Our grading is strict and guaranteed. We hardly experience returns or complains and built part of our reputation on this accuracy. We are aware a lot of tropical music records specialists have very low standards, but this is not our case, so please buy with confidence, and read the following. 

Grading is made both visually and by sound checking records. Records are inspected under very bright light and played at high volume on a Technics SL1200 MK2 turntable & a NAD amplifier. Item descriptions inform as much as possible on the physical aspect of the record and sleeve. And no exception, such as lowering the standards, is ever made even when grading African records for example. 

Finally, some records look a way and sound another. Or play nicely in parts and worse in others, which leads us to specify a grading range, and chose an average accordingly. All this information is specified and detailed as precisely as possible.

NM: record is unplayed, like new, sleeve is spotless. 

EX: record seems almost unplayed, might have one or two very superficial and completely inaudible marks. Sleeve has very minor wear, always clearly specified.

VG++: still absolutely no surface noise, though the record might have some visible marks, sleeve will have light wear, mini pen writing.

VG: almost no surface noise, should have marks, but still good to be played without major noise even on a professional or a club sound system. Sleeve has wear, including light to reasonable ringwear, light creases, light dirt, small seam splits or minor tear but no bite nor peel off, minor corner wear. 

VG-: record has surface noise, but not overwhelming the music, might have marks or not (some records look great and play badly, again, we do audio grading), but the quality is not good enough to be played loud in a club/on a professional or audiophile system without noticeable noise. Sleeve has strong wear and dirt wear, strong ringwear and / or creases, eventually small peel off, large writings or bumped corners, water damage colouration or mold wear. 

G: surface noise is quite strong and almost overwhelms the music. Besides the above mentioned for VG-, sleeve has bites or large peel off, split on all seam or spine.

B: surface noise overwhelms the music, record might have multiple skips, sleeve has very large bites, peel off on all front or back, split on all seams & spine and comes in two separate parts.