You spin me right round, baby, right round Like a record, baby, right round, round, round by Dead or Alive Spin Records is one of our better record shops in North County San Diego. Old school, but old and new music is available and if you are looking for something, they may hold it or order it for you. For those of us who grew up in the 80's and 90's, we saw vinyl die and come alive again. It is still my preference for music at home and it is an extra plus if the lp also had the downloadable device option. Every year I attempt to head out to Record Store Day (RSD). My goal is to pick up unique items that have never been released, but more than anything, those 80's and 90's albums that were only made on CD. After a three hour wait in line this year, with only 380 different releases and only 3000 stores in the country with offerings, I came home with everything on my list, but one item out of stock. A total win. Five stars for variety and good set up outside to make shopping effiient. My only suggestion is to get a couple food trucks and dj or live music in the parking lot, playing something chill. #SpinRecords #Carlsbad #RSD #FortheWin read more

Spin Records - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Spin Records was recommended to me by a vinyl collector, so I had a feeling it would be great. And it is! I could tell it would be great when I stepped inside and immediately felt that cramped feeling of being surrounded by haphazardly organized records, CDs, 45s, cassette tapes, 8-track cartridges, band t-shirts, VHS, DVDs, magazines and the like. All of the things for a music lover are contained in this small record shop. I visited with a budding music lover, and he told me that Spin is one of the best record stores that he's ever visited. So, there's that! He found one of his favorite Kanye West albums in CD format, and even though we don't have a CD player, I let him buy it. Maybe someday, we'll find a CD player and he'll get to listen to it. I really loved going through all of the band t-shirts and 'zines that Spin had lying around. There are little pockets of treasures everywhere you look here. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a restroom for customers! The people who work here are very friendly and helpful, but blessedly, they stay out of the way and let you just browse in peace. read more

Small shop, great stuff. They have vinyl, cassettes, and more CDs than I think I have seen just about anywhere outside of Amoeba Records in L.A. The prices were very reasonable. It may be a small store but there are some legitimate gems to be found here if you have some time to browse. There aren't many of these types of places still around. This is a very cool shop for music lovers. read more

Spin Records - Vinyl, cassettes, tons of CDs. If you love music, check them out. - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Ive been to Spin Records a bunch of times and it feels like an authentic record shop! You are surrounded by all forms of music(records, CDs, cassettes) and all genres(rock, hip hop, etc). They even have VHS tapes. Reminds me of a very compact Amoeba records. I like Spin because they have a mix of the obscure stuff along with the big albums that everyone wants. Pricing is fine and they have to pay for their great location somehow. I like the discount records in the back. Some really obscure stuff. Whenever I'm in the village will usually walk over to Spin after getting food at one of the many awesome spots. My favorite is GONZO(see review). read more

Spin Records - Purchases from Spin Records - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Love this place they have such a good collection of music . I enjoy coming here good merchandise too read more

Spin Records is on Grand Ave in downtown Carlsbad. They pack a lot of vinyl records and CDs in a compact small space. It's very popular. We were specifically looking for some jazz records and the jazz selection was minimal. Overall pretty eclectic otherwise. The staff seemed friendly and helpful. read more

See all

Overall the worst record store in San Diego if I'm being honest (the list is short). From price to selection and size of the store, Spin records is definitely the smallest offering in the area. I would say only about 20% of all of their records are worth even looking at. On top of this, they don't buy records, can only do store credit. read more

Waited in line for 4 hrs during RSD and will do it again. The place is just full of vinyl records from every famous singers/bands one can think of. The people that work there are very friendly and helpful. It's always the place we visit when we're just walking around Carlsbad. read more

Amazing record store, got a couple of my first records here. Almost the entire store is dedicated to rock and pop music, amazing colored editions too!! Staff is cool, patches, cds, cassettes, and posters in stock too! And all records are fairly priced in my experience. Will 100% be coming back when I'm in the area! read more

Really cool store for CD's and a huge selection of stickers of all types! Great vibes and employees are very knowledgeable and friendly. Even tried helping me find a similar store I thought I had been to *before* I bought anything (I did buy stuff LoL) read more

Awesome staff with a large CD and vinyl collection spanning different genres and countries. Also used DVDs, VHSs, cassettes and more! Long live physical media! read more

