My name is Richard Bancroft but you can call me Ritch. I love going to Antique Stores, Flea Markets, Garage Sales and Local Record Stores in search of vinyl records. Anyone can go online and order vinyl records and have them delivered to their home. (I admit I have done this on occasion for specific reasons.) But, nothing beats the fun of rifling through stacks and crates of used vinyl looking for vintage LP’s of your favorite artists or that elusive 45 rpm single to add to your collection. I love the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of bringing home my new-found treasures. And along the way you get to visit many new places and meet many interesting people.
No two vinyl collectors are quite the same. Some collect specific genres or artists. Some specialize in formats like 78’s, LP’s or 45 rpm singles. Some are into volume to see how big their collection can be. Others look for quality of the media or rarity of the release. Whatever the motivation for collecting, there are some things all vinyl collectors can agree on and that is that vinyl has qualities that we all love: the richness of the sound when played; the feel of the disc in your hands; the artwork and artist/recording information found on the sleeves, all make for a magical experience.
I collect all types of vinyl but mostly LP’s and 45 rpm singles. My main project is the quest to collect the Top 100 45 rpm singles from each year as ranked by the Billboard Hot 100 chart from 1955 (July 9, 1955 is the date that “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets went to No. 1, and is considered the beginning of the Rock Era) through about 1993 (which is about the time that production of vinyl began to be phased out in favor of the Compact Disc and MP3 digital formats).
So come with me on a journey through dusty barns, quaint antique shops, huge flea markets and cool local record stores in the search for vintage vinyl.
