Records are graded visually -- there's simply not enough time to playtest everything -- but I've been doing this for almost three decades and would like to think I'm pretty good at it. If I have playtested a record and it plays better than the visual grade, that will be noted in the listing.

Mint: a mythical beast like the yeti.

Near Mint: a basically flawless record with no marks or scuffs of any kind to the vinyl. You can expect this to play so cleanly you could easily fool someone into believing they're not listening to vinyl except for the moment the needle hits the record or just before it ends.

VG++: Maybe a couple or three marks or scuffs to the vinyl which do not affect playback. Probably a little noise at the very beginning and/or end of sides and/or possibly between tracks but you won't hear it when music is playing.

VG+: Some, but not many, marks or scuffs on the vinyl which mostly do not affect playback. You might hear a little noise during track fadeouts or during very quiet sections of music but never during normal to loud parts and even then, only a few times, not throughout the entirety of a side or LP. Will satisfy most collectors and all casual listeners.

Very Good: A record which sounds the way most people imagine them to in their head. Light pops and or crackles which are noticeable if you're paying attention, especially during quiet passages and during fadeouts, but which never overwhelm the music. There will be marks, scuffs, and possibly even scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail but no recurring clicks. This will satisfy 75% of collectors and almost 99% of casual listeners. In other words "Very Good" means exactly what it says.

VG-: The marks/scuffs/scratches to the vinyl are much more noticeably affecting playback but it's still an overall pleasurable listening experience. Possibly a recurring click on one or two tracks but not for long.

G+: The vinyl is covered in marks and scratches and surface noise is almost always audible and definitely overwhelms the music in places. Still listenable but, at least sometimes, disappointingly so.

Good: A very noisy record covered in marks and scratches. Really the best thing I can say about such an LP is it plays through without skipping.

Poor: A record which skips, has a missing chunk, or is otherwise unplayable from beginning to end. I don't even bother to sell records in such condition.

Jacket grades are just to give a general idea of overall condition. The lower the grade, the more likely the jacket has -- or has more -- ringwear, edgewear, corner dents, bends, etc. I try to note any tears, writing, or stickers in the comments after the grades but do occasionally miss something. If you would like more details, just ask -- it's no trouble to snap a few pictures for you.