5 comments about Goldmine Record Album Price Guide.

1. An EXCELLENT guide for checking out prices for old LP's !
   Easy to read and find the artist you are looking for.



2. THE PRICE GUIDE IS OK BUT IT IS NOT REALLY THAT ACCURATE AS I HAVE FOUND MANY ERRORS AND THERE ARE LOTS OF ALBUMS THAT ARE NOT LISTED AT ALL.



3. All Goldmine guides are very useful in both case: 1) to determine optimal buying' and sellin' costs. Also it's exciting reading. That edition lavishly illustrated. Thanks.
   Will buy also American records 1950-1975!
   Hope, it will be great!



4. When my mom died, she left behind around 400 LPs and another 150 45s from the 1950-1960s. It was a mess of mixed genres, variety of artists, and varying conditions. Since we're a fan of CDs and MP3 players, the records took up a horribly large amount of space and we wanted them gone. After calling a dealer, who suggested pulling out the Elvis and Beatle records and tossing the rest, I decided to do some research and see what I'd need to do to sell them on EBay. During my research, I found a record guild site with an incredibly helpful forum http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org They listed several price guides, but with warnings about their pricing accuracy. Until I tried to sell the records, I didn't fully realize how inaccurate they really are. While this book was not particularly valuable when it came to pricing, it was helpful in letting me know if I had any records that were worth pursuing. However, guides in general tend to have some problems and this one is no different. Some of the problems include:
   
   1) Do NOT expect to get the list price. It is a best case scenario. The introduction to this book is very clear that these prices are mint condition prices. However, the amount suggested to deduct given their condition, is not accurate. The prices really reflect what you could expect to pay at an antique dealer's store, not what you can realistically expect to sell them for.
   
   2) The price guides do not reflect a changing market. At one time, a mint version of Chantilly Lace might have brought 500.00, but not now. The interest in this record is not as great as it once was. However, the price guide is not updated to reflect that change in market. http://www.popsike.com better reflects the current market and it's free.
   
   3) This book does not give you the knowledge you need to accurately grade records. Granted the purpose of this book is pricing, not to teach grading, but grading is integral to pricing. See, collectors want to listen to the records they're buying. So if the record pops or has any static, the record is of little to no value to them. If you're not an experienced collector, what looks minor to you, might be a huge deal to a buyer. Since the selling price of the record depends heavily on the condition of the vinyl, a book that doesn't give a proper education on condition is not too helpful for selling. Furthermore, this book suggested weighing the condition of the vinyl and jacket equally. That is not accurate. The condition of the vinyl is much more important than the jacket.
   
   Again, where this book does excel is in having a large quantity of records, with a very good description to know which pressing you have, and is easy to use. So if you have a few records and you want to know if it's even worth the effort to try to sell them, this book is very helpful. However, if you're planning to use this book to sale, first see if you can get an experienced record collector to help you out. For us, two experienced collectors were able to accomplish in 3 hours, what would have taken me probably 500 hours to do.
   
   Would I have bought this price guide again? Only if I couldn't find it at the local library. For a price guide, it's probably very good, but the main reason I wrote this review is so people won't get the idea they'll have all the information they need to sell in this book. You're really not going to be able to get the information you truly need to value records from this book or any price guide. So, you'd be better off saving your money and doing some research online.



5. this is a great book for music collectors, or someone who likes music. It's very interesting and informative

5 comments about The Official Price Guide to Records 18th Edition (Official Price Guide to Records).

1. Hard to read - small type.
   Not as comprehensive as Tim Neely's guide.
   I found a lot of lp's that I wanted to find prices for were not in this guide.



2. Several years ago I bought Osbourne's 2001 guide to records and I couldn't have been more pleased. So when it was time to update the guide I was a loyal consumer and bought the newest edition. Too my suprise, many of the listings in the 2001 guide are missing and a lot of popular and valuable records aren't in the new guide at all. You've heard the phrase 'less is more'? Well in this case less is less. I can't recommend anyone buy this guide since even novice collectors will find huge gaps in 18th edition of 'Offical Price Guide to Records'.



3. This book is by one of the best music collectors in the business. I bought it as a reference guide for a future music store I want to start, as well as a general guide for my personal collection. Their are more detailed guides, at much greater prices, so this is great for the beginner and just general information. Highly recommend.



4. Jerry Osborne continues to provide the best and most unbiased price guide in record collecting. He started in 1974 and remains the authority. There's no hidden agenda here. If you're buying just one record price guide, THIS IS IT.



