Rockin' Records 1991 Rockin' Records 1991

Paperback, 21.4 x 14.9 x 1.9 cm  , 544 pages, english

INTRODUCTION
By Jerry Osborne
To truly appreciate the vast difference between this 1991 edition and previous ones in the Rockin' Records series, it would be necessary to compare, side-by-side, the listings in the first half (A through K) of both books. If you can't do that, then take my word for it —there is a world of difference! Discovering how long the A through K line-by-line review and expansion process took, it surely would have been another six to eight months before we reached Zzebra.

Everyone seemed to agree that would be too long to wait for some reliable, new pricing information. So what we have here is sort of an interim edition Rockin' Records. For the most part, A through K has received as much attention as possible given the information currently available. Of course, there will still be many corrections and additions made between now and publication of the 1992 edition. We trust each user of this edition will act as a beta tester and advise us of changes to be made before printing the '92 book.
As for L through Z, many additions and corrections have already been made and will be found in this printing. However, the line-by-line review and expansion of individually listed titles has not yet been done. Even though the second half is still under construction, a few guidelines may make these pages a bit more representative of the current market: Nearly all records have at least moved up one price bracket since the 1989 Rockin' Records (generally the same values shown in the second half of this book). Titles still shown as $2 to $4 may now be $3 to $5; those at $3 to $5 may be $4 to $8, ones at $4 to $8 would be $5 to $10; etc. There are certainly exceptions, but these changes are not likely to cause one to overprice anything.

There are thousands of rhythm and blues and rockabilly discs that now command far higher prices than shown in L through Z here, but there is no formula we can offer to pinpoint current values — just keep in mind the likelihood that you are looking at 1988 and '89 prices and allow some type of adjustment for the increases. A close inspection of virtually any pages in A through K and comparison to the '89 guide will offer many examples of the tremendous expansion taking place in Rockin' Records. Just keep in mind, L through Z will be just as enhanced in the months ahead. Since this interim edition is being marketed strictly through music collecting channels — not in general bookstores — we have kept the page count to a minimum by not including photos and certain introductory pages.

These will be included in the 1992 edition. Again, this limited edition is exclusively for collectors, offering a far betten book than the 1989 guide, which, if still in print, folks would still be ordering and using. Now, this book provides the best available source for record pricing. Please remember to let us know of any additions and corrections so we can make the 1992 Rockin' Records a killer guide.

HOW THE RECORD PRICES ARE DETERMINED
Record values shown in Rockin' Records are averaged from information derived from a number of traditional sources. Most influential in arriving at current values is our established "marked copy" review program. Dozens of the world's most active dealers and collectors receive a copy of the most recent edition in which, throughout the year, they mark changing prices. In January, all marked copies are returned to us for processing. Besides the marked copies, we receive hundreds of letters per year from folks like yourself, suggesting corrections and/or additions to the guide. Another extremely important source of pricing information is DISCoveries magazine. Unless you are new to the field, you know that DISCoveries (The Record World Trade Center) is the monthly publication where those in the hobby buy, seil and trade music collectibles. We painstakingly review each issue of DISCoveries, carefully comparing prices being asked to those shown in the most recent edition of Rockin' Records.

If the ads in DISCoveries indicate prices in Rockin' Records need to be increased or decreased, the changes are made. What makes this step in the pricing process so vital is that the DISCoveries ads verifiably illustrate the out-of-print record marketplace. Record prices, as with most collectibles, can vary drastically from one area of the country to another. Having reviewers and annotators in every state, as well as around the world, enables us to present a realistic average of the highest and lowest current asking prices for an identically graded copy of each record. Another way we have put the combined knowledge of the DISCoveries family to work in Rockin' Records is through a somewhat regular feature appropriately named "Rockin' Records Questions." When we find ourselves stumped over a record price, or some piece of information, we throw the question out for the DISCoveries family to answer.

Usually they come through. Other sources of consequential information include: set sales and auction lists in other magazines as well as private mailings, record convention trading, personal visits with private collectors and retail locations around the country, and hundreds of hours an the telephone with key advisors. Although the record marketplace information in this edition was believed accurate at press time, it is ever subject to market changes. Any time, major bulk discoveries, quantity dumps, sudden increases wrought by an artist's death, overnight stardom that creates a greater demand for earlier material, and other such events and trends can easily affect scarcity and demand. Through DISCoveries and advisors it is a relatively simple and ongoing procedure keeping track of the day-to-day changes and discoveries taking place in the fascinating world of record collecting. Rockin' Records prices are averaged from data culled from all of the aforementioned sources.