whizzkid1.com - Look Good - Rock Hard - Love Monkeys!

We ship as often as possible - Definitely every Monday and most often every Thursday or Friday as well, should we have the orders to justify it and the time to accomodate. Our packaging is done with care and professionalism - LP is shipped out of sleeve, the whole thing is shipped in a plastic sleeve and professional record mailer, with appropriate filler pads and bubble wrap making sure the thing arrives to you in as close to its original condition as an infrequently errant postal service will allow.

We love international bidders and will go that extra mile for multiple item bidders for sure. Our shipping prices are as cheap as we can make them - any markup you see above the actual postal price is going towards keeping your records protected as completely as possible via our high class packaging.

I understand that a number of records that get sold on ebay are inaccurately graded and collectors are frustrated when an item is inaccurately graded or not even the pressing claimed by a probably well meaning but ignorant (and sometimes, sure, greedy) seller. Whizz Records don't play that.

So in the interest of accuracy I am outlining our grading policy for one and all.

When we list condition, we will list it like this: VG+/VG. The first grade refers to the vinyl, the second refers to the cover. After that, all visible defects and problems will be listed. This means that if I don't list it, the defect is not there. Please don't ask me if there are cover splits or pen marks or cut corners on records where you don't read the words cut corner, two inch split (or whatever), ringwear or pen marks. I understand you want your records to be in good shape -- I want it, too.

I will take the time to list all the defects I can see (along with complete track listings and catalog numbers) because I feel that it is only right to take the time to do this. When you write me to ask me if something is the way I say it isn't you take time away from me that I could be using listing a record you might like (or living my life). If I have referred you to this site because you asked me a question about condition, thank you for coming.

The following are my definitions of the standard grading terms used by record dealers and collectors.

M = Mint. I do not claim many records as mint on Ebay. In my opinion, I never saw a mint condition record a record collector couldn't nitpick down a notch or two with real or imagined defects. So I say to heck with it -- in the Whizz Records whizzkid1 world virtually NOTHING is in MINT condition. In terms of Osbourne Number Grading a mint record would be a 10/10 with no exceptions, no defects, no problems no nothing. Nothing in the world is perfect, and so I will not claim that any part of mine is.

NM - NEAR MINT - A near mint record will have no scratches visible on the vinyl, which will shine with that magical rainbow sheen that new vinyl has. If it appears to have never been played, I will probably use the term "cherry", which would of course mean the needle has not entered the groove. The label will not have any tears or writing on it, and it will for all intents and purposes look like it just was purchased new. For a jacket, it will mean no seam splits, no ringwear, no pen marks, no tears, and only the most minor bent corners (and these will be noted). Colors will be crisp and sharp,and this LP will be in condition way above that you see in the average "used" (as opposed to collectable ) record store. On the Osbourne scale, we are talking 9/9 and no less.

VG++ - Very Good Double Plus - Because of the fact that, as ebay has developed over the past 10 years we've been messing with it, we record collectors and dealers all know that there is such a thing as "grade inflation". This is partially due to the fact that it is very difficult to deal with a subjective thing like grading when you the buyer can't be where I the seller is to debate the relative verities of very light marks caused only by moving the record in and out of the sleeve vs. actual surface marks due to poor storage and/or improper play, and business like that. Also because people can't or won't grade w/i the rules. Anyway, VG++ is our description for a record that might as well be NM but has a sleeve mark or two (shallow, whispy lines that come from removing the record out of the sleeve) but also have full lustre and are obviously in the prime of their life. 8.5 - 8 Obsbourne and at this point probably where the vast bits of our inventory lie.

VG+ - Very Good Plus - VG+ is a common grading for an E Bay worthy LP -- highly playable with hopefully no scratches but maybe a slight loss of lustre in the vinyl. Any "sleeve marks" on a VG+ record will have to be VERY shallow and will be noted in the description. No writing on the label. VG+ covers are also very nice -- no splits (or splits that are no more than a half an inch, and these will be noted), only very light ringwear (which will be noted), only slight bend and maybe if it doesn't seem too bad a corner crease (again, these will be noted.) From time to time we will do High VG+ and Low VG+. Again, these are not attempts at being disingenuous, but are only trying to give you as much understanding about what the records look like to my eye for you to make your decision. We all know that there is high VG+ and low VG+, particularly on ebay. For Osbourne number grade VG+ is around an 8 - 7.5.

