No bloated represses or showroom fillers. Just three heavy estate buys of 70s Japanese spiritual jazz, obscure UK dub plates, private-press folk, and mint 90s post-hardcore. Ultrasonically cleaned, test-spun on direct drives, and graded with zero optimism.
Every partition in the store is manually rotated three times a week. Hand-graded under raw fluorescent light, sleeved in 3mil high-density archival poly, and priced by someone who actually listened to side B.
Early kosmische, fourth-world field recordings, modern micro-house, tape-loop collages, and self-released DIY modular cassettes. From Basic Channel white labels to unfindable Japanese environmental vinyl reissues.
Serrated guitars, dub basslines, and jagged drum machines. Rough Trade early catalogue, Factory Records oddities, Crass Records agit-prop 7-inches, and contemporary post-punk cassettes straight from basement labels in Leeds and Melbourne.
Direct imports from Three Blind Mice, Nippon Columbia, Strata-East, and Black Jazz. Heavyweight 180g tip-on jackets, pristine OBI strips, and direct-to-analogue lacquers cut from original master tapes. Pure dynamic range for tube preamps.
Two dedicated standalone islands containing over 2,000 seven-inch records. Jamaican pre-release blank labels, obscure Midwest garage soul, Studio One pressings, and rare rocksteady cuts. Checked under magnifying lamps for groove wear and cue burns.
* Ask at counter for the locked "Heavy Hitter" binder of collector 45s priced over $75.
Small-batch runs consignments directly from micro-labels in Bristol, Tokyo, Chicago, and Berlin. Lathe cuts, screenprinted fold-over covers, risograph art booklets, and numbered editions under 300 copies.
Every used slab entering this shop runs a two-stage gauntlet: high-lumen visual sweep under raking halogen lamps, followed by spot play-grading on an unvarnished broadcast rig. If a record looks like a mirror but crackles like bacon during run-in, we grade down, not up.
"If it's priced at $35, it plays like $35. No phantom mints. No 'plays fine through computer speakers' excuses."
Static Pressing Seal
Guaranteed playback integrity
As close to unplayed as humanly possible. Vinyl retains flawless mirror gloss with zero paper scuffs or spindle marks. Cover shows crisp corners, spine legible, zero seam splits.
Minor cosmetic sleeve scuffs from in-and-out paper sleeve pull that do NOT affect playback. Superficial surface marks only. Clean audio with almost silent quiet passages.
Visible surface marks or light hairline scratches that produce mild surface noise or light crackle in intro and quiet passages, but never overpower the music. No skips. Priced accordingly.
Audible wear, heavy scuffs, or beat covers. Reserved strictly for holy-grail wall hangers or budget DJ party copies. We never stock warped or skipping records in the main bins.
Payout Mode A
40%–50% of real market median (Discogs verified sales, not speculative asking prices). Instant bank transfer or crisp bills in hand.
Payout Mode B
Get an extra 25% added to your total value. Issued as a physical stamped trade slip with no expiration date. Valid on every bin.
Walk in Tue–Sun before 6 PM. If you bring under 50 records, we evaluate while you browse our fresh arrivals.
We clean-wipe, pull discs under bright light, spot-check warps, and cross-reference matrices with recent sold logs.
You get an honest itemized price breakdown. Pick cash, pick trade voucher, or take back anything you change your mind on. No hard feelings.
Estate Lots & Heavy Collections
Got a collection too big to lug down the stairs? We do house calls anywhere within 90 miles. We bring our own boxes, packing gear, and certified funds.
Send details or Discogs list link. We reply within 24 hours.
* Direct counter evaluations always welcome at the shop during open hours.
Every used 12", 7", or Japanese import is playable before cash changes hands. We don’t ask you to trust a visual VG+ when surface noise is on the line. Pull three discs, claim an open can, and drop the stylus.
* MAX 3 LPS AT A TIME PER VISITOR *
Keep the line moving during Saturday crate rush. Use the carbon brush before dropping the arm. If you find a hidden warp or locked groove we missed, bring it to the counter for an instant re-grade.
Confirm whether that 1974 pressing is true EX or crackle-heavy VG before committing.
Counter staff runs high-value grails through the bath before putting them on test rotation.
Selected new Japanese pressings & reissue comps unsealed intentionally for previewing.
No velvet ropes, no bottle service. Rotating selectors, cassette tape launches, and low-volume Sunday deep-listening sessions pumped through two restored Altec Voice of the Theatre horns.
Free entry on all in-stores unless noted. BYO tote bag. Cans permitted in rear courtyard only. Please don't lean beer on the 7" bins.
Host selector Kenjiro (Ghost Notes Radio) digs deep into 1980–1989 environmental recordings, factory synth prototypes, and rare private-press tape loops. Herbal tea served by the shop counter.
The local post-punk and minimal wave imprint takes over the turntable racks. Previewing upcoming unreleased 7-inch cuts, overstock 12" sleeves, and rare label test pressings on sale directly from the trunk.
Quiet hours for crate browsing. Drone, early German electronics, tape hiss, and solo piano. Low lights, fresh filter batch brew from next door, and silence from the cash register.
Resident cratedigger Maya V plus guests spinning strictly 7-inch records at 45 RPM: roots reggae, rocksteady, dub, dancehall oddities, and hand-cut acetate dubplates.
Open turntable afternoon. Bring one LP from home or pull one clean copy straight from the racks. We line up 15-minute slots on the main deck. First come, first queued.
WANT TO RUN A NIGHT OR LAUNCH A TAPE?
We do not charge room hire. We just ask that your music is honest and you treat the needles kindly.
Basement level below the old print shop. Concrete floor, two listening decks, tea on the counter, and roughly 9,000 sleeves to flip through.
442 ST. JUDE LANE
LOWER LEVEL // REAR ALLEYWAY ACCESS
M SUBWAY & TRAIN
Broadway-Lafayette or 2nd Ave Stop. 4-minute walk east. Look for the black 45 RPM adapter painted over the stairwell door.
P PARKING / UNLOAD
Street parking on St. Jude is commercial-only until 6PM. Drop-offs permitted for trade-in collections exceeding 3 boxes (call ahead for alley bay).
VISITING WITH BULK VINYL FOR APPRAISAL?
Senior graders on duty Wednesday through Saturday from 1PM–5PM only.