VG+ vs VG Vinyl Grading: How to Tell the Difference

Both VG+ and VG records have visible surface marks. The difference is in the character and depth of those marks.

A VG+ record under bright angled light

• Light surface marks that show under the inspection light but don't catch a fingernail
• Possible very faint hairlines scattered across the surface
• Original glossy finish still mostly present — the record reflects light evenly
• No visible deep scratches
• No groove wear discoloration in heavily-played sections

A VG+ record looks like "clearly used, but cared for." You'd buy one as a player. You might display it.

A VG record under the same light

• Visible scratches, typically multiple, some of which may catch the fingernail lightly
• Surface dulling in places — the original gloss is reduced, areas look matte or hazy
• Possible spindle marks around the center hole
• No major skipping defects but visible wear that signals real use

A VG record looks like "heavily played but functional." You'd buy one as a player; you wouldn't display it; you'd accept audible surface noise.

The light source test

Both grades need bright, directional light to inspect properly. A LED desk lamp at low angle works; a phone flashlight tilted across the surface works; overhead fluorescent or diffuse daylight is too soft to reveal the difference.

Rotate the record slowly, tilting through angles, and watch what the light catches:

• Light marks that disappear at most angles: VG+
• Marks visible from most angles, with continuous wear pattern: VG
• Marks you can see from across the room: G+ or below

The hardest calls are records that visually look VG+ at one angle and VG at another. For those, the audible test breaks the tie.

When the visual call is borderline, playback decides. Here's what each grade actually sounds like on a properly set up turntable.

VG+ playback

• Surface noise floor: faintly audible during silent passages (before the music starts, between tracks, during quiet musical sections). Essentially inaudible during loud passages
• Tick frequency: a few light ticks per side, mostly during quiet passages. Doesn't intrude on the music
• Pops: maybe one or two, light, during the entry groove or between tracks
• End-of-side: clean tracking through the inner grooves, no obvious distortion

A VG+ record sounds "basically perfect" on a casual listen. A trained ear may hear the noise floor during the quietest passages; most listeners won't notice it.

VG playback

• Surface noise floor: continuously audible during quiet passages — a low-level rustle or hiss behind the music
• Tick frequency: multiple ticks per minute, some audible enough to compete with quiet sections
• Pops: occasional, louder than VG+
• End-of-side: may show some sibilance distortion or roughness, but tracks without skipping

A VG record sounds "clearly used" on any careful listen. The noise is part of the experience. For loud genres (rock, electronic, big band) the surface noise is largely masked by the music. For quiet genres (acoustic jazz, classical, solo piano) the noise is more intrusive.

What pushes a borderline record one way or the other

When the visual inspection puts a record at the VG+/VG boundary, listen for:

• One full play of side 1 (about 18-22 minutes for a standard LP)
• Pay particular attention to the quietest track — usually a slow song or instrumental passage
• Note the last 90 seconds of side 1 — inner-groove behavior

If the quietest track plays through with only faint, occasional ticks and no continuous noise: VG+. If you hear continuous rustle behind the quiet passages, even at low volume: VG.

Sometimes a record will visually look VG but play VG+ (an obviously-marked record that was clearly stored well and just looks bad). Sometimes the opposite — a record that looks pristine but plays with surprising noise (often because it's been improperly cleaned with abrasive solutions). Always trust the audible result over the visual when they disagree.

This is exactly the kind of borderline call where the parent vinyl grading guide is worth re-reading — the full Goldmine scale gives you the comparison points to think about which neighboring grade is closer.

For collectible vinyl, the price difference between VG+ and VG is substantial — often 30-60% — for the same album, same pressing, same year. Understanding this dynamic prevents both overpaying and underselling.

Typical price ratios

For a $200 collector record in VG+/VG+, the VG/VG version of the same pressing typically prices at:

• 30-40% lower if the record is moderately desirable
• 40-50% lower if it's a high-demand title where buyers expect cleaner copies
• 50-60% lower if it's a sound-quality-sensitive genre (audiophile jazz, classical, vocal)

A NM/NM copy of the same record typically prices at 1.5-2× the VG+/VG+ price. So the working sequence might be:

• NM/NM: $400
• VG+/VG+: $200
• VG/VG: $80-$120

A two-grade jump (NM to VG) often quadruples or quintuples the price difference, not just doubles it. Each grade has compounding effects on buyer interest.

Why VG+ commands the premium

Most serious collectors are buying for two reasons: listening and accumulation. VG+ records satisfy both — they play essentially clean (good for listening), and they look clean on a shelf (good for accumulation). VG records satisfy only the listening use case, and only partially.

The market reflects this. The buyer pool for VG+ is larger than the buyer pool for VG; the VG+ price holds while VG prices have to compete for the smaller listener-only segment.

Where VG can be the right buy

For your own listening (not collecting), VG copies are often the best value. A VG copy of a $200 VG+ record might sell for $80-$120. You get the music — same pressing, same masters, same year — for half the price. You accept surface noise during quiet passages.

The trade-off: VG copies are harder to sell on. If you ever want to flip the record, you'll move it at the VG market price, which is lower and slower than VG+. Buy VG for keeping; buy VG+ for the option to resell.

The seller's view

When grading your own collection for sale, the VG+/VG call directly determines your asking price. Two common mistakes:

1. Over-grading: calling a VG record VG+ to chase the higher price. Generates returns, refunds, and negative feedback. Long-term ROI is worse
2. Under-grading: calling a VG+ record VG out of excessive caution. Loses 30-50% of fair price. Common among new sellers who haven't learned the audible distinction yet

The honest middle: grade conservatively but accurately. When in doubt, play-grade. When the call is genuinely borderline, list the record as "VG+/VG" (vinyl VG+, sleeve VG) or use a descriptive grade like "strong VG, plays close to VG+" and let the buyer decide.

This boundary is also where the Discogs pricing workflow becomes important — comparable sales filtered by exact grade reveal the real market spread between VG+ and VG for any specific title.

One reason grades disagree across sellers is that some records get graded before cleaning and some after. Cleaning can shift a record up a grade by removing dust, fingerprints, and accumulated grime that masquerade as wear damage during inspection and add ticks during playback.

Why clean first

A dust-covered record may show what looks like surface haze under bright light — looks like wear, isn't. A record with old fingerprints in the grooves may tick during playback — sounds like damage, isn't. A previously-played record with embedded debris in the grooves will sound noticeably worse than the same record after a deep clean.

Cleaning that actually works

Three approaches, in order of effectiveness:

1. Record cleaning machines (Pro-Ject VC-S2, Okki Nokki, Loricraft, VPI HW-16/17) — apply cleaning fluid, brush, vacuum off. Best results, most expensive option ($300-$2000+)
2. Spin Clean Record Washer System (~$80) — manual wet cleaning with rotating brushes. Substantially better than dry brushing, much cheaper than a machine
3. Distilled water + microfiber + a soft brush — DIY approach, works for less-damaged records, requires patience

What you don't want:

• Tap water: minerals deposit in grooves
• Window cleaner / ammonia: degrades vinyl over time
• Abrasive cleaners: scratch the surface
• Wood glue "peel" cleans: TikTok-famous, but actively damages most records' surface coatings

When to clean

• Before grading any record you're planning to list for sale
• Before play-grading any record you're inspecting for purchase
• Periodically for records in your active rotation (every 6-12 months, depending on use)
• Always for records that arrive looking dusty, smudged, or visibly dirty

A properly cleaned record can shift up a grade tier. A VG-looking record may grade as VG+ after cleaning reveals what was actually surface dirt rather than wear. For more on cleaning technique and why distilled water matters, see how to clean vinyl records safely.