VG - Very Good - Don't list a lot of these on Ebay unless I think the item is particularly unique or desireable. Records may have some surface marks and slight (audible but unobtrusive) noise but NO deep gouges or areas likely to skip. Solid, playable, used copies of records that will not disappoint. Labels may have a name written in pen, but these will be noted. Covers may have some ringwear, maybe a maximum two inch split, maybe a name lightly written in ball point pen, maybe radio station call letters, none of which should be obtrusive to your enjoyment of the product. All visible defects will be noted in the description. If they are not mentioned they are not there. Highs and lows here are also presented for the sake of relativity. Number Grade for Osbourne is 7/7.

VG- : Very good minus : VERY Rarely listed on E Bay -- Vinyl: visible and audible surface marks, probably pops. Should not skip. Label may have a tear or two, name written in heavy ink. Jacket could have a halfway across split, a tear, or a deep black name written on it. All defects will be noted in the descriptions. Osbourne: 6/6.

G+ (Good Plus) or lower will not be listed on Ebay.

This is the same system used by eBay sellers belonging to the Vintage Themed Auctions (VTA) set-up. I'm not affliated with those cats, but I agree with their opinion that a standardized grading system makes eBay a better place.

Mint/Perfect: You won't see us using this grade for clothing either for the same reasons given in our record grading system.

Near Mint: Like new, no noted flaws.

Excellent: Noted minor flaws, flaws do not compromise item.

Very Good: Noted minor flaws, easily repairable, wearable as purchased.

Good: Noted minor flaws, most likely repairable, wearable with care or after repair.

Fair: Numerous noted flaws, some significant, possibly repairable/wearable.

As Found: An honest piece damaged beyond repair with value as costume or for study.

I really hope that clarifies our grading system.

If you still have questions please contact me.

Thanks

whizzkid1 Whizz Records 90 N. Lexington Asheville, NC 28801

In 2003, we started working on a project we'd wanted to share with the world for years, The Red Heel Monkey Shelter. Since then we've been promoting sock monkey awareness on the internet like nobody's business. And while we're not "allowed" to share outside links w/you on an about me page, I would suggest that if you were to g00gle 'sock monkey dreams' you would probably find our website pretty near the top of the page.

In 2006 our first book about the citizens of the Red Heel Monkey Shelter, SOCK MONKEY DREAMS appeared. I will go out on a limb to say that it is the wildest, most unusual book about sock monkeys ever published, and someone will have to go some way to out wild and wacky it. We get asked a lot if the book is appropriate for eight year olds or what its age group is, and what I can tell you is that while the book is not UNsuitable for an eight year old (no bad language, no "adult" situations) and while I certainly think that the pictures themselves are all-ages sense-of-wonder type wholesome goodness, I will have to admit that a lot of the text is "over the head" of a typical eight year old. When we wrote the book what I wanted to do was make something that people could "grow into" - a book that you could pick up at seven or eight and get one thing, get a little more as an early teen, and even more as a grown up, hopefully at that point with loads of childhood baggage packed in there as well. But since publication I have come across them that likes it at five and them that don't get it at 15. I would say that it really makes grades 6-8 happy but if you have a precocious eight year old on your hands you may just have a winner.

All sock monkey product in our sock monkey store is produced right here at the Red Heel Monkey Shelter - we wrote the book, we design the shirts, we crank the buttons, we send the cards off to the printer and they print 'em and deliver 'em to our house. This is a grass roots independent art project run by two dreamers and a number of very helpful individuals who are helping us present this strange vision of Americana to the world at large.

Questions about wholesaling the monkey product are cheerily and eagerly responded to.