5. This is a another in a long line of great Record reviews and price guides. WE use it every day in our little record (antique) business. We sell vinyl in downtown Kalamazoo. Thanks!

No comments about Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman (Culture, Media & Identities, Vol. 1) (Culture, Media and Identities series).

5 comments about Goldmine Price Guide to 45 RPM Records (Goldmine Price Guide to 45 Rpm Records).

1. I BOUGHT THIS ITEM AFTER BUYING THE BOOK GOLDMINE RECORD ALBUM PRICE GUIDE. I GOT IT PRIMARILY BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE HOW MUCH SOME OF MY 45 RECORDS ARE WORTH AFTER LOOKING AT THE ALBUM PRICE GUIDE AND FINDING THAT SOME OF MY ALBUMS WERE WORTH MORE THAN I THOUGHT. I ALSO CHECKED THIS AGAINST AN ONLINE SERVICE THAT SELLS ALBUMS AND 45'S AND FOUND THAT THE PRICES ON SOME OF MY MORE EXPENSIVE ALBUMS WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT THEY WERE SELLING FOR ON THE ONLINE SERVICE. ON SOME OF THE 45 RECORDS THAT I HAVE CHECKED THE PRICES IN THE BOOK ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE SELLING FOR ON THE COMPUTER. BUT THIS MAY BE BECAUSE THE PRICE GUIDE LISTS PRICES FOR RECORDS IN MINT CONDITION. FINDING OLD RECORDS IN MINT CONDITION IS VERY HARD BUT THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE PAYING TO MUCH FOR A RECORD AND I FOUND IT ALSO HELPS YOU REMEMBER OLD RECORDS THAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE A KID. I HAVE SEVERAL BOOKS ON RECORDS THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR BUT THEY ONLY LIST THE TOP 100, THIS BOOK MAY NOT LIST ALL RECORDS BUT IT LISTS RECORDS THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN OVER THE YEARS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE TOP 100 LISTS. I WILL REFER TO IT OFTEN AS I CONTINUE TO INCREASE MY RECORD COLLECTION.



2. This book is a fantastic resource for any collector, especially an amateur like me. After I learned how to "read" the entries, it was very easy to get the information I needed, and I learned quite a lot about the valueof the records I grew up with, as well as the picture sleeves which are often worth far more than the vinyl!



3. over and over,neelys guides come out faithfully showing all the wonderfull records you would love to own,stating decent prices anyone would wanna pay for them ..and then hits you in ther gutt by telling you they arent worth a third of that amount to dealers.
   when it comes to books like these everyone suddenly becomes a dealer.
   or else the near mint pricing is all anyone looks at.
   its a good book but its repetitive of all the other books hes done.and in fairness,all the other writers books too who do yearly record guides.
   and when it comes to showing scans of rare records..welp..it looks good but it doesnt make me wanna run out and buy them.
   in other words a collector can own one of these..preferably this book..and never buy another one because the info will not change much.
   just the packing and covers.
   still..a good xamas gift ands hard work involved.



4. Not relevant for todays market !
   I whis I could buy some of the soul, garage and freakbeat records listed there for the prices they estimate !! And the mainstream records are listed too high ! Buy the Jerry Osbourne price guide instead !!
   (and the colour section section pages fell out after one read)
   Avoid this !



5. Has just about every record ever made with its corresponding value. Only thing not listed are instrumentals.

5 comments about Price Guide for the Beatles American Records.

1. This is by far the best edition of the Beatle record price guide to date. The collaboration of Perry Cox, Frank Daniels, and Bruce Spizer is a home run. It's very well organized with many photos. If you're a collector or a seller you need this book!



2. This is an excellent book for any serious Beatles collector. Perry Cox really knows what we, as Beatles fans, want in a book. A lot of nice photos and useful and interesting info. Definitely a must have!



3. This 6th edition from Mr. Perry Cox & Frank Daniels continues the long tradition and reputation of Perry's top price guides with the highest degree of research, knowledge, sources and listings available anywhere!
   
   First, I give my strongest praise and congratulations to the co-authors (Perry and Frank), along with additional kudos to Mr. Bruce Spizer who contributed the Foreword, layouts, editing and publishing in this beautiful edition (and yes, I own most of his incredible "labor of love" books surrounding The Beatles records). These gentlemen are what we collectors consider "The Source" when it comes to being specific, detailed, precise and answering the tough questions that come with collecting what I consider "the greatest music memorabilia of all time".
   
