Mono Records

Mono is a great example of a slightly curated record shop that gets it right — good prices, no gouging a la Fingerprints, Port of Sound, Factory etc…
Collection is pretty small and the classifications are a little mystifying, but what the shop lacks in size it makes up for informed selection. The owner clearly wants to make sales and not sit on a bunch of records on wall that don’t turn over cuz he is charging eBay prices (cough cough…)
Parking/​driving to the shop is pretty tortuous, and for some reason the shop smells like stale smoke hence the missing 5^th star.

Best Prices. Best Selection. Any record I have ever bought, I have found here for cheaper after !

I travel alot and shop at record stores all over Europe and the US. This is the best. Been a customer for years. The prices are so good, so fair. I have never once felt overcharged – almost always undercharged.
There just aren’t many left where you can still walk in and actually get a deal on a sick used record. Just one example – a great original copy of The Replacements’ Let It Be for 30 clams. Plays perfect. Thank you.

A great record shop. It’s mainly used vinyl, they also have cassettes as well as a couple of amps/​turntables, etc. The focus is on Jazz, Soul, Country, Reggae and Rock with a lot of well priced albums. Well worth the visit.

Such a rad record store for the tiny space that its at. Lots of great selections for a really good price. Plus there’s also a listening booth so you can test out yr choices. I dig that the record store owner (or employee) is pretty chill and does not keep on asking you if you need help every 5 minutes like some record stores. This is the kind of record store you wanna take time and browse through EVERYTHING and also you might wanna avoid if you are trying to save money becoz its going to make you wanna spend all that money on some sweet vinyl. And yes it is worth it!

My go to place for my vinyl fix! John is very knowledgeable and helpful with finding what I need. If you’re in LA check it out! None of that new American Apparel new reissue shit, here you’ll find early, to original presses! Happy digging!

Rad record store. For its small size it has a pretty eclectic variety of stuff, suits my tastes. Good amount of dollar records as well. If your a digger, go here.

This place is dope! Found so much stuff

I really like Mono records. It’s so small yet it has a ton of stuff packed in there. Not packed in there like some pack rat/​hermit vinyl spots where there’s errant rat turds all over, but nicely and neatly packed in there. I appreciate the listening stations and the owner that’s there to help but also leaves you the shit alone as you’re scouring for what you’re looking for.
I live in Orange County and I don’t record shop here. Firstly, it’s all hipsters that are overpaying for the goddamn TomTom Club or Gary Numan because that’s what some German magazine article printed that Kurt Cobain was intrigued by, one summer in 1989. Secondly, there is this weird suspect vibe from the owners out here, kind of like a «hey darkie, you just gonna listen to the records all day or you wanna buy something?»
That, my friends, is why I choose Mono. Parking sucks and it’s 35 miles from my doorstep but I make that trek when I have spare cash because I can shop and scour in silence and then be on my way.

Good selection of classic rock, although I took most of the good ones so good luck to the others who also like classics. Owner is very friendly and gave me some suggestions and also the prices are fair. The records I purchased are not in perfect condition, but they still sound great and have the crackles and pops that most vinyl enthusiasts look for, which sort of gives them a bit of novelty. Most people won’t appreciate the heritage that a record store can provide, but it’s a really great time to start a collection because many people are deciding to sell their old records. Personally I would never sell these, I’d probably just pass them on to my kids or give em away once I’m older for younger generations to learn from the history. Anyway I’m just glad this store exists and thanks to the lovely owner who decided to share these lovely gems of the past life for a very nominal fee. The only way this shop could be better is if he was giving away the records but nevertheless I’m content with the deal I was able to get here. I’m currently listening to the turtles greatest hits LP right now… so good :)

Like many records stores I’ve visited this area offers a lot of rock options, oldies, and other genres and that makes it a great place (in my opinion) to browse through and see what you can find. The staff is helpful and willing to help out whenever you have questions regarding their catalogue. The prices are stellar and completely reasonable. You get your used vinyl for an average of $ 5-​$ 10 and that’s awesome if you, like me, are trying to be frugal about your bank account.
My only complaint however is the organization. Yea plenty of the selections they have have labeled stencils that show you the artist but for some reason I had hard trying to find a few records that peaked my interest with the said stencils! Going through the «New Arrivals» section is a bit dense (they have 4 big crate-​shelves) and could use some proper organizing. It’s not a complaint but more of a suggestions I guess.

