Vinyl record lovers have myriad reasons for their groovy collections

Whether they are classic stacks of wax or fresh albums currently topping the charts, vinyl records have played an important role in the rich history of the recording industry. Collectors scour garage sales, church bazaars, auctions and dusty shelves seeking that holy grail of records, but the search never really ends.

When it comes to vinyl records, collectors prize many different aspects of the albums. Many collectors are known as audiophiles for their dedication to the warm sound that analog vinyl recordings offer. High-end record players with custom tone arms and expensive needles tend to be the crown of a collection, because most collectors enjoy listening to the albums, too.

Paul MacDougall, owner of P-Mac Music in Cape Girardeau, said he has seen an increase in the number of people interested in vinyl in recent years.

"From my store standpoint, I'm selling more vinyl in a month now than I did in a year when I opened back in [1996 and 1997]," he said. "Back in the '90s and early 2000s, vinyl was just a non-issue. I had a few display pieces, but nothing to speak of. We [sell] used vinyl now, and we do a lot of it."

MacDougall said the market for vinyl has made it valuable again, "where 10 years ago there was virtually nothing."

He said he thinks he mostly sells to collectors and "the music nut," but his store also offers classics like Dean Martin, Ray Conniff and Frank Sinatra that appeal to noncollectors.

"I think that some people buy that stuff because it's what they grew up with," he said. "It's what their parents played. It's nostalgic, and they just wanted to have it."

People have different reasons for collecting vinyl, but one main theme seems to be building a library of records.

"It's that personal connection, like a scent that reminds you of something from your childhood," said Mustapha Stokely of Cape Girardeau. "These records defined eras of my life. There is a romantic appeal. I can play a record and study the sleeve, and memories of relevant events come back to me."

Stokely has been collecting records his whole life, slowly building a collection of 45 rpm records or full albums of classical and jazz. A 45 record typically only had one or two songs.

"As I picked up what I was listening to, my collection continued to grow," he said.

Record makers tried to attract buyers with colored vinyl or different liner notes, but those tended to be more expensive.

"I'd just buy stuff that I liked to listen to," Stokely said. "While I have a few items that are collectibles, most of the items in my collection are things I stumbled on."

Certain care must be taken when storing and playing a vinyl collection.

"Dust is a record's No. 1 enemy," Stokely said.

Vinyl record cleaning and maintenance kits are easy to find on the Internet and typically include soft brushes or rollers to remove the dust, as well as a spray-on cleaning solution.

Storing records properly requires adequate, supportive shelving, and in Southeast Missouri, humidity control is a must for the serious collector.

"I have humidity control, and I watch temperature fluctuations like my life depended on it," Stokely said.

MacDougall said employees check to make sure used albums were taken care of before they buy or sell at the store.

"A lot of people will bring in a crate that has been down in the wet spot in the basement for the last 40 years, and it's one big mold clump," he said.

Besides the emotional attachment collectors have to their records, there is the consideration for monetary investment. Some rare recordings, like Bob Dylan's "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" have been known to go for upward of $35,000. Records by iconic artists like the Beatles, Rolling Stones and even more modern artists like NOFX see rising prices, thanks to factors such as limited release albums.

"That's the fallacy with vinyl; it's like anything else," MacDougall said. "If you have the rare one, great, but if you have Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon,' so did everybody else."

Some collectors pick albums because of their history.

"The sound quality may be kind of questionable," Stokely said. "Sometimes the albums are really abused, but it shows you that the album has a history. When you think about all the memories that must be associated with it, it adds to the richness."

Along with the richness, history and album sound, MacDougall said he thinks the social aspect of records help them keep their appeal.

"You can hold it; you can display it. You can talk about it, read it, and you can collect it," he said. "It's physical. If you invite your friends over to look at your music collection and it's all on mp3, there's not really much to do."

Pertinent address:

P-Mac Music, 2500 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO