you :)

[@Etidforever]

Thanks.

[@budsmoker4201120]

Nitrile gloves work nice

[@kirktravis5780]

One thing about touching the label. Even clean hands can put oils and organics on the label. I archived my joy division still with clean hands and didn't touch it for maybe 15 years. The cream colored labels had bright orange finger prints. Maybe the acids turned the gum into a c.s.i. experiment? But I've noticed more than one still copy have the same affect because of the color it's so noticeable.

[@soundmatters]

Gosh. Interesting. Maybe some left behind acidic substance that didn't wash off easy? Weird

[@cameronstolhand7149]

Can you explain why storing records horizontally would warp them and vertically would not? It makes sense that the opposite would be true. If a record is stored horizontally or flat then the force of gravity would pull on all sides of the record evenly as to where if a record was stored vertically it would be more likely to lean to one side which would cause a greater force on one side of the record than the other which in theory should make it more likely to warp over time. Perhaps you can make an argument that if you stacked enough of them horizontally the ones on the bottom could crack over time but I would think you'd have to stack a lot of them for that to happen.

[@soundmatters]

It’s more a problem when records are stacked on top of each other for long periods of time. The downward pressure causes the records lower down to become mildly dome shaped. I understand your logic though

[@marty-fh1rw]

I love my old UK records.I dont touch the playing surface.I wouldnt mind trying a real time declicker.

[@fclefjefff4041]

I think most people would say reaching inside the sleeve is overkill and there’s nothing wrong with pinching the record by the edge ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@soundmatters]

Each to their own. I find it starts to introduce more noise at the start of the record. Enjoy the music

[@georgeanastasopoulos5865]

I tend to think so, too, @fclefjefff4041. If you can pinch the outer edge, and with dry hands, fingers, there is not a lot of oil that can reach the first starter groove. From my experience of handling records it is still safe, for the most part. Anyway, I'm glad, and fortunate to have watched this record video.🔉🎵🎶

[@AG-bp3ll]

​@soundmatters Noise you can hear? Get out. Been listening to records since the 80s and still have many from that era and they all sound fine and have not been babied beyond normal common sense to prevent scratches. PVC is not some fragile format that requires special gloves. Only noise I have on records is from the bad pressings that are done now. Quality control in modern vinyl is mediocre at best.

[@tima.478]

Amen to the bad pressing...had to return Miles "Kind of Blue" 3 times, freaking ridiculous! @@AG-bp3ll

[@Acquittal]

is there a reason why you put your hand inside the sleeve when bringing the record out? I can only think it is done to prevent the sleeve from rubbing against the record surface, but the other side is unprotected, and arguably now rubs against that side even more. Also, I can see that method bringing dust and oil inside the sleeve I put the palm of my hand on the edge, next to the sleeve opening, and then, with the record now resting its weight on my hand, I lift the sleeve off with my middle and index finger resting on the sleeve, but where the label is. As the sleeve comes off, my fingers land on the label.

[@puffnpluky76]

Yeah, the back of the hand still has oils. When he's reaching into the sleeve, he is depositing the oils from this hand onto the inside of the sleeve that then touches the playing surface of the record when the record is put back in. Much better to use your method.

[@markcarrington8565]

All good points, however, a few points of personal differences from me. Where the outer sleeve allows, I prefer to line up the openings so I can leave it on to protect the sleeve better. I don’t have an issue with dust getting inside the record, but this is just a personal choice. On playing and avoiding dust, I always play the record with the dust cover down. In terms of feedback to the turntable from airborne vibrations, having no dust cover at all is best. Next is having the lid down. Worst is having the lid up, as it’s perfectly placed to be agitated by the sound waves. I’ll accept the compromise as my turntable has a suspended sub-chassis and it means I never need to brush the surface to keep dust down. Also, there is no chance of accidental damage when playing. Finally, while flipping sides or changing records, I leave the platter spinning. Owners of Rega turntables will be familiar with this technique and I learnt it when I had my Planar 3. It reduces belt wear and also means records with a tight spindle hole can be placed on the platter more easily as they sort of wind on.

