1. Don't expect to find any post-1990 vinyl.
Longing for the vinyl version of Sleater-Kinney's "Dig Me Out?" Well, long your way to eBay because stores most likely won't have it… at least not used. Most stores carry 33’s still in shrink wrap, and they cost as much as CDs. If you find any in good condition, count yourself lucky.
2. The listening stations are here for a reason.
Most stores that house vinyl and used CDs have at least one station, so put them to use. No sense getting a Toots and the Maytals album and finding out when you get home that there's an egregious skip on "Monkey Man." Most corporate stores have adopted the listening station strategy for the reason that it works.
3. Practice tai chi and Isometrics.
You'll be doing lots of horrible things to your body with all of the kneeling and bending and hunching and curling your arm upward with your prized finds.
4. The staff knows more than you do.
Put your arrogance aside and realize the people here have listened to more music than you have. Also, take into consideration that they might even listen to better music than you do. Don’t boast and don’t chastise. You'll make yourself a walking punch line, and you’ll deserve it.
5. Try not to haggle.
You're buying used music that's in pretty good condition and the prices are marked down. Haggling is a waste of breath if you're trying to get a couple of bucks knocked off of a CD that was $19 and is now $10.
6. Know what you want.
If you're a real music lover, you'll be in there for at least four hours, so at least you’ll be there for a purposeful four hours.
7. Bring your iPod or MP3 player with all the artists you want to seek out on a playlist.
With any luck, you'll find the singles for a good price. Seriously, you can get "Ain't It a Drag" for $1.
8. This is not a place to find a mate.
Most of the guys here are too obsessed with music to be good company. And the women … well … they’re kind of like post-1990 vinyl albums.
9. Take your music seriously.
With iTunes and Torrents popping up and crashing left and right, music stores are the bastions of quality. You won’t hear songs with bad dubs. You won’t hear the digital static whenever a cymbal crashes. And you won’t be deprived of social interaction.
10. Buy music because you love it, not because you want to be cool or have the most obscure band within your circle of friends.
If you like Luscious Jackson, go ahead and look for Luscious Jackson. If you like Styx, go and get your Styx on. There's just too much good music out there to buy a Gwen Stefani album just to make a false statement.
