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.
Sheila E's follow up to "The Glamorous Life", with equally Prince influenced mid 80s production. Unlike some of the other projects that Prince pursued with a Svengali like presence, Sheila E was a great talent on her own, with a sound built around Prince's pop-soul melodies and her own ... LP, Vinyl record album
Smooth jazzy soul, with excellent production by Wayne Henderson and his At-Home Productions team. David Oliver's got a deep baritone voice, and it slithers sexily through tracks like "Private Secretary", "Who Are You", "Take My Emptiness", and the great mellow groover ... LP, Vinyl record album
Al takes over the whole deal with this one – as the record features him writing, producing, arranging, and even playing lead guitar – stepping out from under the protective wing of Willie Mitchell, and doing a surprisingly great job overall! Al does get a bit of help in the studio ... LP, Vinyl record album
Curtis Mayfield's first solo album after leaving the Impressions, and it's a firey album of political soul that shows just how much he was holding back when he was with the group. The tracks are longer, angrier, more experimental, and a lot more funky. Standout tracks include "If There's a ... LP, Vinyl record album
Far and away our favorite album by Phyllis Hyman – her first, and with lots of the same smooth jazzy soul touches you'd find in her work with Norman Connors! Phyllis is still as sophisticated as she is on later albums, but there's a bit freer style to the record – and Phyllis breaks a ... LP, Vinyl record album
Massive work from Michael Henderson – exactly the kind of record we point to when people ask us what all the fuss is about! Michael perfectly blends funky jazz, mellow fusion, and his own warm style of vocals here – in a sophisticated mix that puts him right at the top of the 70s ... LP, Vinyl record album
Essential female Philly soul recorded by the Jones Girls, a group who came to Philly later than many of their big 70s acts, but who went onto become possibly the best female act who recorded with Gamble & Huff. The record's a group effort of the Philly team – with arrangements by Gene ... LP, Vinyl record album
A great little album by The Impressions – possibly their best of the 70s! The record's got a very solid harmony soul approach, and Lowrell Simon wrote and produced a number of tracks with Rich Tufo – giving the album the same sweet sexy sound that he brought to his best solo records, ... LP, Vinyl record album
A great lost bit of Motown 70s! Dynamic Superiors were a great harmony group with an east coast sound – quite different from the usual Motown combo in that their vocals were often allowed very free range, with less of the tightness of the usual Motown group soul album. Ashford & Simpson ... LP, Vinyl record album
Here you go! A dozen classic recordings by the Delfonics – all of them tiny little masterpieces of 70s group soul harmony! The band were one of the best of the decade, and they have an amazing talent for making their vocals come together with a real edge, hitting lots of strange notes and ... LP, Vinyl record album
A roots-oriented 70s classic from Willie Colon – one of his standout albums of the decade! Willie continues his "life of crime" approach for the early 70s – moving into an old west look on the cover, and matching that with a slightly rootsier sound on the album! The real ... LP, Vinyl record album
The tenor sax here makes the album a standout – as John Coltrane still works with Miles Davis on 2 tracks for the record, but Blue Note stalwart Hank Mobley joins in on the rest! The approach is similar to that of the classic Coltrane/Davis years – and in a way, the record's kind of a ... LP, Vinyl record album