[@soundmatters]

Thanks Mark. I hadn’t thought of it that way with the lid, interesting. Different school of thought entirely! There’s logic in that for sure. I tell you when my lid does stay firmly shut though…..when the kids are running around waving toys about 😂😬🎶🎧 Thanks for sharing and happy listening as always

[@markcarrington8565]

Ah kids! Who’d ‘ave ‘em? My daughter challenged me to get back into records two years ago. Best thing that’s happened to my hi-fi in years. So, in answer to my own question, I would 😁

[@soundmatters]

@@markcarrington8565 excellent - great to hear. Just the nudge you need sometimes 🎶🎧

[@user-tl7mj2bm4m]

One last note....BEFORE even playing that first album of the listening session...Wash the shit out of your hands FIRST....so the amount of oils and grease is reduced IN CASE you do end up touching it.

[@philmccutchion3882]

Sound advice, however I am slightly disabled and have effectively use of one hand only so doesn't really help, although I do or have used a modified version of what you say.

[@soundmatters]

The record mitts might be quite handy for you

[@TravisSurtr]

How do I remove a brand new record from the sleeve (if there is no parchment/tissue paper intermediary sleeve)? I find that the record sticks to the sides and comes out scratched quite often.

[@soundmatters]

This is very common with new records in paper sleeves. In this case, you could try using a Milty Zero Stat.The record being in contact with the sleeve will reduce the effectiveness of the process, but it may be enough just to loosen it and avoid scratches.

[@jerrywaynecalloway]

Definitely was useful because I was doing everything you said not to do in this video. 😩

[@amberstanclift9170]

I can not touch the lable and hold by the thumb my hands are too small...what luck microfiber cloth it is then

[@chrisberry1435]

What model turntable is the black one?

[@soundmatters]

Technics SL1500c 🎶🎧👍

[@chrisberry1435]

@@soundmatters thank you very much. I knew it was a Technics and I knew it was a very very sharp automatic. I am still rocking my 1981 vintage SLQ3. You wouldn't have any discount codes for those would you? Lol.

[@mat.b.]

Taking the jacket out of the protective sleeve seems counter intuitive

[@xhildhood]

Yet a random stack of 45s w/o cases from goodwill play great

[@WilliamWebbarquitecto]

Oh my goodness... been playing records before this person was born...

[@ArTeCh777]

What’s the point remove from outer sleeve the artwork? 😅 hard to understand, it’s pointless

[@ronaldweed6103]

Latex gloves should work. ?. Right?. I remember when vinyl was records,& never cleaned them.

[@TheHookGoddess]

Let's scratch like a classic dj on purpose

[@fizzlebomber674]

wow, give yourself a pat on the back. what a load of information.

[@soundmatters]

😂 intended for newbie’s of course. Happy spinning 🎶🎧

[@Yoni1200]

Records are Pain!

[@tima.478]

And not for the penny pinchers...lol! 🤣

[@georgeprice4212]

Ok….first off, it’s MY record collection, I’m using whatever means necessary to get the record on the turntable. And not all of my records are pristine condition. Also, I have had NO PROBLEMS with records lying flat becoming warped..in fact, just the opposite has occurred.

[@georgeanastasopoulos5865]

If the opposite, @georgeprice4212 has occurred then maybe your records were not stacked as vertical as possible.🔉🎵

[@elliottzuk3008]

Then why did you even click on this video

[@georgeprice4212]

@@georgeanastasopoulos5865 oh please. I live in Houston…records warp easier here.

[@georgeprice4212]

@@elliottzuk3008 because I can.

[@SteveDave29]

If you have a record player, donate it to charity, and go buy a vintage turntable in top working order.

[@tima.478]

🤣

[@ralphbrewster3241]

lol

[@soundmatters]

Tee hee, giggle giggle 🤭

[@JJ-ze6vb]

Or just live your best life and don’t give a fuck.

[@DavidMander-rs4uk]

Stop doing this....buying records and not using CDs instead!

[@DavidMander-rs4uk]

Handle CDs instead...They're smaller, easier to store, take up less space, have no noise floor and sound superior to the vinyl version 😆👍

[@shuflbeats]

You can touch your records. What is this weird OCD approach to playing records? Listen to the music and stop being weird.