Here you’re guaranteed to leave with a grin on your face. Stellar selection of soul, funk and jazz and very, very reasonable prices. One of my favorite things about Mono is that the owner is not afraid to put imperfect records in the store so for example you can buy a record that would sell for say $ 60 someplace else, you can buy a VG– copy here for $ 10. And you can expect to pay 50% less on anything here than what other L.A. stores charge. Mono rocks! Don’t miss it!

Mono rules. Awesome selection, good prices. My favorite record store out of all the new-​ish crop of record stores in the northwest L.A. area.

Incredible record collection. I will definitely be shopping for vinyl at Mono Records very often.

dope ass spot. solid selection, especially the reggae this week.
Fairly priced items, i walked out with gems.

Favorite record store in LA. Records are priced to move and the collection is well curated and constantly changing.

One of the best record shops in LA.
Its small, but carries an incredible selection of classic rock, jazz and soul records. I’ve been to a lot of places around LA, big and small, Amoeba, Vacation, High Fidelity, Rockaway… Mono Records tops them all. The prices are very reasonable and its a great place to hang out with other record lovers.
This is what all record stores should be like. Not the overpriced, underwhelming shops circulating LA, but a genuine place with great variety and decent prices. Bravo guys.

Great little record store.
No pretentious vinyl mafia hipster scum here. The dude behind the counter is pleasant. The selection is great for the limited amount of space.
Parking is usually doable on the street next to the shop.
Prices are fair.

1) Cassettes! They have maybe a couple hundred tapes on racks by the back counter, so don’t miss ‘em if you collect. Everything $ 2 except sealed $ 4 and a few as marked.
2) Reggae: A really admirable collection, two fat bins’ worth, mostly roots and dub, all pretty damn affordable. They also have a couple boxes of reggae 45s; unlike everywhere else (except Blue Bag), they’re not all dancehall/​digi but have a lot of roots and even rocksteady in there. Totally worth a dig.
3) Parking. I finally figured out how to deal with the one thing I hate about this store, its very tricky access. I had always parked around the corner on Branden; since it dead-​ends you’re forced to use Glendale Blvd to access the store. Traffic dumps out of the southbound 2 terminus in an endless stream onto Glendale, so getting in and out of Branden is always a chore.
Anyway, today I parked two blocks away on Duane, opposite the «Tommy LaSorda Field of Dreams» Playground. Because of the construction site between Duane and Clifford, it may not look like it, but you can walk from Duane over to Mono, either thru the site or via a hidden walkway right along Glendale (it’s actually shown on Google Maps). When you’re done, you can just take Waterloo to Glendale N; there’s a stoplight, so it’s a cinch. Traffic averted!
(Edit: Amazingly, there’s a pedestrian underpass beneath Glendale Blvd. at Clifford. So if you’re headed northbound, you can park on the east side of Glendale or up Clifford, and use the underpass to cross safely over to Mono.)

The «commercial» resurgence of vinyl records has not only resulted in the proliferation of record stores, but also in the ridiculous escalation of prices. When I discussed this with John, the owner of MONO Records, he seemed annoyed.
«That should drive prices down – not up,» he said. «That’s what I keep telling everyone.»
I could not agree more, especially as I have seen, in the last two years of record collecting, that he has maintained prices affordable in all genres. Although my main interest is Jazz, I have started a small classic rock collection because of MONO Records. How could one refuse Rolling Stones, Beatles or Doors records from the dollar section? Pink Floyd’s «The Wall» for eleven dollars, anyone?
When I asked John about his practice of placing Beatles records in the bargain section while other shops call them «rare» and try to squeeze the most money out of potential buyers, he said: «I refuse to sell records at inflated prices, especially something as mass-​produced as the Beatles.» He added that this practice keeps the stock moving, because people simply buy the records. Since I visit almost on a weekly basis, I can corroborate that those records you wished you would have bought during your previous visit have been purchased (like that Albert Ayler «In Greenwich Village» for less than thirty, near mint. SMH!).
I never leave without at least one gem from the Jazz section. Somehow, John seems to get a hold of incredible records from uncommon labels such as Timeless, Steeplechase, BYG or Inner City, not to mention Impulse! or Blue Note. He also buys records at more than decent prices, especially for store credit. He has held records for me for a week and has been able to find some rare ones (For example, an original pressing of Last Exit’s debut album at less than the current reissue price). The store is clean and organized, it has TWO listening stations, the music is eclectic (in terms of selection and playing while shopping), and the possibilities to find a great record at still AFFORDABLE prices is very likely.
No wonder I keep coming back and most of my collection comes from this store.