Vinyl Grading Guide

Vinyl Nirvana uses the Record Collector grading guide as the basis for describing pre-loved vinyl. Read the record and sleeve grades separately, alongside the individual listing notes.

Record and sleeve: two separate grades

The record grade describes the vinyl’s condition; the sleeve grade describes the cover’s condition. A tidy sleeve does not mean an equally tidy record. For example, a record graded VG+ with a VG sleeve has a better-preserved disc than cover.

What the grades mean in practice

Very Good (VG): A record that has clearly been played, with noticeable surface marks and some audible surface noise or light scratches. It is a used listening copy, not a near-pristine one. A VG sleeve can show normal wear, creasing and other signs of handling; check the listing for specific damage.

Very Good Plus (VG+): A plus modifier indicating a copy better than VG, rather than a separate core grade in Record Collector’s scale. Expect less wear than VG, but do not assume it is Near Mint. The listing notes matter, especially for audible marks and sleeve wear.

Near Mint (NM): Describes a copy very close to new, with minimal evidence of handling or use. It does not mean sealed or necessarily unplayed. NM is not one of Record Collector’s core seven grade names, so read any accompanying description rather than treating it as interchangeable with another seller’s grade.

Record Collector’s core grades are Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor and Bad. Plus/minus modifiers and Near Mint wording add detail where used; grading labels from different systems are not automatically equivalent.

Photos and playback notes

Use any item-specific photographs to assess visible sleeve wear, labels and marks. Photos cannot establish how a record sounds. Where playback notes are supplied, read them for details such as crackle, clicks or particular passages affected. A visual grade alone should not be read as confirmation that the record has been play-tested. If the listing leaves you unsure about condition, email sales@vinylnirvana.co.uk before ordering to ask about photographs or playback details.

If the condition is not as described

If you believe the record or sleeve differs from its description, contact sales@vinylnirvana.co.uk with your order number and details of the issue. See our existing refund policy for return conditions and instructions. This guide explains grading; it does not replace or change that policy.