This image is a general representation of the item and the actual product may differ slightly in terms of color shading, logo placement, borders, or other small details. Used items may have various cosmetic differences as well.
We realize that there are many different interpretations of the standard grades used
for pre-owned vinyl record albums & CD, so we thought we'd offer you the ones that we are working with,
so you have an idea what we mean when we give the grade for a non-new item on our pages.
Used Vinyl Grades
Below are stated conditions for a used vinyl records at Dusty Groove. Grading for
the cover should be assumed to be near (within a "+" or "-")
the grading for the vinyl.
If there is significant divergence from the condition of the vinyl, or specific flaws,
these will be noted in the comments section of the item. However, please be aware that
since the emphasis of this site is towards the music listener, our main concern is with
the vinyl of any used item we sell. Additionally, all of our records
are graded visually; considering the volume of used vinyl we handle, it is impossible
for us to listen to each record. If we spot any significant flaws, we make every attempt
to listen through them and note how they play.
The following grading conditions apply to the vinyl component of an album or single:
Additional Marks & Notes
If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially
if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record.
This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip,
cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.
A great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting ... LP, Vinyl record album
3LPs – and a heck of a lot of wonderful tracks from The Miracles! Titles include "Ooo Baby Baby", "My Girl Has Gone", "That's What Love Is Made Of", "I've Been Good To You", "Got A Job", "Bad Girl", "Baby Baby Don't Cry", ... LP, Vinyl record album
Kind of a mixed bag of numbers from Smokey and the group – who are clearly searching around here for a new sound that will take them into the 70s, working in a number of different modes – all of them still pretty nice, thanks to the always-great vocal talents of the group. Titles ... LP, Vinyl record album
Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and ... LP, Vinyl record album
A soaring set from the great Eddie Kendricks – and a record that brings his Detroit roots into play with the best Philly grooves of the time – thanks to production from the mighty Norman Harris! Harris works with the cream of the crop of the Sigma Sound scene, and cooks up these ... LP, Vinyl record album
Marvin Gaye's last album for Motown – and a wonderful cap to a great run of sexy soul for the 70s – filled with great mellow grooves that rival the genius of his earlier work in the decade! There's a glowing, slow-burning feel to some of the best numbers here – a vibe that's ... LP, Vinyl record album
A sweet little double LP – one that had some folks saying that Stevie should have stayed away from the "2LP syndrome", but for us a real treasure with lots of hidden gems. Besides the hits "Isn't She Lovely" and "Sir Duke", which were more than enough to carry ... LP, Vinyl record album
Beautiful work from Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston – done in a style that's perhaps a bit more intimate, and a bit more sophisticated than some of Marvin's other duets, but still in the great Motown tradition of the 60s! On the set, Weston seems to bring out the sweeter sound of Marvin's voice ... LP, Vinyl record album
One of the classics, and an album that's filled with a sense of majesty and power that will knock you dead – despite the kind of silly cover of Stevie sitting on a hill, playing in the dirt! By this point, Stevie knows he's on top of the world as well he should – and he's honing the ... LP, Vinyl record album
Hard-swinging soul from mid 60s Stevie Wonder – and an album that really helped establish Stevie as a vocal star on his own! Gone are the "little blind boy" and Ray Charles cliches, gone are the "isn't it amazing that he can play the drums?" gimmicks – and in their ... LP, Vinyl record album
Early work by Marvin Gaye – with many gems from the early and mid 60s that were big or minor hits for Marvin during his early days at Motown. The set includes "It Hurt Me Too", "I'm Yours, You're Mine", "One Of These Days", "Taking My Time", "Can ... LP, Vinyl record album
Classic heartbreaking soul from Brenda Holloway – one of the weepiest early records on Motown, as you might guess from the title! The style here is almost more New York uptown than Detroit at times – a fair bit like Maxine Brown with its mix of strength and fragility on the vocals, and ... LP, Vinyl record album