LP jacket ringwear

[bebopbob]

How do you avoid or prevent ringwear from forming on an LP album jacket?

I recently bought a mint condition Dave Brubeck Columbia Stereo 2 eye LP (Newprot 1958) with significant cover ringwear only to find that an earlier stereo pressing of the same album (a Columbia 6 eye pressing) had virtually no ringwear. While the earlier 2 eye copy was more expensive than the one I bought, I'm curious to find out why a later LP jacket appeared more weathered and worn than the jacket on the earlier pressing. The copy I purchased was not in any way soiled, abused, torn, marked up or exposed to the elements but it still had ringwear which the earlier copy did not have. While the record itself plays perfectly and I'm happy with the purchase, are there any tips or suggestions on how to avoid or prevent further ringwear on LP jackets? Thanks.

[Brandon Burke]

It was stored on shelves that were too tight with LPs. That's the only way to create ringwear. Regardless, ringwear is secondary to the condition of the vinyl surface.

[Dmitry]

While the record itself plays perfectly and I'm happy with the purchase, are there any tips or suggestions on how to avoid or prevent further ringwear on LP jackets? Thanks.

Very simple.

Buy a bunch of clear mylar lp jacket sleeves and store records outside the jackets.

[Brandon Burke]

While the record itself plays perfectly and I'm happy with the purchase, are there any tips or suggestions on how to avoid or prevent further ringwear on LP jackets?  Thanks.

Very simple.

Buy a bunch of clear mylar lp jacket sleeves and store records outside the jackets.

Storing the LPs outside of the jackets is definantely a solution (for future damage). Whether the sleeves are mylar or poly is totally irrelevant in this case, though mylar will react less with acidic cardstock. This is more of an archival decision.

[ajf67]

Bags Unlimited also sells an insert that they advertise as helping to prevent ringwear. I haven't tried it though. The best solutions are the two listed above: don't pack your LPs too tight and store the LP outside the jacket.