Shrinkwrap On or Off?

[Brad]

I had always kept the shrinkwrap on and a selling point with record sellers seems to be that the shrinkwrap is still on. However, I ran across the following thread on Hoffman suggesting that leaving them on can do damage to the jackets over time. It’s an interesting question. Since I already use an outer sleeve, shrinkwrap seems superfluous.

On or Off?

[Dave James]

Off.  I heard long ago that leaving the shrink wrap on would, over time, encourage warping.

[Bill Nelson]

Mostly off, but It depends on a couple factors:

OFF: If LP is purchased exclusively for my enjoyment and inclusion in permanent collection

ON: when LP is purchased for potential resale

In either case, if I see the jacket warping, the shrink will always be removed.

BTW, in the 50's, new LPs came in loose poly with 1/4-inch extra margin, not the tight shrink-wrap of the 60's..

[Bluesnik]

7 hours ago, Brad said:

I had always kept the shrinkwrap on

But then the record is unopened and how do you listen to it? I see that it being on can be a strong selling point, but in my case that's only the case if I've never opened it and listened to it.

Edited April 24, 2020 by Bluesnik

[Brad]

8 minutes ago, Bluesnik said:

But then the record is unopened and how do you listen to it? I see that it being on can be a strong selling point, but in my case that's only the case if I've never opened it and listened to it.

You open the slit so you can take the record out but leave the rest of the shrinkwrap on. 

[JSngry]

Leave on if you like, but crack the top or/bottom seam in such a way that it relieves the pressure.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i kept it on for a lot time hell i had a art farmer paramount from like the 50s in wrap- but you know what, when you par down you par down and that includes shrinkwrap- someone else probably already covered this but you keep it in the shrink if it has for example a promotional sticker
 

 

 

i had a art blakey freedom rider what i believe is a liberty but with NY usa labels both sides and vangelder stamped in shrink, looks way better off

 

 

I EVEN REMOVE THE OLD DRIED PLASTIC ON SOME SHINY COVERS- like i had a silvers serenade and the cover is all lookin bad-- after you peel the horrible plastic layer off- great cover- wow

 

ultimate example of this:::  dave brubeck octet 12" on fantasy: horrible cover- looks 100 years old: after a peel of the other layer: 100% mint white cover in astonishing mint condition underneath

 

[Bluesnik]

On 24/04/2020 at 11:06 PM, Brad said:

You open the slit so you can take the record out but leave the rest of the shrinkwrap on.

Oh, I didn't know that. I do that with boxes, but consider them opened because they're not closed anymore.The only records, or better CDs, I still have shrinkwrapped are ones I never opened. Duplicates and so on. And I have some TOCJs that way which I also have in Mosaics, as, for instance, the following:

which is also in the 50s box.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Bluesnik

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Shrink off for me. I've picked up old used records where the original buyer left the shrink on and it got stuck all over the cover. Plus, the shrink definitely pinches the cover and it can't be good for the vinyl.

[HutchFan]

Off. Always.

[David Ayers]

Off. When I take LPs for resale the merchants basically tell me they are tatty. Not in so many words of course. I explain they were tatty when I bought them, it’s the natural condition of LPs, they give me a pound a piece and we go our separate ways. 

[Bill Nelson]

There's a young woman from Sweden who weighs in on this subject:

 

[Bluesnik]

On 26/04/2020 at 7:53 PM, Bluesnik said:

You open the slit so you can take the record out but leave the rest of the shrinkwrap on.

But this is only good for LPs, right? It's impossible for CDs, I think. I remember the LP days when you could do that, but the shrinkwrap also compressed the cover, and I don't know if also the LP, vertically and horizontally. I guess that's what you're all talknig about. In those days I always removed the shrinkwrap. Nowadays the only CDs I still have shrinkwrapped are unopened.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Bluesnik