Buying CD’s and Vinyl online can be daunting because of all the abbreviations that are used by sellers of music, especially collectable music.

Here is a list of most commonly used abbreviations and what they tend to stand for.

Abbreviation Full Name + Notes (in Brackets)

2CD Double CD
2LP Double LP
2P Second Pressing
3LP/4LP Triple/Quadrouple LP
45 45 RPM Record (Also known as 7 Inch Single)
78 78 RPM Record
AC Acetate – The first item pressed to test the quality
alt Alternative
B/W Backed With
B & W Black and White
bk back
bl Blistering (vinyl has bubbled)
bo Book, booklet
BOC Bend on Cover
Boot Bootleg half abbreviation, half slang a bootleg is usually unreleased or live material. A illegal copy of an existing record is called a Pirated copy.
B/S Box Set
BSS Bottom Seam split
BTC Bent corner
cass Cassette
cassing Cassette Single
Cat No or Cat # Catalogue Number
CC Cut Corner (a Cut Out or promo item)
CD Compact Disc
CD sing Compact Disc Single
CD3 3" Compact Disc Single
CD5 5" Compact Disc Single
CDR, CD-R CD Recordable
CD-RW CD Re-writable
CDs CD single (size not defined)
cnr Corner
Co Company (Usually refers to sleeve)
CO Cut Out (type of cut out not specified) Used since the 80’s for promo items and deletions.
CODH Cut Out Drill hole
comp Compilation
COPH Cut Out Punch Hole
COH Cut Out Hole
C/P Cut out Punch
cust Custom
Cvr Cover
CW Cover Wear/Worn
DAT digital Audio Tape
dbl, dble Double
DC Discoloration (on label or sleeve)
DCC Digital Compact Cassette
Del Deleted ( This means that the record label will not manufacture this release until further notice)
Demo Demonstration Copy
DHL Drill hole Through Label
DJ Disc Jockey (Usually in reference to a promo copy for DJ’s)
DVD Digital Video Disc
DVD-A Audio DVD
edn Edition
EP Extended Play
EW Edge Warp (rarely used)
EX Excellent, refers to the condition of record
ext Extended
F Fair, refers to the condition of record
flexi, Flx Flexi Disc
FOC Fold out Cover
FOS Fold out Sleeve
G Good, refers to the condition of record
g/f, g/fold, GF Gatefold
HCRW Heavy Cover Ring Wear
Imp Import
inst Instrumental
ind Indie
intl International
LE Limited Edition
Ltd Limited Edition
LP Long Playing Record
LPR Later Pressing (Not original)
M Mint (perfect), Refers to the condition of record
mag Magazine
MB Minimum bid
M/C Music Cassette (tape)
MD Mini disc
NM Near Mint, Refers to the condition of record
NCR No Cover
No, # Number
No'd Numbered
NOC No Original Centre (mainly old European 45s with push out middles)
Obi Original Band Intact (refers to paper band on Japanese LPs)
OOP Out of print (Release is not yet deleted, but the record company is currently not manufacturing it)
Orig, ORG Original (pressing)
OSP One Sided Pressing
P Poor, Refers to the of record (Rarely Used)
p/c, PC Picture Cover (pretty much the same as picture sleeve!)
p/s, PS Picture Sleeve
PD, pic disc Picture Disc
PO Poster
prog Progressive
Promo, PR Promotional Copy
Quad Quadrophonic
RE, RI Re-Issue
RE-R Re Release
Rmx Remix
RPM Revolutions per minute
RS / GS Rubber stamped / Gold stamped
RW, R/W Ring Wear
SACD Super Audio CD
SC Saw Cut (a form of cut out)
SCR Scratch (the record is scratched.
S/face, Sface Surface
Slv sleeve
Sm Small
Pirate Illegal copies of officially released recordings.
SOFC Sticker on Front Cover
SOL Sticker on label
SS Seam split (usually happens when distributor or manufacturer ships item
S/S Still Sealed
ST Stereo
stkr sticker
stkrd, stkred, STK stickered
SW Shrink Wrapped
TOBC Tear on Back Cover
TOFC Tear on Front Cover
TOIC Tear on Inside cover
TOL Tear on Label t/p, TP Test Pressing Tpl, Trpl Triple
TS Tape Seam (Repaired with cellotape)
TSS Top Seam split
UNP Unplayed, Refers to the condition of record
Vid Video
VG Very Good, Refers to the condition of record
WD Water Damage
w/ With
w/l WL White Label
Warp, WRP Warped
WOC Writing on Cover
WOFC Writing on front cover
WOIC Writing on Inside cover
WOL Writing on Label
WOS Writing on Sleeve
WP, WPD Warp, Warped
zine Fanzine

My music store with very few abbreviations:)

Rare and brand new music from all over the world

Some advise on grading records: Still Sealed (S/S)
The record is still factory sealed, and should be in mint condition check the condition without breaking the seal!

MINT (M)
The record is as new. The cover and any inserts should be in perfect condition.

EXCELLENT PLUS (EX+)
The record is near mint; there is no damage or visible surface marking. Under Bright Light you may see fine lines on the record, caused by rubbing on the paper sleeve, the cover and inserts are undamaged.

EXCELLENT (EX)
The record shows some signs of having been played, possibly with light surface marks or fingerprints but there is no appreciable lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing due to storage.

EXCELLENT MINUS (EX-)
There may be fairly visible surface markings under bright light but the sound quality if the record is not adversely affected. The cover and inserts may have noticeable light creasing or "foxing" due to dampness or storage, but they are all present and intact.

VERY GOOD (VG)
The record has obviously been played a lot, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality despite surface marks and some light scratches. The cover may be creased a little and/or frayed at the opening.

GOOD (G)
The record has been played so much that the sound quality has been affected noticeably, perhaps with some distortion and clicks due to scratches. You should primarily use this classification for picture discs, where the sound deteriorates more quickly. The cover and inserts may be folded, have minor tears and/or splits at the edges.

FAIR (F)
This is the lowest grading mainly for records that are so hard to find that any copy will do. The record is still just playable, but has not looked after there is a lot surface noise, it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced, possibly with bits missing.

POOR
Don’t buy this mail order; you must see it before deciding to buy! The record may no longer play properly due to the damage. The cover will be folded or torn and probably incomplete. Enjoy buying and selling music.

My music store with very few abbreviations.

Rare and brand new music from all over the world