   Secondly, I would like to take a moment and get personal about Perry Cox and what he means to me in this business. I have done business with Perry since the early 1980's (when, at that time, I was just a young sailor in the U.S. Navy and spending as much of my extra money on my #1 passion - Beatles records and memorabilia). Perry immediately befriended me and has been more of a "mentor" and a "personal confidant" during these 25 years of our friendship. He has yet to steer me wrong or not provide the tough answers throughout all these years and I greatly admire his passion, dedication and genuine love for the hobby more than anyone else that I have had the pleasure of sharing this excitement with in this hobby. I remember back in the 80's and most of the 90's when I would receive Perry's "mailer lists" that he religiously mailed out to those of us on his distro list. Receiving those lists in the mail has long been replaced with the technology and real-time convenience of the internet (specifically Ebay), but I will never forget what those first 15 years were like when we couldn't see the items and relied on Perry's specific details on each item for sale in his mailer list! Times they were a-changin'. Regardless of the resources, Perry has always been top-notch and quickly became my favorite source (which he remains to this day). I have since retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years service and now live in the Tampa area - but I still email Perry whenever those technical questions need to be answered (or merely for his advice on items I am considering for my personal collection). Bottom line is that I give my full and unconditional recommendation (without hesitation) to any source that Perry endorses in this hobby - and his price guides are legendary among the amateur and professional collectors alike - across the board! Thank you Perry for your deep friendship over the past 25 years my friend.
   
   Next, I would like to humbly thank both Perry and Frank for recognizing me under the "Acknowledgements" section in this price guide. It is a labor of love for all of us and all I can say (after all these years collecting and sharing knowledge, experiences, etc.) is "How cool is it to have your name inside the actual book of your favorite lifelong hobby?" It is a dream come true and I am touched for that recognition! I have had the unbelievable fortune of meeting all four Beatles in person throughout my life, along with being stationed in London for two years with the U.S. Navy, and having my name mentioned in this book completes a long journey for me (for a little boy from Flint, Michigan who originally watched those "four lads from Liverpool" tear it up on that black & white television while dancing with my mother and older sister)! Little did we "Flintoids" know that we would also be treated to our own hometown heroes just six years later from "Grand Funk Railroad". Imagine that...
   
   As for the 6th edition of "The price guide for The Beatles American records", I would like to echo some of the wonderful comments from Mr. Robert York of Tacoma, WA (scroll through the reviews and you will find his detailed analogy of this new guide). I agree that it is very fitting that this book is the same size and lines up beautifully on the bookshelf with Bruce Spizer's books (not a coincidence I assure you - these gentlemen do all the extra work to ensure high quality products from start to finish). This new guide also has more colored photographs and layouts than I've seen to date and it is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out in the inner cover with many of the single (45's) in their respective picture sleeves in bright colors - and ends on the back inner cover with all 24 American Beatles' albums (in order of release) all in color as well. Everything in between these covers is simply magic and very nicely laid out! I am a stickler for detail and for making things "make sense" and this book does exactly that. One of my favorite things is the color-coding throughout the book. The authors got it right and made this very easy to use for all hobbyist - and the outer edges of the pages are actually color-coded so that the user can go right to the appropriate section he/she is seeking (without having to thumb around and find things aimlessly). The guide is broken down into sections, starting with Beatles singles and EP's, then Beatles albums, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best and George Martin, Apple, Dark Horse Records, Compilations, and ends with Vendors (and those who paid to be sponsored in this publication).
   
   I would also like to add that just before the color-coding starts in this publication, the authors have compiled some of the most important pages that will benefit collectors ten-fold (these pages are priceless, trust me). They have added sections on introduction, Market Analysis, Beatles records worth $1,000 or more, Grading records (very important especially for newcomers in the hobby), Acetates and Test Pressings, Promotional Records and Markings, Sealed Albums (which I have been involved in with Perry over many years), Capitol Inner Sleeves (nice explanations on what sleeves go with which albums, etc.), Records from other countries, Capitol-Apple Labelography (these are truly valuable pages here because it is so detailed and collectors need to become aware of all the differences on these labels), Capitol-Apple Tapeography, Pressings of "A Hard Day's Night" on UA (this is not testable, because 99% of us would fail the exam), Beatles U.S. Discography (you'll love this section and is perfect for "quick reference" or when creating your own personal spreadsheets, discography, or collections), and the last item in these white pages before the color-coding starts (and perhaps among the most important of all) is the "How to read the guide listings" section. This section specifically educates the reader on the Spizer Identification Number (which Beatles author/historian Bruce Spizer developed this numbering system for identifying items pictured and described in his books on The Beatles American records). This numbering system is quickly becoming popular among collectors and I would not be surprised if Mr. Spizer's system will one day be the universal standard for identifying all Beatles' American records (I have almost finished numbering my own personal collection with his numbering system and it just makes good sense)! Again, those white pages (pages 1-43) are some of the most valuable and educational sources that you will ever find on collecting Beatles American records (the price guide is worth its price for this information alone, not to mention pages 45-316 "the meat and potatoes" of the entire price guide).
   
