Another similar method involves putting the record in the oven to generate the heat. I tried it once. The results weren’t pretty . . . Be careful with how much heat you apply; too much, and the record will look like Dali made it.
If you want to test out fixing warped vinyl before having a go on your pre- cious records, go to a second-hand record store, and search for (or ask for) a couple of warped records that you can use as test cases. After you’ve per- fected the technique with them, you can fix your own records.
Repairing CDs
Record stores carry many products that you can use to protect your CDs from scratches in the first place, or repair them if they’ve been scratched.
Just don’t try to be smart like me and use Brasso to clean the CD. That idea doesn’t work too well . . .
Some people swear by fluids and gizmos which remove part of the protective surface of the CD to smooth out the scratches. I’d be very careful using this
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approach though: you don’t want to run the risk of removing too much of the surface – your CD player may not be too happy playing thin CDs.
If you’ve accidentally cracked one of your CDs, and you don’t want to buy (or can’t find) a replacement copy, you may still be able to play the CD.
Parts of the CD that are cracked are probably unplayable (and remember, a CD plays from the inside-out) but the rest of it may still be okay. Be careful though, if the cracks are too plentiful, when you play the CD, it may disintegrate.
Some audio-ripping software has an advanced error correction built into it, which may let you archive broken discs before throwing them in the bin – but in the end, you may find that buying a new copy of the CD is easier.
Chapter 4
Shopping for Equipment
In This Chapter
Trying out the right gear for you, and sticking to your budget Making the choice between high street and the Internet Choosing to buy new versus second-hand
Checking that your kit works properly
You’ve soul searched, and you’ve read ample magazines (and books, I hope!) and browsed enough Web sites to last you a lifetime on the sub- ject, so now you’re ready to take the plunge into buying equipment.
Buying equipment used to be straightforward. Your choice was limited to one specialist shop, a bit out of town, that would sell DJ gear. The guy running it would be a bit shifty, and you’d always leave feeling ripped off and dirty.
The situation has now changed. With so much competition in the DJ equip- ment market, stores can’t afford to put off the buyer, and with attractive package deals, free postage, and good support, the days of the prickly, aloof salesman are long gone.
Taking Stock Before You Shop
People who have a dream don’t want to listen to advice from others telling them to think carefully before spending their money. And, if you feel as excited as I did when I got my first DJ setup then I may not be able to convince you that doing so is important – but I will try. Before you take the padlock off your piggy bank, simply consider this piece of preparation – you need to be positive that you know exactly what you’re going to buy with the money you’ve budgeted.
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Trying before you buy
Before you even consider opening your wallet to buy your dream setup, try to find out whether you can go anywhere to use some DJ equipment first. Some stores let you demo their kit before buying, but that idea’s not really what you’re after, because you want to spend a good amount of time trying it out.
Ideally, you want to use the setup of a friend who has a couple of turntables and CD decks, with loads of records and CD’s ready for you to rifle through and have fun with. You get an idea of the equipment you need and how it works, but more importantly, you’ll probably develop an affinity for one medium or another, which is a lot of help when choosing between CD and vinyl.
Finding someone with a good DJ set-up isn’t as unlikely as you may think, because if you’re interested in becoming a DJ, you probably know someone who is one already. But what if you don’t know anyone who is willing, or has the equipment to let you practise on? You can try looking for a recording studio with DJ decks, or renting some equipment, but the drawback of that (apart from needing to spend money) is that you need to bring your own records/CDs, and you may not have built a huge collection yet!
The friendlier DJ equipment stores let you demo some of their equipment if you look as if you’re going to buy it, but not many of them have a room in the back with a full DJ setup for you to try out your skills. By all means ask the store for a prolonged demo, but don’t hold your breath.
After you’ve taken the opportunity to try out your skills, and you’re still sure that DJing is right for you, now’s the time to blow the dust off your wallet, and go shopping.
Budgeting your money
How much money you have and how you spend it vastly alters the choice of equipment available for you to buy, including whether you opt for new or second-hand. A wide range of equipment is on the market, and I highlight the popular manufacturers in this section, but remember, they’re not the only ones out there!
If you buy cheap turntables or CD decks that don’t play at a constant speed or skip when there are too many bass vibrations even the best mixer in the world can’t fix that. A basic mixer may be very basic, but is still sufficient when you’re developing your initial skills as a DJ. It’s far cheaper to upgrade your basic mixer to a better one than it is to upgrade two turntables from basic to professional.
In each budget level below, I mention the turntable or CD deck first, and then tell you to worry about the mixer. You need to be thinking in the same way when shopping. Spend as much money as you can on the players and then spend what’s left on a mixer.
