Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part series on record collecting. Today’s edition offers a guide to collecting in the Ames area.

You’re looking for that rarities collection that none of the big stores are carrying. You can’t find that EP from the early ’90s that still hasn’t been reissued. You’re looking for vinyl that’s better than what’s in your grandma’s attic.

You’ve decided to give record collecting a shot.

Hunting down the nonmainstream is a little tricky, however – and that’s all part of the fun. Ames doesn’t have an independent or dedicated used record store, so collectors have to be a little more creative in finding what they crave.

Firehouse Books

405 Kellogg Ave.

This downtown store, although mainly focused on books, also carries several hundred records. The selection is fairly wide for the size of the store, presenting a brief survey of music from the ’60s to the ’80s. Owner Jason Daub said he tries to keep the quality up by accepting from customers only what he can sell.

Antique Ames

203 Main St.

This antique mall, also downtown, has several booths carrying records. Most of them are of little interest to the student collector – the sort of ’50s-era records you find in your grandma’s house.

However, an upstairs booth, run by Dave Temple, of Ames, carries a selection of rock records from the ’60s and ’70s, representing such artists as The Beatles, Bob Marley and Pink Floyd.

This spot offers some unusual finds and is worth checking out regularly.

Hastings Books Music & Video

620 Lincoln Way

Although it’s a big-box retail store, Hastings has an excellent selection of new and used CDs. Their overall selection is excellent, offering many artists mainstream stores miss, and they frequently carry limited edition CDs.

Their used CD selection is the real reason to shop here, though. Almost anything can be found used – and usually for a very low price.

Rare singles and overlooked artists are frequently available here, blended into the normal selection.

Of particular note is their excellent electronica selection, including industrial and EBM.

Thrift stores

Stores such as the Goodwill Store, 3718 Lincoln Way, and the Salvation Army, 207 S. Duff Ave., will sometimes have a few decent selections to choose from. Because good records usually get sold to a dealer, it’s not advisable to spend too much time searching these places.

The best place to get lucky is with the tapes, but you may find something good staring you in the face once in a while. Prices are usually very low.

Des Moines record stores

Although Ames doesn’t have a true record store, Des Moines has two.

Zzz Records, 424 E. Locust St., is the larger one. While it has a focus on vinyl – both new and used – it also carries a healthy selection of CDs and a smattering of tapes.

Store owner Nate Niceswanger said the store carries about 15,000 vinyl records of all sorts and several thousand CDs.

Much of the inventory is fairly common rock records, but two sections offer some rarer finds with regularity.

A punk and new wave section is home to the unique sounds of the ’70s and ’80s, and an electronica section offers a selection of hard-to-find artists from around the world.

The new inventory consists of a lot of music not found in a typical chain store, with a definite emphasis on indie rock. The store also carries a fair number of limited editions, boxed sets and singles.

Red Rooster Records, 509 Euclid Ave., deals exclusively in used vinyl with a focus on ’60s and ’70s rock, with some ’80s glam metal. Within its niche, the store’s selection is fantastic, including a small section of rare singles, and the prices are generally low. Outside of this niche, however, the store’s offerings are extremely limited.

Record shows

The Des Moines Music Collectors’ Show, hosted by Niceswanger, brings in record dealers from all around, offering a much wider selection than is normally found in the area.

Dealers are usually store owners, but a few are hobbyists. All are knowledgeable of their inventory, and can offer a lot of help to the starting collector.

“Your first show can be a little intimidating,” Niceswanger said. “It’s just important to be open-minded.”

The atmosphere of the show is very relaxed, with dealers making recommendations to customers and each other – an ideal environment for a new collector.

Because dealers tend to bring the best of their own collections, rare records are fairly common at shows. Unfortunately, prices tend to be fairly high.

Between these higher prices and the generally good selection, it’s easy to spend a lot of money..

eBay

Online auction service eBay can be a great resource for the record collector. Rarities are auctioned on a regular basis, making finds easier, and because of the auction process, prices can be low, too.

Niceswanger had some warnings about buying records on eBay, however.

He said a lot of his customers originally came to his store because of bad experiences online.

Because a buyer can’t see the merchandise, it’s very easy for a seller to mislead – either through malice or ignorance – about the content and condition of the product.

Also, shipping costs can make eBay quite expensive for vinyl purchasers – records are heavy and typically cost at least $4 each to ship.

Before bidding, do some research and contact the seller to ensure what you’re bidding on is what you want.

General hunting tips:

Nail down what you’re interested in. You already know your general musical tastes, but it helps to do some research and figure out what artists you may be interested in. Look up favorite artists and find out about their records, so you know what you’re dealing with if you find something unusual. Before going to a big store or record show, it may be a good idea to make a list of what you’re looking for – it’s a shame to forget to look for an artist or to not know whether an album is supposed to be any good.

Check everywhere. Until you know where to find what you’re looking for, go anywhere that sells used or rare music.

Check your sources often. Store inventories tend to stay largely static over time, but there is always a small portion turning over quickly. It’s impossible to predict when a gem you’re looking for will be sold to a store, and there’s no guarantee it won’t get snapped up right away.

Build a rapport with dealers. Record sellers are music fans, too, and they usually know their inventories very well. Tell them what you’re looking for; they’ll help you find it – and they’ll probably have some recommendations for you, too.

Prices

Once you find what you’re looking for, it’s easy to go broke buying everything in sight. Some typical prices:

Used vinyl: Between $4 and $8 for common records – this includes most mainstream rock. More offbeat genres, such as punk, new wave, metal and electronica, fetch between $10 and $15. Condition, age, and rarity are the biggest determinants of price – a rare 12″ single can easily cost more than an album. For individually rare records, prices from $20 to $40 are not unusual, but it is rare to find anything sold for more than $50.

New vinyl: Vinyl pressings of new albums usually cost as much as the CD version ($12 to $18), but this varies. Length does matter here, because a lot of vinyl pressings of modern albums are more expensive double albums. Some artists release special editions of albums on vinyl with extra material – these can cost upward of $30. Imports also tend to be fairly expensive.

Used CDs: Used CDs generally go for about $6 to $10. The biggest determinant of a CD’s cost is the original retail price – expensive CDs will still be pricey used. EPs, singles, and other rare discs can fetch high prices from knowledgeable dealers, but sometimes larger stores don’t realize what they have.

New CDs: Prices are usually set by the manufacturer and don’t vary much from the standard $12 to $20 range, aside from special editions and such. Rare discs and boxed sets, still in the original packaging, can command very high prices years after their release, however.

Cassette tapes: Used cassettes usually go for about $1 everywhere, including record stores. This makes it easy to clean up – and maybe make some really good finds – if you don’t mind dealing with the hassles associated with tapes.