I have been cleaning records since the early 90s and, finally after going through a few systems, I've been using a better ultrasonic cleaning system that makes it so much easier to clean records.The only issue is that once I get on a roll, I can clean a lot of records in an afternoon, and my supply of "rice paper" innersleeves was running low. These are the innersleeves comprised of three layers of HDPE (plastic) and a sheet of thin paper. As they first appeared on Mobile Fidelity records in the late 1970s, they are sometimes called Mobile Fidelity or MoFi innersleeves. They became an industry standard over the years, and many pressing plants use them today.
My last batch came from Bags Unlimited five or six years ago and I was never happy with them. One of the packages had sleeves where part of the side seam was splitting at the top. And most of these were too large for LP jackets, so some got a bit wrinkled in use, while others got tossed in the trash. Even if I wanted to give them another chance, their current price for 500 rice paper innersleeves is about $175. No deal! (And in previous searches, other companies selling the same innersleeves were a similar price, so it's not out of the ordinary.)
I don't remember if I actually did a search on Amazon for rice paper innersleeves, or it turned up in a suggestion box because I bought records. Regardless, I came across sleeves by a company named Hudson Hi-Fi. Their sleeves received a 4.8 star rating on Amazon from over 1,900 customers, and the price is what make me take note. As I write this, the sale price is $73.95 for a pack of 500 sleeves. (They ship as five packs of 100.) The normal "list price" is shown as $80.99, which is still less than half of the price at Bags Unlimited.
Being an Amazon purchase, what could go wrong? If they sucked, I'd ship 'em right back.
They made their blustery arrival yesterday afternoon and I've already cracked into the first bag of 100. I'm happy to say that they are better than the Bags Unlimited sleeves. The plastic feels slightly heavier, and perhaps a little more "premium" (if that makes sense). More importantly, the seams are tight, and they fit LP jackets perfectly.
The product link:
The other half of my order did not arrive today. I also ordered a 500-pack of plastic outer sleeves for the records. I have some I've used here, but they often came with used records, so they vary in condition from brand new to ragged. I have many others I want to protect, so this will be a good start on using them for the records I want to be sure are kept preserved properly. Given how good the innersleeves are, I imagine these should be just as good.Just to note--a few of the new records I've bought have the plastic outer sleeve with the tacky strip at the top. I find them difficult to use, as they do not stay open easily, and I have caught part of an album jacket on one of them and put a slight rip in the jacket. No bueno. For now, I slit the tops of those protector sleeves but once these new sleeves arrive, those other ones will be headed straight into the trash.