£200+.You can buy a very basic mixer and a basic set of turntables or CD decks within this budget. If you have only £200, I believe that your best option is to pick up basic Numark, Stanton, or Gemini turntables/
CD decks second-hand. You can discover how to mix on these decks, but if they are very basic, and have had a lot of use, they may not be the most reliable decks in the world, meaning that they may eventually hold back your progress – so you’ll want to start saving now to be able to buy better ones after a few months.
£400+.For around £400, you can get new, intermediate level turntables or CD decks by the same manufacturers as above and others such as Kam, Citronic, and American DJ. If you’re buying CD decks, the ones in this price bracket come with a better range of functions than the basic models, and you get a more reliable, strong motor if you buy turntables.
You won’t have much money left after the decks though, so you may still have to buy a very basic mixer.
£800+.By the time you’ve got £800 to spend on your DJ setup, I hope that you took my advice about trying out DJing on someone else’s equip- ment first! Spending a large sum of money on something that you may never have done before – and you aren’t 100 per cent sure that you’re going to love DJing – is questionable, even when you do take into account your equipment’s potential re-sale value. That said, you can get some intermediate level turntables/CD decks and a good mixer, or you can get top level decks (my preference is Numark’s high-end range of turntables, Technics 1210 turntables, or good Pioneer or Vestax CD decks) and a slightly better than basic mixer – I suggest the ones made by companies such as Numark, Gemini, and Stanton.
Knowing why to try
The important thing about using someone else’s setup before you part with your cash is that you have a chance to find out whether you’re going to enjoy being a DJ. You won’t become a DJ within an hour on the decks, but you will know if you love DJing as much as you thought you
would, and if you find out that it’s not as easy as you thought, you may want to postpone buying equipment, and use computer software while deciding whether you’ve really got the knack and patience to be a DJ.
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£1,500+.Budgets that stretch to £1,500+ open up the world to you. I prefer the top of the range turntables or CD decks from Technics, Vestax, Pioneer, and Denon, which can cost between £700 and £2,000 for two. And my choice of mixers are by Pioneer, Rane, and Allen and Heath, which cost you between £500 and £1,500. If you’re spending that amount of money on DJ kit, though, I assume that you’re upgrading, or you’ve been using someone else’s equipment for long enough to know that this isn’t a gamble, and you have what it takes to be a DJ.
If you’re about to spend six month’s worth of hard-saved money on the equip- ment, make sure that you’ve got some left to spend on all the records and CDs you want to play on them. I spent about £40 per month on records when I first started DJing, but that soon ballooned to hundreds, so consider how this hobby can affect the rest of your lifestyle.
Buying Brand New
Buying your decks and mixer brand new has many advantages. As well as having the choice of the latest, greatest gear, your equipment comes to you untouched and working perfectly. If any problems crop up, the stores should replace faulty kit, and if your equipment fails after the end of their returns policy, you have the backup of a manufacturer’s warranty to sort out any- thing that goes wrong. Not that anything ever goes wrong, of course . . . The obvious downside to buying your DJ gear new is the price. But, with high- street stores and online stores competing with each other, driving prices ever lower, if you hunt long enough, and are patient, you can find some great deals.
Resale value is the other downside to buying new. Consider a pair of Technics 1210 MkII turntables. Brand new, they cost around £700, but second-hand, you can find them for £400 or less, which is a considerable loss. If you buy a second-hand pair of 1210’s, you can sell them for the same amount of money in five year’s time. Other brands don’t always hold their value so well.
Cruising the high street
Fortunately, DJing became a mainstream hobby a couple of years ago. Everyone wants to be a DJ, so DJ shops have smartened up their stores and selling styles. Most cities now have at least one place that sells DJ equipment, and if you’re in a large city, you can find a few of them, all competing for your money.
A high-street store offers three things you won’t get anywhere else.
The chance to usea range of different equipment
The personal touch of being able ask a sales rep questions Immediate gratification
A range of different equipment
The ability for you to have even a quick demo on the equipment in the shop sets local stores apart from online stores, and gives you the chance to com- pare many different pieces of kit.
You may have read in magazines and books that one style of turntable is better than another, or that single CD decks are better than twin units, but until you are able to stand in front of them, touch them, and use them, you won’t be certain yourself. Second guessing your choice after spending a whole load of cash on your kit based only on a review is not ideal.