Amazing selection for a place this tiny. their unique method of CD display allows them to really pack the racks with an amazing amount of stuff. The manager was very nice and super helpful, and they have a restroom for customers which is super helpful when you are going to spend two hours browsing. and I found some great stuff there at reasonable prices. I'll definitely be back. read more

Awesome little shop packed to the gills with musical goods. All kinds of options, studio and street releases. Rare stuff and main stream stuff. More than you could possibly go through in a day. Definitely worth the visit. read more

This is definitely the coolest record store in Olive Carlsbad! They have everything from T-shirts to incense candles. I highly recommend stopping by. read more

Spin Records - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Incredibly nice folks and amazing selection of new and used records, CDs and more. A must visit shop for fans of all music, new and collectors alike. One of my favorite shops to frequent. Theres always something to take home from Spin. Support the local shops, this is one of the best! read more

Love my LRS. Can spend hours in here - but I can never leave empty handed! The staff is awesome - it shows they really love music and will go out of their way to help you find what you're looking for. Always buy local! read more

Accessibility: there is a ramp to get up to the store but once you are there, it is not wheelchair accessible Inside at all. The store isles are so thin I barely fit through walking. I had to pass by another person at one point and my body literally touched theirs because we could not fit through without touching. No way a wheelchair would make it through here. I am an ambulatory wheelchair user so I know. It is also very loud inside with the music turned up high, so if you need a more quiet environment, bring ear plugs. Masks: some of the employees wear masks and some don't. Most guests now are not wearing masks, but I have seen some wear them (as of 4-10-22). Experience: one of the records I bought here skips on the two record players I have so I called the store and let them know. A really nice woman answered and told me I can come return it for store credit or they can order me a new one! Wow, fantastic service! This is what makes a record store great. When I came in to talk with them about this record, a woman named Sara was incredibly helpful and kind. Thanks so much! I really appreciate this. I will definitely be back to support a business that is nice to their customers. read more

See all

Everyone is very nice and helpful. They have a lot of vinyl records and CDs and some collectibles and stickers.

Really great record selection for such a small location. Service is great and offer relatively fair prices for records you might want to bring in to sell. read more

One of the few used CD stores that has any sort of character and old-school vibe (these places are a dying breed, but we CD/record fans do exist). They have a nice mix of stuff, I judge places based on their mix of contemporary/avant garde classical and old classics and there was a modest but interesting collection of stuff, enough to make me happy. Prices were a little more than most used CD stores I have raided but happy to pay it for the interesting products and cool store (goth/pop kitsch themes) read more

See all

Holy Mother Lode. This is the REAL DEAL. Bins n bins of new and awesome vinyl. YESSSS! This store did some serious damage to my financial well being. Happy to support. Everything you need. You will find. Awesome staff. Best selection. Get over here. read more

Spin Records - Spin Records. - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

This was my first visit and found some great vinyl. I'll be back for sure. Not sure why Sade was so expensive. Are they original releases? And the lowest prices seem to be around 28 bucks so come prepared. read more

We were up in the area for a staycation. I convinced my family to let me quickly check out this record shop. "Quickly" ha. Dug around for a bit and left with a few records and a shirt. Decent selection and great staff. Prices were reasonable for the stuff (I had my discogs wantlist up while digging around). Definitely worth a stop when in the area. read more

A small but epic record shop that has been around for over 40 years. The staff are knowledgeable and their selection of new and used records is great. Their costs are very reasonable and it definitely offers great value with some definite gems. read more

Absolutely my favorite record store. They have so much to offer from a huge selection of new and used vinyl and cd's and everything else from posters, memorabilia, incense, and tchotchkes. All of the staff seem very knowledgeable and can easily help you to find what you are looking for. The pricing is reasonable, but not the cheapest. I would definitely recommend visiting this store if you are a music lover. Not many around like it! read more

Small store overflows ng with inventory! Friendly curious staff with an excellent selection of records and other swag!

As a collector and DJ, I love this place. Crazy selection from all genres. Insider tip: don't forget to look under the main shelves. The stash below the shelves have a ton of gems. read more

Selection was great, the store wasn't all that inviting. I appreciate all of the album covers were preserved, what was frustrating was the vinyl was removed from the jackets, even with the new releases. I guess I don't understand, maybe management can enlighten me. read more

Tiny place with a huge selection. I was impressed with CD selection. I prefer CDs and they're getting harder to find.