   Lastly, I highly recommend this price guide to everyone interested in gaining knowledge on Beatles American records, their history, how to identify exactly what you have, and it is simply the top-notch book available anywhere on this subject. A superior book cover-to-cover and I am so impressed with various elements throughout this guide. It takes the reader on a journey itself and you will experience the roots, growth and unbelievable spectrum that The Beatles records went through from the start to present day. After traveling through these pages several times I found myself in many different stages of my life, in retrospect, thinking about where I lived when a certain album was released or what girl I was sharing those moments with, etc. An incredible 5-star book which should be owned by all Beatles hobbyist (I own three myself and had to ensure I got the low serial #'d edition in the slipcase signed by all three gentlemen mentioned above). Purchase the guide, you'll be amazed at the weatlth of knowledge, perspiration, inspiration, dedication, and how cleverly laid out it really is! "I read the book today, oh boy..." and Perry, Frank & Bruce "made the grade". Cheers!



4. Now, let's face it; you won't be carrying this price guide with you to garage sales. No, this will be the reference book that stays at home. And what a book it is! Similar in size to Bruce Spizer's record books on the American Beatles' releases, this baby is published in a hard-cover format on nice glossy paper. The color photos are wonderful for fans to view the items, and the whole book is entertaining as well as informative in terms of accurate prices. Some of the color on some pages seemed to have a purplish haze to them, but hopefully that is remedied on new issues. Overall, a top-notch job by Perry. Now, Perry, what I would like to see from you is a price guide on international pressings. Maybe concentrating on the UK and Japanese pressings since many of these are collectible. Also, tell Bruce he's not done yet. He may have called his last book "Swan Song" as a way of saying goodbye, but I'm sure many fans, including myself, would like to see him tackle all of the British pressings.



5. for many many years,perry cox and bruce spizer have done thier best to uphold great quality items on beatles reference subjects.
   they have finally started to do it in a very good way by showing COLORFULL scans of every capitol or apple product you can think of is the united states.
   perry worked his butt off on this book.
   why am i giving it 4 stars instead of five?
   one reason.
   nothing is included from canada(he gives credit to another book on that subject)which would have really been helpfull on the capitol issues..but spizers books covers canadian lps and 45s.
   also bootlegs are missing..and many times there were infamouse ones that would make a good fan laugh ..like "how do you do it" on the swan label which was never released but would have been a hoot to see here.
   knowing this book was never intended to show boots it is forgivable but two or three pics wouldnt have hurt.
   other than that,there are guides to show you what lps were issuerd on what label variations and finally some good pricing.perry has been a seller of beatles records for many years and in this book he shows you just how incredible the beatles were to not only groove to,but to collect.a MUST for any beatles fan or collector!
   also other formats are finally addressed and treated with respect(reel to reels and 4 tracks especially!)

5 comments about Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting.

1. Everything you wanted to know about those with the urge to collect pre-CD recordings. Lots of fun to read. Don't be surprised if many of the characters in the book hit close to home. Nostalgia abounds. If you are reading this review -- you are already pegged as a collector. Just wear the label, smile, and read the book.



2. This book made me break into a grin-and-nod combo more than once in recognition (frequently scaring other subway passengers). No matter. Reading about others chasing the elusive high of the vinyl dragon was comforting - and totally entertaining.
   
   I also liked the fact that this book that this book bemoaned the rarity of female collectors (Crumb's quote, "it never gets them hot," is hilarious). I'm one of those rarities myself (26 and trolling flea markets for records since I was 9 or 10), so it was interesting -if not really particularly surprising - to find out there's not a lot of us out there. "There's not many women who want to sit around and debate the best Elvis Costello album" line made me laugh, too - `cause I do!
   
   I'd recommend this for anyone who's ever collected anything - you're likely to find kindred spirits within these covers.



