Welcome To

CRAIG CHASE VINYL

Don (ccvinylman) Larter, Owner

 Introduction (Revised 28 March 2010)

Craig Chase Vinyl (hereafter, CCV) is unique in ways directly affecting you, a buyer of vinyl records. 

First, as the owner of CCV I clean every record  I sell (and its jacket).  What other seller does that?  The answer is easy:  NONE!

Second, I play-grade every record I sell.  What other seller does that?  Not many!

Third, occasionally I provide you with some comparative prices I've researched on eBay, so that you can make an informed decision when there's an "identical" item from another seller.  Keep in mind, however, that my listed item will likely be the only one that is both cleaned and play-graded.   If possible, my starting bid will either match or be lower than the competition's.

In exchange for these three valuable services, you'll find my prices to be marginally higher than the seller whose sideline is records and who doesn't even have a turntable on which to play the records he sells!  (Yes, there are several sellers like this, believe it or not.)  I seldom, if ever, start the bidding at 99 cents.  About the lowest-price record I sell starts at $3.62, which in today's economy is pretty darn cheap!   

When you compare the burden of a slightly higher price to the peace of mind you get by knowing in advance what your desired record sounds like, however, I think you'll agree I'm a good person to do business with. 

If you haven't already, please give me a try.  I ship quickly (usually within 24 hours of receiving payment), I ship safely, and I communicate with you at each step of the sale.  Moreover, I offer a no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee in the eventuality I mess up.  Believe me, it doesn't happen very often! 

Over the past seven years, hundreds of people from about 60 countries around the world have bought records from me, and not one has given me a negative feedback.

Best wishes to you, and thank you for looking me up!

• Sealed = Unopened and unplayed; condition unknown
• NM+ = Near Mint Plus. Extraordinarily clean and quiet; may not have been played
• NM = Near Mint. Clean and quiet, regardless of scuffs or apparent defects
• NM- = Near Mint Minus. Less quiet than NM, with a bit more background noise regardless of its source.
• VG++ = Very good plus plus. Noisier than NM-; may say why.
• VG+ = Very good plus. Noisier than VG++; will say why.

NOTE:  My basic grading for album jackets/boxes includes Good, Very Good, Almost Excellent, and Excellent.  Good signifies it has some challenges, including wrinkles, soiling, ripped seams and possibly writing.  I usually repair ripped seams with hot glue, and surface grime I remove with gentle cleaning products, such as GOO GONE, which dries without staining.  I finish most album jackets with a furniture spray to restore sheen and remove dust and fingerprints.  Very Good signifies slightly better condition of the sleeve, with no rips in the seams and a higher level of cleanness in general.  Almost Excellent is a step above Very Good and is what you'd expect of a jacket that has been well cared for.  There might be a slight corner bump or small evidences of wear, such as almost invisible, hairline scratches, but that's all.  Excellent is what you'd expect of a jacket that has never shed its shrinkwrap sleeve because it's either still sealed, or only the open end has been slit.  Still, if a corner is bumped or wrinkled, or if dirt has managed to penetrate the shrinkwrap, or there is some other defect, I'll likely downgade the jacket to Almost Excellent.  If you're a real jacket fanatic, I'll always be glad to give you in an email additional details of the jacket's condition.  Simply ask! 

2. Professional cleaning (again, please see my ME site for reasons why I perform this time-consuming service for my customers) of virtually every record and sleeve sold, by using proprietary methods that are extremely gentle and effective on records.
3. The offering of a wide variety of repertoire and genres, particularly classical, at many different price points.
4. Fair dealing, prompt and friendly communication, and speedy delivery.
5. My expecting payment within 10 days of purchase, unless negotiated otherwise.
6. A no-questions-asked return policy if our play-grades differ significantly. I will even refund the return shipping charges (though not the initial, to you, shipping charges).
7. Posting of positive feedback for high bidders who pay in a timely fashion (or who email me saying why they do not); posting of negative feedback for those who do not.

NEW LISTING!

Item Description   In the opinion of some musicians, this set of Bach's famous Suites for Unaccompanied Cello is the set to own.   After having auditioned it, I can understand why.  Starker, having played these works since he was an adolescent (if not before!), has an uncanny affinity to them, and he conveys that love in no uncertain terms.    Apart from three (3!) ticks on side 3, this set is remarkably quiet; a true Near Mint Plus!   Best wishes!    
• Label/Data:   Mercury:  OL3-116, three monophonic disks, in box, with pamphlet (comments by the artist himself, and timings), and with typed press release for radio station managers (see picture).  Promotional stamp is inside box.  Labels are gold with black print.   Matrices are RFR-1 on all six sides.
• Description:

             ---Orchestra/Group:  N/A

             ---Conductor:  N/A

             ---Soloist(s):   cellist Janos Starker

            ---Work(s) Performed:  Bach:  Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, Nos.1-6

• Condition of Record: Visual grade:  NM-  A couple broad scuffs on s.4; a small vinyl defect on s.3, b.4   Play grade:  NM to NM+ throughout all six sides.  Defect ticks three times.  Scuffs are not heard at all.   

• Condition of Jacket/Sleeve/Box:  Good.  Corners needed a little attention with hot glue.  Exposed (grey) cardboard was hidden with black magic marker.  Previous owner was a smoker, but I absorbed some odor with baking soda inside the (record-less!) box.  Hinge no longer works, but is neat, nevertheless.