How do you organize your collections?

[dzavracky]

Hey guys,

I spent some time re-organizing some of my records tonight and wanted to ask. How do you guys keep all your records organized?

Mine are organized by either label or artist. For example, one cubby is full of big band 78's group by artists. So if I want to listen to Glenn Miller I know where to look. Or if I want to listen to some Banner or Oriole records I know where to look. BUT the problem is.. finding a certain record can sometimes be frustrating.

If you do have your collections organized in such a way that finding a particular record is easy, I would love to know how you did it.

Also maybe this could be a good thread to post pictures of your record collections? Here is a picture of mine.

Cheers

David

[AmberolaAndy]

Hey guys,

I spent some time re-organizing some of my records tonight and wanted to ask. How do you guys keep all your records organized?

Mine are organized by either label or artist. For example, one cubby is full of big band 78's group by artists. So if I want to listen to Glenn Miller I know where to look. Or if I want to listen to some Banner or Oriole records I know where to look. BUT the problem is.. finding a certain record can sometimes be frustrating.

If you do have your collections organized in such a way that finding a particular record is easy, I would love to know how you did it.

Also maybe this could be a good thread to post pictures of your record collections? Here is a picture of mine.

Cheers

David

I have them separated by “eras” I have a box for my earliest stuff, boxes for 1910-1925 era acoustics, boxes for 1925-1935 early electrics and boxes for 1935+ 78s only meant for electric pickups, and a special box for my more valuable stuff.

[epigramophone]

My records are first organised by genre i.e. opera & classical vocal, jazz & dance band, comedy & novelty etc. The records in each section are then filed in artist order.
The only exception is my collection of unusual labels. These records are filed in name order i.e. Aco to Zonophone etc.

All the records are listed on paper in A-Z ring binders as I have a deep mistrust of digital storage systems.

At my age I am mindful of what the next generation will do with my collection when they inherit it, so on my lists I have highlighted records of particular rarity or interest. That should enable my son and daughter-in-law, who are both classically trained professional musicians, to at least keep a core collection of records and a few favourite machines.

[emgcr]

I too try to organise similarly in alphabetical artist order---namely opera & classical vocal, classical instrumental, jazz & dance band, comedy & novelty etc. I am currently involved in the lengthy process (years !) of creating instant access spread sheets on the computer which are of huge and essential assistance when trying to remember if there is a certain record in the collection and exactly where it is to be found. The time taken in setting up such a system is amply repaid at later dates---hopefully for the rest of one's life ! I do, however, share epigramophone's reservations as to the longevity/reliabilty of computer systems ! Fingers crossed. Computer lists are also very helpful and easily emailable (is that a word ?) when friends wish to know what is contained in the collection. Duplicates are entered in red, again so as to be able to help others quickly. A further column denotes the fact that the disc has been uploaded to YouTube.

The genres have their own physical location in cabinets or custom-built racks around the house so I know where to start looking. Where possible, numbered storage pockets have a width of about 5 ½ inches which enable easy access in as much as there is never too much weight against any particular disk. Painted MDF in varying thicknesses has proved extremely useful and easy to manufacture in this respect. The use of numbered pockets affords a certain amount of flexibility as the collection grows. The idea for this came from the original EMG handbooks.

[Inigo]

The filing system depends on what you want. I've tried many different systems, none fully satisfying, because my interests are many, and I change my mind from time to time. But among all them, I've found it to be the most durable and the best for the records preservation, a library system. I don't remember well, but maybe I learned this system from Boris Semeonoff book about record collecting... I'll just check it now... Yes, chapter VI, bullet iv), but he talks about all the other systems too. But someone in 78L advised this method to be the best, to avoid shuffling the records each time you buy new ones that must go in between others.
I carry a database, and each new record side is duly registered, and the record is given a sequential number, which is also pencilled in the sleeve corner. Important: one of the database fields to fill in is the signature, a code meaning where the record is stored.
The record is filed in the last place. I have a semi-automatic system to print out a catalogue from the database, arranged as the companies catalogues, alphabetically by titles intermixed with artists names. The entry in the catalogue shows the main data, but also the number and location code. Thus, to locate a record is a matter of ten seconds. I print the full catalogue once each two years, adding in the mid times between catalogues, a short leaflet with the new records not in the main catalogue.
Another advantage of this system I found is that you can take randomly a bunch of records in sequence for an afternoon of listening, and in the bunch you can have records of every kind so it is funnier ! Lately I decided to separate certain kinds of records (classical, or special ones by an artist or type of music). On these parts I tried again the composers order, or Opera titles, but it takes more time to locate a specific record! In the end I'm thinking to maintain the signature numbers order in these separated sub-collections too.

[edisonplayer]

I organize my 78s in alphabetical and numerical order.edisonplayer

[dzavracky]

So how do you deal with re-making the list when you add another record?

See I would like to print off a list, but I am not going to be re-printing the whole dang list every time I get a record. Or maybe have separate lists or something?

David

[gramophone-georg]

Was bedeutet "Organize your collections", bitte?

[Curt A]

Was bedeutet "Organize your collections", bitte?

It means what it says, George... or are you inferring that, like me, there is NO organization...

[gramophone-georg]

Was bedeutet "Organize your collections", bitte?

It means what it says, George... or are you inferring that, like me, there is NO organization...

Let's just put it this way: If I shopped in my own collection more often I could have saved truckloads of money.