Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records, 1950-1975 (3rd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: OK, but Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" is far better
Review: Goldmine's "American Records" is a good reference book to find the value of collectable records. It is very detailed in describing each listed record, giving a range for the values. I. e. $20.00 for near mint, $10.00 for very good, $5.00 for good. My problem with this publication is that it doesn't even scratch the surface in listing all of the great records that were released in this country. It's the size of a NYC phone directory, but it still leaves out a lot of great records. It is reasonably priced, which may make it a nice "starter" for new collectors. -- If you want the absolute best record price guide, I would recommend Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" or an equivalent by the same publisher. I have been using "Rockin' Records" since its 1994 edition. My attempt to do even better by getting Goldmine's "American Records" was somewhat of a "shot in the oven". It's Jerry Osborne for me from here on!

Rating:
Summary: OK, but Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" is far better
Review: Goldmine's "American Records" is a good reference book to find the value of collectable records. It is very detailed in describing each listed record, giving a range for the values. I. e. $20.00 for near mint, $10.00 for very good, $5.00 for good. My problem with this publication is that it doesn't even scratch the surface in listing all of the great records that were released in this country. It's the size of a NYC phone directory, but it still leaves out a lot of great records. It is reasonably priced, which may make it a nice "starter" for new collectors. -- If you want the absolute best record price guide, I would recommend Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" or an equivalent by the same publisher. I have been using "Rockin' Records" since its 1994 edition. My attempt to do even better by getting Goldmine's "American Records" was somewhat of a "shot in the oven". It's Jerry Osborne for me from here on!

Rating:
Summary: OK, but Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" is far better
Review: Goldmine's "American Records" is a good reference book to find the value of collectable records. It is very detailed in describing each listed record, giving a range for the values. I. e. $20.00 for near mint, $10.00 for very good, $5.00 for good. My problem with this publication is that it doesn't even scratch the surface in listing all of the great records that were released in this country. It's the size of a NYC phone directory, but it still leaves out a lot of great records. It is reasonably priced, which may make it a nice "starter" for new collectors. -- If you want the absolute best record price guide, I would recommend Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" or an equivalent by the same publisher. I have been using "Rockin' Records" since its 1994 edition. My attempt to do even better by getting Goldmine's "American Records" was somewhat of a "shot in the oven". It's Jerry Osborne for me from here on!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book that, perhaps, bites off too much
Review: This is one of the best price guide books for American records. Due to its detailed information and clearly organized listings, it surpasses all previous publications in its scope and usefulness. It adds artists not previously mentioned in past price guides but does omit artists on a somewhat arbitrary basis. Why Getz and not Gillespie etc.? For the artists it does include, much hard work is reflected in the thorough discographies which list reissue information and pressing chronology with great accuracy. Obscure artists with limited product are, as is common with books of this type, omitted. For the money, this is the best book. Only Osborne's Rockin Records covers more ground, but in less essential detail.

Rating:
Summary: Much ado about nothing!
Review: What a letdown! While this book purports to cover the period 1950-1975, I was sadly disappointed to find that it completely omits one of the most important musical influences of that period, DON COSTA, who was a noted arranger-conductor, master of the 12-string guitar, a performer in his own right, and a man who influenced the careers of many well-known performers like Frank Sinatra, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Johnny Mathis, Ferrante & Teicher, Paul Anka, and the list goes on. Don Costa's fabulous arrangements have appeared on labels such as ABC-Paramount, Columbia, Mercury, United-Artists, and his own label, DCP-International. Don Costa was a true musical genius and as such, he was hired to be the musical director of a major Boston, MA radio station when he was only 15 years old!... One can only wonder what other important performers or facts were left-out of this book, and such omissions only serve to cast doubt on the seriousness of the data that did manage to find a place between the covers of this publication!