Record collection pedantry

[chiily]

I've avoided this thread so far. My method is similar to Tony's (obvs, logical), but here's the big Q: R to L, or L to R?

Mine's like Tony's too (David Bowie under B, Alice Cooper under C, Tangerine Dream under T, etc, split between classical, blues, jazz, at the rest sections), and runs R to L within each section, which is kinda illogical but it's always been like that, since, well, since I started putting LPs into boxes.

 

[Tumeni Notes]

L-R, matching reading, writing, library sorting on shelves, chess square numbering, etc.

 

[paulfromcamden]

 

[Yank]

A company called Turntable Revival makes back-spacers for Ikea Kallax shelves: https://i.imgur.com/6LFwZDL.jpg

I ordered a set, which arrived today, and they seem to be of decent quality and do the job:

Customer service is another thing. I ordered these in December, and my credit card was charged. I received them today (16 March). There were notices on their web site that outstanding orders would be filled on 20 January, then 20 February, then an un-dated note that they would clear customs and arrive at their warehouse "on Wednesday". I finally received a shipping notice email on 6 March, but the package didn't actually leave their loading dock until 14 March. I know there are still "supply chain issues", but a little accurate communication would go a long way to ease customer anxiety.

Anyone with a circular saw could make something just as effective from some scraps of lumber. The measurement is 13 3/16" x 2 25/32".

 

[Tumeni Notes]

Cover the whole back with sheet hardboard or thin ply, panel-pin it to all shelves and uprights, and it keeps the dust out of the back, as well as boosting structural integrity.

 

[RickyC6]

A mate of mine used pipe insulation that he got from B&Q. Works perfectly if you don’t want your records set back so much. I’m personally not bothered.

 

[matt j]

I keep meaning to do mine, it can be annoying when putting them away that it pushes the next few further back, I've also taken ages to find something because it has been pushed far enough back to obscure the spine from view at the front.

 

[hermit]

I file chronologically within an artist i.e. debut LP first and later releases to its right chronologically by release date. This has been my practice even when albums were recorded years before they were released. I'd file by release date. Now I'm thinking that filing by the recording date would be more valid as it would better reflect the musical development of the artist. What do you think pedants of PFM?

 

[notevenclose]

Where do Prince albums go, after he changed his name to symbol/squiggle (not that I have any...)

P. He changed it back so consider the symbol as a hyphen or dash when filing chronologically.

 

[Yank]

I file chronologically within an artist i.e. debut LP first and later releases to its right chronologically by release date. This has been my practice even when albums were recorded years before they were released. I'd file by release date. Now I'm thinking that filing by the recording date would be more valid as it would better reflect the musical development of the artist. What do you think pedants of PFM?

I've chosen to go by release date, which means that Beatles "Let It Be" comes after "Abbey Road", and Neil Young "Homegrown" is filed with his releases from the 2020s, not the mid-1970s.

 

[Tumeni Notes]

I keep meaning to do mine, it can be annoying when putting them away that it pushes the next few further back, I've also taken ages to find something because it has been pushed far enough back to obscure the spine from view at the front.

Having them all aligned to the rear, with a back piece as I described above, allows the front of the shelf to be used for knick-knacks .... in my case, guitar picks, tuners, metronome, stylus cleaner, etc.

 

[matt j]

Having them all aligned to the rear, with a back piece as I described above, allows the front of the shelf to be used for knick-knacks .... in my case, guitar picks, tuners, metronome, stylus cleaner, etc.

I already have enough crap without making new homes for more!

 

[Colonel_Mad]

The The?

The, The

 

[Weekender]

10cc confirmation from original source:

 

[Sean Regan]

Mine are filed by genre first.
Then by the way that records come to mind, to most people.
In order of Christian name of artist, or the name of band or group.

 

[Amber Audio]

The, The

Filed in their own record storage unit.

If I’m not sure where to file an LP I go by Discogs. The Mrs was helping me put all the LPs into the lounge new storage cubes when we moved house but Elvis Costello got filed under S, decided I’d manage on my own thereafter

 

[Tony L]

The Mrs was helping me put all the LPs into the lounge new storage cubes when we moved house but Elvis Costello got filed under S

Cool, filing by third letter of surname is a new one for me.

 

[cubastreet]

Dick: I guess it looks as if you’re reorganizing your records. What is this though? Chronological?
Rob: No…
Dick: Not alphabetical…
Rob: Nope…
Dick: What?
Rob: Autobiographical.
Dick: No ****ing way.

 

[foxwelljsly]

PS I arrange albums within artist by release date order, e.g. Ziggy is before Aladdin Sane and after Hunky Dory. I believe some people, who are wrong, arrange alphabetically within artist.

What about archival releases? I have loads of Neil Young vinyl that was recorded in the 70’s but was released in the last 10 years. I file that by the year of recording.

 

[Tony L]

What about archival releases? I have loads of Neil Young vinyl that was recorded in the 70’s but was released in the last 10 years. I file that by the year of recording.

I stick them in release date, e.g. all the posthumous-release Bowie live albums go after Blackstar in my collection. I understand your logic, but from a discography perspective I prefer my approach. Your method would also get crazy complex with say the Grateful Dead who release various live albums compiled from different periods. By saying that any substantial Grateful Dead collection is going to get real complex real fast!