Better Records FAQ

Hot Stampers are records with sound that goes far beyond the average pressing of that album. We find them by cleaning and comparing multiple copies of the same record. All of our Hot Stamper records carry a 100% Money Back Guarantee. You can read more about Hot Stampers here.

What are the different levels of Hot Stampers?

All Hot Stampers have earned Plus (A+) ratings or better on both sides. Super Hot Stampers will have at least one Double Plus (A++) side, and White Hot Stampers will have at least one Triple Plus (A+++) side

How are the records graded?

We find, clean and play a large number of pressings for any given title and make notes based on the sonic merits of each copy. After going through all of our copies and comparing them to the Reference copies we keep on hand, we assign each side of each copy a grade. Triple Plus (A+++) is the top grade except in very rare cases when we award a Four Plus (A++++) grade. We do not typically assign grades to sides that don't rate above a solid A -- it becomes clear to us quickly that these are not Hot Stamper sides and we do not waste time on them. If a record rates as a Hot Stamper on one side but does not rate above solid A on the other side, we will often combine it with another pressing to create a 2-pack that will serve to provide you with Hot Stamper sound for both sides.

What is a 2-pack?

Since some records sound amazing on one side but are mediocre or noisy on the other, we will often combine two copies with one great side each to give you excellent sound for the entire album. These 2-packs are typically offered at a discount compared to what the price of a single copy with the same grades would be. They are an excellent way to learn about pressing variations since you can compare the sides with high ratings to the less impressive sides that back them.

I think I have a Hot Stamper. Will you grade my copy?

Unfortunately, our tight shootout schedule leaves us no time for evaluating or cleaning records you may own already. You can always grab a Hot Stamper from our site and do the comparison on your own. If our copy doesn't beat yours feel free to return the Hot Stamper for a full refund within 30 days.

Will you ever do a shootout for [album]?

Maybe? We're willing to give almost anything a try, provided there are enough copies out there in used record land and enough customer demand to make it worth our trouble. If there's an old favorite of yours that you've never seen on the site but would like to hear with Hot Stamper sound, just let us know. We can't make any promises, but we'll certainly give it our best shot!

How do I register on the site?

New customers can register via the LOGIN link at the top left of every page. International Customers should visit this page before placing an order.

What is the return policy?

Hot Stampers may be returned for full credit for any reason within thirty days of purchase. We are happy to refund 100% of your payment directly to your credit card or Paypal account upon receipt of the record, no questions asked. (If you would like to tell us in what way you felt our Hot Stamper pressing fell short -- sound, condition, music -- naturally we would very much like to know.)

Please do not return any record until you have contacted us about the problem. When returning records, we ask that you follow the packing and shipping instructions listed below.

How should I go about returning a record?

No Return Authorization is necessary, but we ask that you please let us know by email what the problem with the record is. If it is a noise or distortion issue please be specific as to its location on the record so that we can check it for ourselves.

Please pack the record carefully to ensure that the vinyl and jacket arrive back in the same condition as we sent them.

If possible use the box we sent your original order in (assuming it has not been damaged. If it is not still strong, do not use it). You may prefer to use a priority mail box or an oversize mailer. Never use a standard record mailer; they're too flimsy to protect the cover properly. Many records packed in these mailers have arrived badly damaged, even destroyed.

Please take the LPs out of the jacket (but leave them in their inner sleeves) and sandwich them next to the jacket. Next, place the "sandwich" in a standard plastic outer sleeve. This method absolutely prevents split seams and is recommended highly. (We ship records out this way and virtually never have a problem.)

Oversized boxes, bubble wrap, cardboard stiffeners -- use whatever you like as long as it works. I recommend sandwiching the LP between two pieces of cardboard slightly larger than the jacket, held together by rubber bands to keep the vinyl from sliding around. This "sandwich" should then be placed in an oversize box with cushioning.

Thanks for all your efforts in this regard. Records that arrive damaged create serious problems for us, so please make every effort to pack your return well.

We recommend Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation. Under no circumstances should anything be returned to us that can't be tracked or its delivery confirmed, especially if it has much value.

If the mistake is ours, we are more than happy to send you a FedEx return label via email. Just let us know!

Our address is:

Better Records
1791 Bates Ct.
Thousand Oaks CA 91362-2302

Can I trade in a Hot Stamper towards a better one?

More and more folks have been trading up from their old Hot Stampers to better sounding versions, and we think that's great. As your listening skills grow and your stereo improves, it is only natural that you might want even better sounding copies of your favorites.

