You paint me right round, baby.

November 8, 2008 12:38 PM

Where can I find a small number of vinyl records (20 - 30) inexpensively? Alternately: other things to spray paint and throw on my walls!

I'm trying to turn my childhood room into a music-themed but grownup room suitable for a college girl. Part of this involves taking down all the Redwall posters from the books I loved as a kid, and packing them up. Once we repaint the walls, I'm afraid everything will be terribly bare and it seems I can't function without some sense of clutter in my surroundings. Can anyone reccomend shops online, or in the Columbia SC area, where I'd be able to find records to spraypaint and hang? Being on a college student budget, I'm trying to dish out as little money as possible.

posted by Glitter Ninja to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Have you been to any thrift stores? They seem to always have a ton of old records, and they usually go for $1 or less. If you're buying 20-30, they may be willing to give you an even better deal than that.
posted by kitty teeth at 12:48 PM on November 8, 2008

I've always seen bunches at goodwills and other thrift stores. I got about two dozen once, thinking to sell them on ebay. Not a great idea.

I got some simple results.

You might, after spraypainting, put on new labels with your favorite songs or inspirational lyrics or just funny sayings.
posted by lysdexic at 12:50 PM on November 8, 2008

If there are any regular auctions in your area, it's often very easy to get a box of records for under $10.
posted by the bricabrac man at 12:53 PM on November 8, 2008

Ask on your local freecycle group - you'll probably get a lot of responses.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 1:56 PM on November 8, 2008

Garage sales.

Older people tend to have large record collections they want to liquidate.
posted by bradly at 12:35 AM on November 9, 2008

Or, you could go the Rasterbator route and adorn your walls with huge versions of a couple of your favorite album covers, paintings or pictures of your cat. It really is very good.
posted by Cobalt at 9:46 AM on November 9, 2008

Go to a few thrift shops and look around, not just for records but for anything music related. An old turntable (or several) to attach to the wall, trashed musical instruments, old Rolling Stone magazines, sheet music, microphones, keyboards. A mobile out of old 45's might be interesting. I find if I just wander around a few thrift shops I get inspired by something. Keep an open mind. I often go in with one idea and come out with a totally new one that has nothing to do with the original idea but which is infinitely better.
posted by BoscosMom at 10:01 AM on November 9, 2008