3. If you read and/or watched High Fidelity and thought, "That's me!", then this book is for you. Keep a pad of paper with you as you read, because you'll learn about some interesting collectibles you never knew existed. The segments where rock stars talk about their personal history/obsession with record collecting are particularly fun. Milano has an easy-going style that makes it feel like you're having a private conversation about a topic close to both your hearts. The best place to buy this book would be a used record store, but do get it.



4. Reads like a magazine article padded out to book length. Completely disposable. For record collectors like me, it says nothing new. For the rest it won't mean much. Don't bother, unless you see it in a bargain bin for $2 (which you probably will.)



5. The velvet underground & nico _ joe harvard
   
   Vinyl junkie _ brett milano
   
   If you consider yourself addicted to vinyl & those around you see your passion as something strange. This book is a treat, in it you will read stories about people who would need 2 or 3 life times to just hear the records they have accumulated or others that would fork out $4.000 for an odd 7 inch, not to mention one unbelievable story about a Hendrix collector who has in his prized record collection one that could contain Hendrix's dna.
   Yes, vinyl record collector you are not alone.

5 comments about 1000 Record Covers (Taschen 25).

1. I bought this book as a gift to my dad, an avid record collector. The book was in good condition, and arrived sooner than I anticipated. My dad and I were both very pleased, thank you!



2. As the son of an Old School Disc Jockey my family received Albums in the mail every month from all the major labels. Between that and digging thru record bins at shops as a kid I think I've seen 60 to 75% of the art in this book. I really miss the size of those albums.
   
   It makes me think of my first trip to Europe. Seeing the scale the masters used when creating art that we only saw in text books. It can be overwhelming. Maybe thats why most CD art "under-whelms me to this day. 4 and 3/4 square does not an impression make.
   
   I would hope that they would create a volume two. As opposed to purchasing a competing book with some of the same artwork. Its no accident that I design covers for a living now. And yes, I design on a 12 inch spec and shrink down. The art demands it.



3. I wish it were more descriptive but the images of the covers make the purchase worthwile for the collector. It have does have some great images of hard to find covers from the 40's 50's and 60's.



4. As an absolute lover of music, I have come to miss that era of the vinyl album cover, when we rushed to the record store and purchased someone's long awaited first or follow up album. We then rushed home and played it on the old component set while reading the liner notes on the back of the album. This book reminded me of that time and many pages were a nice walk down memory lane for this music lover. I guess if I had a complaint, perhaps the authors could have divided the book up into genres as opposed to time period. It would have been nice to see various R&B, Country, Blues, Rock, Disco albums.
   
   I will say this, when I saw it in the store- I bought all five copies and then used them for eventual gifts to people. Everytime, I have given one away, it was a hit because everyone is some form of a music lover and everyone can appreciate the vinyl era. Buy this and then buy it again.... for someone else.



5. This is really a great book for those who miss the great art we used to get with vinyl albums. Unfortunately, I just purchased this book on vacation, at the Hard Rock Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas for $40! And my book wasn't hardcover! I should have come home and looked for it on Amazon. Now I know that Amazon is the place for great deals.

1 comments about Goldmine Records & Prices (Goldmine Records and Prices).

1. This is a great guide for a begining record collector; given that it lists not only Albums but 45's also. However, for the serious collector or dealer it is inadequate given that MANY artisits are not even included in this publication. If you have just begun to collect vinyl, this book is an outstanding guide to grading your discs, and an overview of how fun (not to mention profitable) record collecting can be. But, for the more serious collector I would suggest purchasing the seperate Goldmine price guides. One for albums & one for 45's. Both are also excellent and much more detailed, not to mention the wider range of artists. If you just want to dabble; this book is okay: but if you want to get serious invest the few extra dollars in the other guides available. Sincerely DAN

5 comments about American Premium Record Guide 1900-1965 (American Premium Record Guide).

1. Terribly organized, horribly incomplete and wrong about values. This is just an awful book. Checking on Ebay is a million times better. Thank heavens I sold mine.



2. I have been collecting 78 rpm records for about 38 years.
   I became aware of this book when I was given a copy (the 2nd edition) as a gift many years ago.Since then I have bought each new edition as they have come out.
   I have not come across another guide for the collector of 78 rpm records which compares with this one.
   It doesn't cover every 78 ever issued.It would have to be huge (and expensive).Left out mostly are the common 'pop' discs of the 40's and 50's.
   Great label pictorial sections.
   Another very nice feature is that all names used by one artist or group are listed at the beginning of that entry.
   My only complaint is a lack of an index.(Earlier editions had one.)This is helpful since many artists appear in more than one section.Also,sometimes you might not be sure which section an artist might be in.(Such as Blues vs Jazz)
   I highly recommend this book.
   Thank you!



