How to Grade a Record — And How We Do It at Locked Groove
If you've ever browsed Discogs or picked through a used bin and seen abbreviations like NM, VG+, or G thrown around without really knowing what they mean, this one's for you. Record grading is one of those things that seems a little intimidating at first but is genuinely straightforward once someone explains it. And once you understand it, it changes how you buy, sell, and think about your collection entirely.
I also want to pull back the curtain a little on how I personally grade records for the store — because I think understanding my process helps explain why you'll see certain grades on our listings, and why we approach it the way we do.
Let's get into it.
The Goldmine Standard — The Language Everyone Uses
The grading system used by collectors, record shops, and online marketplaces like Discogs is called the Goldmine Standard. It was developed by Goldmine magazine back in the 1970s and '80s as a way to give buyers and sellers a shared vocabulary. Before it existed, every shop described records in their own terms — "clean," "plays well," "good condition" — which meant nothing, because everyone's definition of those words is different. The Goldmine scale fixed that by creating a consistent set of grades that mean the same thing regardless of who's using them.
One important thing to understand right off the bat: the grade applies separately to the vinyl itself and to the sleeve. A listing that reads VG+/VG means the record is Very Good Plus but the cover is only Very Good. Keep that in mind when you're buying — sometimes a gorgeous sleeve is hiding a rough record, and sometimes a beat-up cover is protecting a near-perfect pressing.
Here's the full scale, top to bottom:
Mint (M)
Perfect. Unplayed. Usually still sealed in its original factory shrink wrap. No marks, no scuffs, no surface noise whatsoever. Everything inside is equally flawless.
Here's my honest take on Mint: I don't use it. Ever. Not because I've never seen a beautiful record, but because I think about grading the same way people think about grading sports cards — it is genuinely very hard to achieve a true Mint. The handling and production process alone introduces variables. Records are touched during manufacturing, slid in and out of sleeves, shipped, handled at the warehouse, and handled again at the shop. Even a brand new, sealed copy can come out of the factory with a pressing defect or a hairline mark from the sleeve. Calling something Mint sets an expectation I'm not comfortable guaranteeing. So I don't.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
This is the highest grade I'll assign. A Near Mint record looks essentially unplayed — pristine surface, no visible marks under proper light, a sleeve that's crisp and sharp with no wear to speak of. When I grade something NM, I'm telling you it's as close to perfect as a used record realistically gets.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
This is the sweet spot for most collectors, and honestly it's where the bulk of quality used records live. A VG+ record has been played but genuinely cared for. Under direct light you might see some very light surface marks, but they shouldn't translate to anything meaningful during playback — maybe the occasional faint tick in a very quiet passage, but nothing that gets in the way of the music. The sleeve might show some light wear on the corners or edges but is otherwise solid.
VG+ is where value lives. It's noticeably more affordable than NM but still sounds great. If you're building a collection and you're not chasing absolute perfection, VG+ is your friend.
Personally, I won't buy a record below this grade unless it's for collecting purposes not playing purposes.
Very Good (VG)
Here's where you need to start paying closer attention. A VG record has been played — probably quite a bit — and it shows. You'll see visible surface marks, and you'll hear them: consistent surface noise, light crackle, the occasional pop. It's still listenable and might be perfectly fine depending on the album and your tolerance for background noise, but it's not a pristine listening experience.
VG records are worth buying when the album is rare or when the price reflects what you're getting. Go in with eyes open.
Good Plus (G+) and Good (G)
We're in rough territory now. These records have seen some life — heavy surface noise throughout, visible scratches, possible scuffs. They'll play, but you're going to hear a lot of noise along with the music. Covers at this grade are usually worn, creased, possibly split at the seams or written on.
The honest reason to buy a G or G+ record is rarity, or if you're buying it as a display piece. Don't expect a great listening experience.
Fair (F) and Poor (P)
The bottom of the barrel. These records are typically warped, deeply scratched, or so worn that playback is inconsistent at best. Covers are usually trashed — torn, taped, water damaged, or missing entirely. People generally hold onto copies at this grade for sentimental reasons, for the label art, or because it's an extremely rare pressing and even a rough copy has some collector value.
How I Actually Grade Records for the Store
Now that you understand the scale, here's exactly what my process looks like — because I think transparency matters, and I also want you to understand why, even with a careful process, grading isn't a perfect science.
Every record that gets posted gets a visual inspection first — the sleeve, the labels, the vinyl itself. I'm looking at the overall condition, checking for obvious damage, warps, writing, seam splits, and anything that jumps out immediately.
Then the record gets cleaned on a Spin-Clean record washer before I grade it. This matters more than people might realize. Dust, fingerprints, and surface grime can make a record look and sound worse than it actually is, and I want to be grading the vinyl — not the dirt on top of it. A proper clean before grading gives you a much more accurate picture of what you're actually dealing with.
After cleaning, I grade under a lamp at my desk. Holding a record under direct, angled light is the only reliable way to see what's actually on the surface — marks that are completely invisible in normal lighting conditions will show up clearly this way. I grade conservatively. If I'm on the fence between two grades, I'll go with the lower one. The goal is to make sure that what you receive meets or exceeds what I described — not the other way around. I'd rather you be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.
That said — I'm going to be honest with you about the limitations of this process, because I think you deserve that honesty.
I make mistakes sometimes. A hairline scratch that didn't catch the light the way I was holding the record. A spot that didn't clean up as well as I thought. These things happen, and when they do I want to know about it. But the bigger and more unavoidable challenge is this: I cannot listen to every record I grade. When you're processing hundreds of used records, playing each one through completely simply isn't possible. And the hard truth about vinyl is that a record can look absolutely clean and perfect under the lamp and still have audible surface noise — because what you're hearing isn't always a mark you can see. Groove wear happens gradually and invisibly. A very slight warp that doesn't look like much can introduce a subtle wobble in the sound. These things don't always reveal themselves visually, and they're the part of grading that no amount of careful inspection can fully account for.
It's why I grade conservatively. It's why I'd rather call something VG+ than NM and have you pleasantly surprised. And it's why, if something you receive plays noticeably worse than its grade suggested, I want to hear from you.
Of note, if you're considering a record from the store and want me to give it a listen before making your decision, I'm happy to do so.
A Few Tips for Grading Your Own Records
Use proper light. Hold the record at an angle under a bright, direct light source. Grade what you see, not what you hope is there.
Clean before you grade. Grading a dirty record is grading the grime, not the vinyl. A basic clean first gives you a much more accurate read.
Grade the vinyl and the sleeve separately. Don't let a beautiful cover inflate your assessment of the record inside, and don't let a rough sleeve push you to undergrade an otherwise great pressing.
Be honest. Grade conservatively. An oversold record leads to a disappointed buyer. Under-promise and over-deliver every time possible.
Remember that grading is subjective — within reason. The Goldmine standard gives everyone a shared framework, but there's always a degree of interpretation involved. That subjectivity is exactly why I lean conservative and why, if you ever have a concern about something you've received from us, I'm always happy to talk it through.
Condition is the single biggest factor in a used record's value outside of the pressing itself. Understanding how to grade means you don't overpay, you don't get taken advantage of at record fairs or on Discogs, and you can represent your own records fairly when it comes time to sell or trade.
It's the shared language of this hobby. And at Locked Groove, we take it seriously.