English Vocabulary for Vinyl Record Collectors [Updated]

From older fans to younger listeners who grew up with digital music, music lovers have made vinyl records more popular now than they've been in many years.

If you're interested in starting your own collection, there is some special vocabulary you should know. From the records themselves to words you'll hear in stores or see online, this article will explain some basic English for vinyl collectors.

English Vocabulary for Vinyl Records

Vinyl

Let's start at the very beginning. "Vinyl" is short for "polyvinyl chloride," the material used to make records. It's an uncountable term, so it should never have an "s." Use it to talk about many records or an unknown amount. 

Sasha is a DJ, so she has a lot of vinyl.

Do you sell vinyl here or just CDs?

I've been collecting vinyl for almost 10 years.

Record(s)

"Record" is countable, so you can use it to refer to one or many pieces.

Sasha's a DJ, so she has a lot of records.

I've been collecting records for almost 10 years.

What's your favorite record?

You can also say "vinyl record."

This store specializes in books and vinyl records.

Wax

This slang term for vinyl records likely comes from the fact that phonograph cylinders, the earliest recording medium, were made of wax.

Like "vinyl," "wax" is uncountable. 

We're going hunting for wax today. Do you know any good stores around here?

I'm planning on buying a lot of wax during my trip.

Note: This term is only common among record enthusiasts, not the general public!

Equipment and Types of Records

Turntable

Sometimes called "record players," turntables are the machines that are used to play records. 

Most turntables include a special switch for adjusting the RPM, or "revolutions per minute." This determines how many times the turntable spins a record in one minute. 

LP

LP is short for "long-player." LPs are complete albums that usually have between 8 and 12 songs.

12-inch 

12-inch records got their name because they're 12 inches in diameter. 

Although they're the same size as LPs, 12-inches usually only contain two or three songs. These shorter records, sometimes called "singles," were used to promote albums in the time before the digital era.

45 / 7-inch

7-inch records are seven inches in diameter and usually only have one song per side.

7-inches are also called "45s" (forty-fives) because they're usually played on a turntable's 45 RPM setting.

Picture disc

As you can guess from the name, picture discs are records with pictures on them! These are usually more popular for displaying than for listening to.

Variant

A popular trend in recent years is for records to have several different versions, called "variants," available for sale. Although the music is the same, the color of a variant's disc or the design of its packaging may be different.

Record Condition 

Part of the fun of collecting records is searching for good — or at least interesting — music from the past. That means looking through lots of used records. 

You'll want to check the condition of used records carefully before buying them. In physical stores and online, it's common to see record conditions described with a system of letters called "grades." Let's take a look at what they mean.

Grade	Meaning
P	Poor
F	Fair
G	Good
VG	Very Good
NM	Near Mint
M	Mint

When talking about any kind of collectible item, "mint" means "perfect condition." Lower grades, such as P, F and G mean the record has problems like scratches, scuffs (light marks) or some other kind of damage. 

Remember that sometimes a record and its outside cover, called a "sleeve," will have separate grades. 

Related article: The Many Meanings and Uses of X

Other Useful Vocabulary

Here are some other common terms you should know when shopping for records. 

Sealed

A sealed record is in its original plastic wrapping (sometimes called "shrink wrap")  and has never been opened.

I found a bunch of sealed records from the 1960s in my grandparents' closet.

Ding

"Dings" refer to damage on the corners of record sleeves due to being dropped or bumped against other objects.

This record is near mint except for some dings on the sleeve.

Warp

Warped records are bent slightly because of exposure to too much pressure, water or heat. As a result, they may not play properly when placed on a turntable.

The basement was flooded, so a lot of these records are warped from water damage.

Static

Static is a hissing noise you can sometimes hear on records as well as on weak radio or television signals. It's most common on records that aren't in good condition.

Instead of the cleaner sound of CDs and digital audio files, some people actually prefer the sound of static that is associated with vinyl. However, most people agree that too much static is not good.

I love a little static on my records. It gives them a warm sound that I don't get from streaming.

Common Expressions for Record Shopping

Original pressing / Reissue

Each set of a record that is manufactured is called a "pressing." Popular records may have many pressings over the years, sometimes from different countries. 

This record's original pressing is from the US, but there are also Canadian, UK and Japanese pressings.

When a record is manufactured and sold again, we say it has been "reissued." 

Collectors were happy to hear that the rare record would be reissued next month.

A reissued record is called a "reissue."

Reissues of classic records are often cheaper than original pressings.

Dig

New records are easy to find in clean, organized stores. However, many old, used records are found in places most people don't visit often, like garages, attics and flea markets.

Because searching these spaces is often difficult or inconvenient, record collectors call it "digging," the same word we use to describe searching for something deep underground. 

We spent all day digging. My money's gone, but I've got some great new music!

People who hunt for records are called "diggers" or "crate diggers," referring to the milk crates that records are often kept in.

This market is a popular place for crate diggers.

Haul

"Haul" is a verb that means "to pull something heavy along the ground." But in its noun form, it refers to items you were able to find during a shopping trip. 

This term isn't limited to only record fans; it's common among people who collect all types of things.

Holy grail

The Holy Grail is a cup that Christians believe was used by Jesus Christ. In casual conversations, however, a holy grail (or sometimes just "grail") is a very rare and valuable item. 

There are only a few copies of this record, so it's a holy grail for many collectors.

White whale

Similar to a holy grail, a "white whale" is an item that's very difficult to find. This term comes from the famous 1851 novel Moby-Dick by American author Herman Melville. In the story, a sea captain is determined to find and kill a large, white whale that he had seen once before.

Unlike a holy grail, which is something many people want, a white whale usually has more personal importance; one person's white whale may be very different than someone else's.

I found my white whale for an incredible price at a garage sale last week. I couldn't believe it!

Related article: How to Talk About Prices in English

Wrap-up

Modern technology has made enjoying music more convenient than ever, but there is a special charm to vinyl records that more people around the world are discovering. 

For English learners and new collectors, make sure you know the basic terms we've introduced here before you start digging yourself — it will make your experience much better!

For more useful English related to music, check out the following articles:

• "Get Into the Rhythm" with English Idioms Related to Music
• Words and Expressions Related to Singing
• Learn English Through Music: 'Espresso' by Sabrina Carpenter

• music
• slang
• Vocabulary