Shrinkwrap on LP's- Keep it on or remove it?

[Nick Danger]

I have been going back and forth about whether I should keep the shrinkwrap on virgin albums or if I should ditch it? Presently, I have been just slitting the stuff and leaving it on as an additional layer of protection, but it stinks that I can't open my gatefolds and I feel it takes away from the album's artwork. I do use LP outer sleeves on all of my collection, so it's not as if they are gonna be unprotected. I don't buy albums in the hope that they will appreciate in value, not that I would complain if they did, I just like the medium.

Curious to hear from the PHX Crue before I proceed(or not).

 

[Northwinds]

Doug, I try to keep my lps in shrink if they have it still. Albums I open I do with no question. Nothing sucks more then a damaged cover by accident. If I want to see the interior of a gatefold, I would just carefully slide the shrink off so I can slide it back on when I am done looking. Keeping the covers as nice as possible is a good thing

 

[BubbaH]

No shrinks for me. Some are too tight and i find mess with the sleeve, generally on singles...not gates. Only albums that still have shrinks on the here, are ones that have never been opened, like my VH different kind of truth. I always rip out the hype sticker though and slide it in the jacket, if its worth keeping.

 

[BlazeES]

My 2 cents ...

LP specific, protective poly-bags are the way to go.
Cheap, durable and clean looking.
Buy 'em in bulk and they are inexpensive.

Leave the shrink on albums you think have collector value because of it and might be turning loose some day,
but enjoy those LP covers you plan on keeping.

 

[MarkWComer]

The shrinkwrap can continue to shrink, but it doesn't always continue to shrink. I tear it off and use the clear jacket sleeves. They come in larger sizes for those really thick multi-disc sets.

 

[Northwinds]

Mark, I use 3mil Crystal Clear poly covers and still leave the shrink on. It's important to remove the record from the jacket though and have it in it's inner dust sleeve packed outside the jacket. No seam splits and little chance of warping the record by keeping it in a shrink wrapped jacket. You have to move your records around occasionally to head of possible warping (usually cheap light records are more prone to warping if left in jackets with tight shrink)

 

[MarkWComer]

Mark, I use 3mil Crystal Clear poly covers and still leave the shrink on. It's important to remove the record from the jacket though and have it in it's inner dust sleeve packed outside the jacket. No seam splits and little chance of warping the record by keeping it in a shrink wrapped jacket. You have to move your records around occasionally to head of possible warping (usually cheap light records are more prone to warping if left in jackets with tight shrink)

I've seen your posts concerning your collection (and damn, it sure makes me feel inadequate!). You have a lot invested in your collection- and protecting the covers is nearly as important as protecting the vinyl. I don't go that far, but I do see the value in doing it your way. When shipping a record I do take it out of the jacket to prevent seam splits from rough handling, and supply an additional jacket cover for the LP.

Another thing I do is trash the paper inner sleeve unless it has artwork or related printing on it. I don't like paper fibers rubbing against the record and use polypropelene inner sleeves.

 

[nobody]

I'm kind of doing a rethink on my shrinkwrapped albums. For a long time, I've not used outer sleeves if the shrink is solid, but I'm in process of cataloging the collection and building shelves and am putting outer sleeves over the shrink to maximize protection, realizing how much I've got tied up in these things and want to make 'em safe as possible. Gatefolds I take the shrink off, I gotta be able to get a look inside.

 

[Nick Danger]

Mark, I use 3mil Crystal Clear poly covers and still leave the shrink on. It's important to remove the record from the jacket though and have it in it's inner dust sleeve packed outside the jacket. No seam splits and little chance of warping the record by keeping it in a shrink wrapped jacket. You have to move your records around occasionally to head of possible warping (usually cheap light records are more prone to warping if left in jackets with tight shrink)

Same for me, Ron. Lp's stored outside the jackets.

 

[Nick Danger]

No shrinks for me. Some are too tight and i find mess with the sleeve, generally on singles...not gates. Only albums that still have shrinks on the here, are ones that have never been opened, like my VH different kind of truth. I always rip out the hype sticker though and slide it in the jacket, if its worth keeping.

Yeah, would definitely cut out any stickers that are on the shrink if I go the "naked" route.

 

[Nick Danger]

I'm kind of doing a rethink on my shrinkwrapped albums. For a long time, I've not used outer sleeves if the shrink is solid, but I'm in process of cataloging the collection and building shelves and am putting outer sleeves over the shrink to maximize protection, realizing how much I've got tied up in these things and want to make 'em safe as possible. Gatefolds I take the shrink off, I gotta be able to get a look inside.

When you start getting outer sleeves, these are the ones that you want. The pics don't do them justice as they are as clear as mylars and they don't split. Big enough to hold some pretty thick gatefolds like my Phish~ Junta 3 LP set(need to spin this soon....).

 

[BubbaH]

I buy my outer sleeves at my local record shop. He gives me a price break on them, cuz I buy lots. Usually about 5 cents cheaper than he sells them for. My inners I go to another shop in Oshawa for. He has the nicer ones. 17 cents a piece for them. I generally buy in bulk saving trips to pick these things up. My last lot of outers was 500, and my inners was 300. Almost due for more outers, still have about 100 inners kickin.

 

[Northwinds]

When you start getting outer sleeves, these are the ones that you want. The pics don't do them justice as they are as clear as mylars and they don't split. Big enough to hold some pretty thick gatefolds like my Phish~ Junta 3 LP set(need to spin this soon....).

I avoid the tight fitting ones also Doug. I prefer the 3mil ones but is 2.5 is fine if that's all I can get

 

[nobody]

When you start getting outer sleeves, these are the ones that you want. The pics don't do them justice as they are as clear as mylars and they don't split. Big enough to hold some pretty thick gatefolds like my Phish~ Junta 3 LP set(need to spin this soon....).

Yeah, I've used some of those. Latest batch I bought was a lot of 400 4 mil of whichever poly is the clearer one, I forget which. They are sung-ish, but still fit doubles, liking them quite a lot. Probably 75% or so of the collection already has outer sleeves, but still looking like I'm gonna need to order another batch, more sleeveless than I thought.

 

[MarkWComer]

When you start getting outer sleeves, these are the ones that you want.

Yes- those are the ones I get, but I buy directly from sleevecityusa.com. Pitched a fit over the shipping charges until the box came- they're heavy! I'm reluctant to store the record out of the sleeve because it adds more protection to the disc. If you're going out of the sleeve, you only have the thickness of the inner and outer sleeves to protect the groove. The record is more important to me and I want it protected as much as possible.

Also on the inner sleeves- those round bottom ones suck. Hard to get the record back into the sleeve (if you are putting them into the sleeve, that is...).

 

[MarkWComer]

I'm kind of doing a rethink on my shrinkwrapped albums. For a long time, I've not used outer sleeves if the shrink is solid, but I'm in process of cataloging the collection and building shelves and am putting outer sleeves over the shrink to maximize protection, realizing how much I've got tied up in these things and want to make 'em safe as possible. Gatefolds I take the shrink off, I gotta be able to get a look inside.

Shrinkwrap is thin and tears easily, too. Doesn't hold up very well when pulling from or pushing into a shelf.

 

[Nick Danger]

If you're going out of the sleeve, you only have the thickness of the inner and outer sleeves to protect the groove. The record is more important to me and I want it protected as much as possible.

The way I see it is this, Mark : Outer sleeve/ cardboard jacket > inner sleeve > vinyl(all safe and sound) > outer sleeve/ cardboard jacket. Vinyl is much easier to get to, no damage to dustjacket, no ringwear.

I will post a pic or find a thread here on PHX about this topic to better explain it.