Vinyl records tried to be a relic of the past, but there are too many people out there who love them. Whether you collect them because you think the sound is “better” or you went through a hipster phase or you can’t bear to part with items handed down from generations before you, well, there’s good news – they might actually be worth something in a currency other than nostalgia.
There’s also bad news, because the same thing making your records worth more is also the thing that could make acquiring more a problem – there’s the potential for a worldwide shortage.
According to an article in Pitchfork, Apollo Masters – one of the only makers of lacquer in the world – had a fire that’s destroyed their ability to help create new records.
The industry, while healthy, is still pretty niche. That means that, aside from Apollo Masters, there’s only one other producer of said lacquer in the entire world. MCD, based in Japan, and Apollo Masters were already having a tough time meeting demand before the fire.
It stands to reason that there will be a worldwide slow-down in the pressing of new records. That means, in turn, that the secondhand market will probably get pretty hot, even for newer albums.
If you’re looking to sell some stuff on your shelves, this is great news.
If you’ve been eyeing something special to add to your collection, the news is more costly.
We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out among collectors, aficionados, and casual listeners all over the world, but here’s hoping that Apollo Masters is able to rebuild and get back in the same soon.