The personal touch
There’s no doubt about it. Getting face-to-face, immediate advice from some- one and being able to hold a conversation about what you want and need is extremely helpful when you’re buying equipment. The guys (or gals) you’re talking to at your local DJ store have sold a lot of kit in their time and typi- cally really know their stuff.
Trying before you buy and cry
I learnt a hard lesson regarding not trying before buying, and being too heavily influenced by a magazine review. I was trying to choose between two very popular mixers and had read that although one of them had better features, the controls weren’t laid out very well, and were difficult to use (especially in the dark) because they were crammed too close together. I stood in the shop staring at both of the mixers, and didn’t have the sense (or this book) to think to
ask to try them both (even just to twiddle the knobs). I bought the more expensive, better fea- tured one of course, and assumed that the guy in the magazine must have fat hands.
The first time I accidentally hit the wrong switch the magazine review came crashing back into my mind! There’s nothing like the silence of accidentally switching over to the line input to make you really regret some choices.
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You need to be happy that you’ve made the right choice with your purchase, especially if you’re spending a month’s worth of wages. A salesperson wants to make a sale, that much is true, but he or she still wants to help you buy the right equipment so you’ll come back to that shop for more when you need it.
Immediate gratification
I don’t know if having immediate gratification is important to you, but it sure is for me. If I buy something, I want it now. I want to be able to take it away with me and use it as soon as I get home.
If the piece of equipment I want is only a small amount extra in a shop, and if I’m really jazzed about getting it, I’d much rather go into a shop, buy it, and take it home there and then, than have to sit at home the next day hoping that every car that drives past the house is the delivery dude.
Opting for online shopping
Whether you use a shop that also sells online or an online reseller that doesn’t actually hold any stock, you can expect dramatic price drops from online stores. With so many Web sites trying to get your business, a bit of patience and comparison can save you money.
Most sites have fantastic customer support and are really good at answering customers’ questions via e-mail. However, the drawback to online shopping is that you can’t have a face-to-face conversation and get answers immediately to your myriad questions. Although some Web sites offer live Web-chat or telephone assistance to try to get around this hurdle, they can’t compete with you being able to walk around a store with a salesperson.
Ironically, even though an Internet store can seem faceless and anonymous, their after-sales customer service is usually as good if not better than high- street stores. An online shop is only as good as its reputation, and when shoppers start writing bad things, other people listen. The DJ community is a tight-knit one, and online stores need to avoid causing ill feelings, word of which can then spread like wildfire.
In addition to great customer service and attractive prices, Internet stores enable you to build your own package in an attempt to lure you away from high-street stores. A packageis where the store offers you the turntables (or CD decks) and a mixer together at a reduced price. High-street shops typi- cally can’t mix-and-match packages quite so freely due to stock limitations.
They can order other equipment in for you, but if you have to wait anyway, you may as well go online and get it cheaper!
Whether they physically hold the stock or not, Internet stores have access to every piece of kit available, which opens up the possibility to get any
combination of turntable or CD deck and mixer you can think of. With access to an equally large range of headphones, amplifiers, cables, needles, and so on, the choice and price you can get online if you already know what you want to buy is really attractive.
A number of manufacturers sell their own combinations of decks and mixer and aim them at beginner DJs. In my opinion, Numark’s DJ in a Box and Gemini’s Scratch Master package are affordable, convenient ways to buy basic kit on a small budget. The downside to these packages is that you may outgrow it when your DJ skills demand more functions to help you work with the music. The safest option is to arm yourself with research and build your own package.
Many people are going into the high-street DJ store and asking all the right questions, finding out the best equipment for their use, and then buying it all online through a cheaper store. There’s no rule against it, just morals, and a little dent in your karma. (My Karma ran over my Dogma a long time ago though.) And if your local high-street store goes out of business, who are you going to talk to then?
Buying Second-hand
The advantage of buying your DJ gear second-hand is that you get a better standard of equipment for your money. Rather than you having to buy a basic set of decks and mixer brand new, you can afford a better second-hand set.
The disadvantage is that you don’t know how well the kit has been treated.
You can find some key things to look out for when buying second-hand later in this chapter because you can never be too sure that the turntables haven’t spent the last 10 years of their use being drowned in beer and cigarette ash!
You can use three different places to source your second-hand equipment:
Classified adverts in newspapers and shop windows Pawn shops
Auction Web sites
Scanning newspapers
Newspaper classified sections have been hit pretty hard by auction Web sites over recent years, with less items being entered for sale. Fortunately, because not as many people look at newspaper second-hand sections anymore, there’s less of a chance that someone else spots and buys your dream DJ setup before you do. Also, because items in newspapers are normally sold at a fixed price
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