Portable turntables

When you're out on the road and come across records at a garage sale, it's likely that you'll have to make some blind purchases and hope that you score some gems. If you don't want to wait until you get home or you just can't live without having a turntable with you, you might want to consider a portable turntable.

There are several models of portable turntables out there, each with their own pros and cons. Here's a few that are out there.

Hammacher Schlemmer -  $99

Touted as the smallest portable turntable, this model from Hammacher Schlemmer comes in a nice retro-style wood case.

You'll need an outlet to use it so it's not a great choice is you're looking to sample vinyl at garage sales and flea markets. Also, from what I can tell, there's no jack for headphones.

Available here.

Numark PT01 / PT01USB - $95 to $99

This small turntable from Numark comes with more features for people looking to sample vinyl without power nearby. It can run off of 6 D cell batteries, has an integrated headphone jack / speakers, and it's sized like a record so it can fit nicely in a record bag.

If you need USB connection, go with the PT01USB. It's $99 and the USB connection can come in handy if you are converting vinyl to MP3. Downfall: It's heavy.

Available here from Amazon.

ION iPTUSB - $97

Another great choice at the sub $100 price point, the ION iPTUSB is same as the Numark PT01USB and filled a gap on the original PT01 by adding USB. Now that the Numark has a USB model, they're both essentially the same so it's up to you.

Available here from Amazon.

Vestax Handy Trax - $150

A great compact turntable that will give you similar features as the ION and Numarks but in a much lighter package. This is my choice for sampling vinyl on the go.

It's good at what it's made for - sampling vinyl on the go.

Availalbe here from Amazon.

If you're looking for a compact design, a portable turntable may be the way to go. Remember, you won't get the same build quality that you would find in a traditional turntable and be sure to know how you plan on using it.

Shakey's Record Fair - NYC!

Looking for some new 7"s and mingling with fellow vinyl lovers? Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 9th for Shakey's Record Fair here in NYC.

Held 6 times per year, this record fair promises to be a great way to beat the cold and pick up some new 7" records. Here's 7 reasons why you should go (from Julie aka DJ Shakey):

1) It's at night and on weekdays so that it is easy for Djs and music producers to attend

2) I throw it at nightclubs instead of boring event spaces

3) Record digger djs play guest sets all night

4) I have cool sponsors like Wax Poetics magazine and Turntable Lab

5) Early admission is by guest list only

6) Dealer participation is by invitation only - no ridiculously priced records or junk

7) There is dancing, cocktails and fun for everyone!

It's being held at APT, a great spot over in the MePa area and it looks like it's going to be a great time. Hopefully, I'll catch some of you there!

For more info, stop by this site.

Montegiro Legno

From the makers of the over-the-top, always fun to drool over, Lusso turntable (yes, the one that costs $50K), Montegiro's entry-level model, the Lengo, has a simple, modern elegance that would be welcome in just about any home. Here's an excerpt from their site:

A new generation of turntables for the new generation of vinyl lovers – and for all who appreciate great style! Organic shapes, rounded edges, natural materials: the legno model exudes a harmonious look that reflects its full, sonorous yet delicate sound. The legno skilfully combines wood and high-grade steel to produce an ideal sound.

Coming in at $9800, good looks certainly don't come cheap. It is available in glossy white (shown) or bamboo.

Special thanks to Ben over at Hodinkee (a great vintage watch site) for sending this our way.

Sefour vinyl storage unit

Storing your records properly not only prolongs their life, but it gives you an opportunity to keep everything organized, on display, and in one place.  For those of us in smaller apartments, where floor-space is at a premium, the traditional milkcrates make for a cluttered mess.

That's why these vertical vinyl record units from Sefour are a great way to keep everything organized without taking up a lot of floor space in your apartment.

Instead of traditional shelves, Sefour went with a series of chrome bars.  Each unit can store up to 500 records and they feature a unique curved design so it's easy to access records on the bottom shelf.

Available for $249 from Turntable Lab in Jet Black, Walnut, Gray, and White.

Find vinyl stores on wax.fm

Finding a record store in a new city can be a real challenge.

If you ask a local or the hotel concierge, you might get pointed in the right direction. If you hop online and search for local listings, you may come across outdated information. Overall, the process can be a headache and there's nothing worse than realizing you missed a really great store.

Now, thanks to wax.fm, you can arm yourself with Google maps of cities to find all of the local record stores.

The site covers 53 US cities and is a great resource for anyone looking for vinyl in a new city. We reached out to them with some updates for the NYC map.

If you don't see your favorite stores on there, shoot them an email.  The more we can help this site carry current information, the better off we'll all be.

Check out the maps here.