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say goodbye to my record collection


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bad news on the lp front.

i've only kept 2 crates of records once i switched to cd's.

since the wife and i moved into our house, iv'e had them stored in the basement.

well, our sewer line has clogged and i know have 4 inches of water in my basement (we've lived here 10 years and have never had a problem).

luckily 1 crate was on top of the other, but the bottom crate is ruined.

i haven't gone through them all (there is still 4" of water in the basement), but it appears that i've lost

ascension - john coltrane - 1st and 2nd editions

infinity - john coltrane

cosmic music - john coltrane

live at the marble arch - graham parker

live sparks - graham parker - autographed

too tough to die - ramones - autographed by all 4 (joey r.i.p.)

some rare sun ra records

and many others.

needless to say, i am heartbroken.

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bad news on the lp front.

i've only kept 2 crates of records once i switched to cd's.

since the wife and i moved into our house, iv'e had them stored in the basement.

well, our sewer line has clogged and i know have 4 inches of water in my basement (we've lived here 10 years and have never had a problem).

luckily 1 crate was on top of the other, but the bottom crate is ruined.

i haven't gone through them all (there is still 4" of water in the basement), but it appears that i've lost

ascension - john coltrane - 1st and 2nd editions

infinity - john coltrane

cosmic music - john coltrane

live at the marble arch - graham parker

live sparks - graham parker - autographed

too tough to die - ramones - autographed by all 4 (joey r.i.p.)

some rare sun ra records

and many others.

needless to say, i am heartbroken.

I weep, truly weep for you. It's like a death in the family.

Damn!!! :angry:

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As a former great political leader of this country often said: "I feel your pain". In 1983, I sat through Hurricane Alicia here in Houston with my large collection of LPs wrapped in several layers of thick plastic sheeting. If the roof was going to come off, those albums were going to be the only things that were going to stay dry. 19 hours of most harrowing experience I have ever had later, the roof remained intact, and the albums were saved. In 2001 I eventually sold the entire collection.

Over the years, digging into used record bins, I acquired some amazing albums with water damaged covers ... I often wondered what people did with their records, some clearly had had food served on them, or I often encountered the Harvey Pekar "cat piss" problem ... why do cats love peeing on LPs? Mine used to use the albums on the lowest shelves as a scratching post ... I worked hard to stop that!

Garth.

Edited by garthsj
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thanks for all the support.

i'm waiting on the plumber now.

the county just did a major road improvement on our road (new curbs, sidewalks, storm sewers, gas main).

i'm hoping they're at fault, so i can try to get something back.

but the financial value of an autographed ramones lp and the sentimental value are 2 very different things.

i guess i've lived a pretty sheltered life - i'm pretty bummed right now - out of context with the situation.

i couldn't imagine losing my entire house or a loved one.

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Oh man that sucks!!! There are worse things in life but that is one of the bad ones.When I lived in California I lived in a downstairs apartment.In the upstairs apartment was a family and kids being kids do find ways to clog up the plumbing or run too much bathwater. The upstairs people flooded my place TWICE right on top of my albums. It still pisses me off to think about it. :angry:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can the rest of us learn from this? Yes!

1. Never store records in a basement. Even without a flood or busted pipes,

the moisture accelerates the growth of mildew and mold,

starting inside the jackets and paper inner sleeves.

If you've have absolutely no choice, then

store 'em off the floor and close to any source of light. Randomly check

them every month to catch the first signs of mildew. No cardboard boxes!

2. Storage in a dry, spacious attic that permits light is acceptable.

Dark closets or other enclosures will eventually lead to mildew formation.

Your LPs need to breathe and be seen, admired, and enjoyed.

Boxing and 'deep-six' storing in funky spaces is the kiss of death.

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Dark closets or other enclosures will eventually lead to mildew formation.

Your LPs need to breathe and be seen, admired, and enjoyed.

Boxing and 'deep-six' storing in funky spaces is the kiss of death.

Is this also true for CDs? Thanks.

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LAL: "Is this also true for CDs?"

Answer(s): "No." "Not nearly."

It's the apples/oranges equation.

LPs have cardboard jackets and paper inner sleeves which act as

sponges in attracting moisture from damp environments. Even the paper

label around the LP spindle hole can serve as a 'host' for mold.

CDs are much more resistant. They're finished with a protective coating

and are much easier to clean. Also, there's no grooves for the mold to

seep into. And there's only a paper booklet nearby (not in direct contact)

which might possibly serve as an 'agent provocateur'.

Of the two, CDs will emerge from a dark closet in better shape.

during manufacture.

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