3. les docks has been the sole responsible book writer for pre war blues and jazz for a long long time.
   his books are facinating.
   his prices have always been absurdly LOW which he addresses in all honesty in the prelude pages.
   his scans are fantastic! truly one of the best books you can own to start looking for rare records.
   what it lacks and there probably good reason,is information about unknown records.but you can still see them pictured and hes finally admitting robert johnsons records are worth more than 50 dollars each! keep rockin les and id love to see the shellack shack someday!



4. This book has a lot of holes and should be considered a supplemental guide to the more thorough price guides out there like Rockin' Records. What I really enjoy about this book is how it indirectly communicates to the masses how small the percentage of 78's out there have any value in the marketplace.
   
   Typical flea-market hunters will come across large assortments of 78's over years of hunting but will find very little of any value. They will open up this guide and look up their records and not find them or find that they have little to no value. It's refreshing to have a guide that will humble the amateur collector and not give them false hopes about the values of their records. Selling 78's in most markets is next to impossible. Most dealers are relegated to selling them online, which is not a profitable venture unless the records are established collectables. This book helps delineate such records.
   
   It's hardly worth looking through the 45/EP/LP section with the other guides out there. The separation by genre is kind of unnecessary in my opinion. Also, it's true this book has little to say about international records. Russian and Chinese records are collectible but they are beyond the scope of this book. I can't really evaluate the high-end prices in this guide because I'm undereducated on the subject. Use auction results to help.
   
   I would only recommend buying this guide to those who have access to either a real large quality 78 collection (hot jazz, pre-war blues, rockabilly perhaps) or a desire to understand the patterns of 78 values. You will NOT turn your grandma's collection or your garage sale find into cash using this guide (99 times out of 100). Consider this a supplemental guide for 78's only.



5. If you have discovered a pile of old 78 rpm records of your grandparents and would like to know their value this book is probably NOT the right book for you. As the author indicates, most of the 78 rpm records are without any value for serious collectors. In this book you'll find names of artists that you have never known... Yes believe me: Your Bing Crosby "White Christmas" is not a rare item. It's quite common. Enjoy such a record as a vintage item but not as a collectible record. This is what the author says at the beginning. So once again: Don't buy this book in order to learn the value of your Dinah Shore, John McCormack, Frank Sinatra records..
   
   I cannot judge the values in the blues / rockabilly / country part of the book because I don't listen to such music. The values in the jazz part are in my opinion too low. Example: A rare Gennett in E condition (the book indicates the value of records in E) is very very hard to find and therefore the value is much higher than in the book. I have always paid more for a rare record than the value indicated in the book.
   
   However, the guide gives you an idea of the value of a rare record and this makes the book a must for any serious collector.

3 comments about Understanding and Crafting the Mix, Second Edition: The Art of Recording.

1. This is the kind of thing that makes so many college graduates drift to other pursuits far away from what tormented them in the primes of their youth. The professor is a wretched and self-loathing individual who failed miserably and is intent on having everyone else fail as well, by sucking the air and life out of a topic, but in a way that the wretch can defend in academic discourse.
   
   If you are a masochist or wish to be dissuaded from ever enjoying the process of making music, buy books like this one and attend college programs that rank you based on resistance to natural and crushing boredom. If you want to enjoy this as a career just buy the gear you need to get started, read the manuals and try everything you can think of, copy the masters, and hang out with cool people doing it as well.



2. there are many books out there that are full of information, but few that are actually "life-changing." if you are serious about music, i highly recommend this book. this book was very intimidating for me at first. most of the first chapter seemed to be over my head. but it made me dig deeper into the text, which i believe is what the author intended. he admits himself that this is not a book full of quick tips and tricks that most of us often look for. it is designed to teach concepts, principles, and practices that promote better understanding of the whole recording process. it even goes into to talking about human perception of sound and how the brain interprets it. knowing how to get into the very heads of the consumers is an obvious advantage for an engineer who wants to guarantee that his mixes are pleasing to the ear. also, each chapter comes with a list of exercises designed to develop critical listening skills. to sum it up, consider this to be a college-level course that will serve as a foundation for everything you will be doing in the recording world.



3. while it may be a little dry and hard to understand at first, it is well worth the time investment necessary to get this stuff. entirely life-changing material. 20 million stars.