If you would like to move up to a better copy of an album you have purchased from us, we will under most circumstances offer 75% credit for your old copy for up to one year after the purchase date. If the record was purchased between one and two years ago, we will under most circumstances offer 50% credit. We offer anywhere between 25% and 50% credit for anything purchased more than two years ago.

Your original copy must arrive back in the same condition as when you received it. We do not allow trade-ins towards copies of equal or lesser value, or to copies of different albums. All upgrades are taken at our discretion, we reserve the right to decline any upgrade request.

What should I do if my coupon code isn't working?

If you cannot get a coupon code to work, just make a note in the order comments and we will make sure that it is applied correctly before charging your card. If you paid with Paypal, we will send you a corrected invoice along with any necessary refunds.

Do you sell gift certificates?

We sure do! They can found HERE.

Why are items in my shopping cart disappearing?

If you have a problem registering on the site it is likely because your browser is not set up to accept our site's cookies. If you put items in your shopping cart and they disappear, this is a registration problem caused by your browser not accepting out cookies. It is an easy problem to fix and should take less than two minutes.

Go to your menu bar in Explorer and click on 'Tools'.
- In the dropdown menu that appears click 'Internet Options'. It's at the bottom of the dropdown.
- There are seven tabs across the top of the 'Internet Options' window. Click on the third tab from the left, labeled 'Privacy'.
- Click on 'Sites', which is halfway down the window on the left-hand side.
- Under 'Address of website:' type 'http://www.dccblowout.com', then click Allow.
- Repeat the above step but this time enter 'http://www.better-records.com', then click Allow.
- Click OK. That window should close.
- Click Apply on the 'Internet Options' window.
- Then click OK.
- Voila, you should be all setup to accept our cookies, able to register and fill your basket as full as you like!

Please note that sometimes the shopping cart may empty itself after a period of inactivity. This is beyond our control. If you don't plan on completing your purchase immediately, we advise that you add any desired titles to your wish list to make sure you don't lose tracks of the records you are interested in.

How do I get on your mailing list?

We have a weekly emailing which goes out to all customers, which is where we put virtually all the best sounding records that come our way. The best records usually sell within hours of the mailing going out, which results in few of them ever making it to the site. We will automatically add you to our mailing list when you place your first order, or you can sign up via this form.

If you don't want to receive these mailings you may opt out. Please note that once you opt out, you will to sign up again yourself. Our email softward does not allow to add you on our own.

What payment methods can I use?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover; Paypal (tom@better-records.com); checks, money orders and wire transfers. Larger checks may take up to 10-14 days to clear. If you would like to call and give us your credit card information over the phone, so as to avoid sending this information over the Internet, we are happy to accommodate you.

If you would like to pay by a method other than a credit card, login using "Bill Me" as the payment method where it asks for your credit card, which will allow you to register without entering any credit card information. Once your order is invoiced we will send you a total which must be paid before shipping.

Orders paid for by credit card must be shipped to the cardholder's billing address.
Orders paid through Paypal must be shipped to the address registered with them.
Special arrangements will of course be made for smaller orders or established customers.

Domestic Shipping Information

The site cannot correctly calculate shipping amounts, so here's a breakdown of our domestic shipping fees:

- If your order is less than $75, we'll charge you a flat-rate of $5 for Media Mail shipping.

- If your order is between $75 and $150, we'll ship your order via Media Mail, free or charge.

- If your order is more than $150, we'll ship you via FedEx Ground, free of charge.

If you would like your order expedited, we offer FedEx 2-Day, 3-Day and Overnight but we do not offer these services free of charge.

NOTE: Media Mail shipping to Hawaii and Alaska tends to take a very long time, so if you are placing an order from one of these states we suggest either FedEx or Priority Mail shipping. Contact us if you have any questions and we will figure out the most cost-effective way to get your order to you.

International Shipping Information

As mentioned above, the site cannot correctly calculate shipping amounts. We offer international shipping via both FedEx International and the USPS.

We will contact you about your shipping options, including any special customs needs, when we process your order.

NOTE: Due to a rash of problems, we no longer ship international packages with a value of more than $180 using USPS First Class mail. We are happy to ship your order via FedEx International, USPS Express Mail or USPS Priority Mail.

What are the site coupon rules?

We often offer coupon deals in our weekly mailer. Coupons may only be used on new purchases, never on upgrades or previous purchases. All coupons may be used once per customer unless otherwise noted.

If a coupon is not working or has not been applied for any reason, not to worry. We will credit your order on our end for any coupons you qualify for and discount your invoice accordingly.

Want more?

OK, here are still more answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

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