Selection? Yes. Value? Yes. Service? Of course. You just have to go in pretending you no longer serve the tv world. Because the tv world is dead read more

Nice selection of records I haven't seen at my local record shop in Salt Lake City. I visit this shop every time I'm in Oceanside. Twice this year. read more

They appear to have a good selection, but EVERYTHING "NEW" is OPENED. ive never heard of that. Maybe its a california thing but new is new and when its open it's used. When I walked in i thought this is going to be a 3hr deal , but nah. I cant buy a new album thats been handled by someone other than the packager and me. If you dont mind your steak precut before it gets to your table then by all means. This is your store. 2 stars is for apparent selection. No 5 stars as they are selling used albums as new prices. if you by a car and tow it to your house. And never driven. It will always be used. this place is a jip. read more

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I stepped from the bright southern California sunshine into the relative shadows of the inside of Spin Records. As I glanced around the room I saw narrow rows filled with new and used records as well as new and used CDs and even some cassette tapes. The walls weren't there for decoration. They were lined top to bottom with shelves full of concert VHS and DVD videos. You want Guns N' Roses in Rio? It was there. Kiss Alive? It was there too, along with many others. I spent some time browsing through the vinyl. I saw a good amount of records that spawned a decent amount of genres. All of the new stuff was current and the store had a small sign highlighting some of the upcoming releases too. Some of the used stuff leaned a little toward the surf, rockabilly and even punk rock lifestyles. You could find plenty of rock n' roll and oldies too, but this makes sense given the store's location and Carlsbad's beach town attitude. This is a bonafide record store that I highly recommend to those of you with good taste. read more

Spin Records - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I love record stores-it's not often that I have a negative experience in one. That said, this easily ranks near the very top of my list. First of all, their assortment of vinyl is wide and detailed. Secondly, their prices are really great. But the element of paramount importance is their staff: the young woman working there helped me figure out how to prioritize my vast vinyl desires from several angles and was able to tell me how practical it would be to find certain pressings over others. The gentleman there was also very helpful and friendly. I can't wait to come back. read more

Once in a while I'll grab a used LP here. They do have a good selection, but, like some other reviewers, I can't get past the way they keep the actual record or disc behind the counter. Prices are top of market and usually a few bucks more than Lou's -- again, for an album that has been opened and the disc stored somewhere else. The jazz section has a lot of discs from the DOL label, which are said to be Russian bootlegs of famous albums. Like I said, I've gotten a few used gems out of the "recent arrivals" bin, but that's it for me. read more

Bought a Tool record here for nine dollars, this is the place you go to buy all the music which is not on iTunes or other digital platforms. They have thousands of record here, Five Stars !!! read more

See all

This is our go to stop for vintage or eclectic music when we're in the Carlsbad area. We stopped in looking for something to add to our record collection. Looking for some reggae we picked 1982 Live at the Roxy Gregory Isaacs LP and a Rebelution album, because we love Rebelution. They have a good selection of LP's, not a ton of reggae but carry many genres from vintage to current music. read more

Spin Records - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I agree with other reviewers that posted about the place being a bit pricey. What I did dig was the sheer volume of product.....DVD's, VHS tapes, vinyl, cd's, shirts, incense, stickers, buttons, patches......LOTS of cool products. It's not part of some mega chain....it's a standalone building with plenty of parking, packed to the gills with interesting stuff to peruse. If you are a vinyl hound, it is worth the time to check it out. I picked up three old skool 1" pinback buttons(Kittie, Transplants and Cannibal Corpse) a SciDi patch, an Adicts patch, two shop stickers and a pack of those incense matches that are just quirky and fun. The staff was helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. Would go back, and thought it was worth the trip over from where I was at in Escondido. read more

Spin Records - Schwag counter at Spin Records, decent prices for some very tasty promotional merch. - Electronics Near Me - Carlsbad, California

It's a record store so automatically two for me... no such thing as a bad one... and the staff is amazing... they'd get five stars but I'm here for the music... so having said that tho the way they store their albums is atrocious... Many of the album sleeves are strait up creased in half... A quarter of the selves are (G) to (G+), those sitting in the front of the bin... a quarter are (VG) to (VG+), maybe ones that have been flipped through for a while, with no reinforcement from the vinyl having been removed but not at the mercy of being at the front of the overpacked bins. Second best case scenario is a fresh release on the floor, not in the front and not subject being flipped through for a while and those are still only (NM) to (NM-) having already been opened... hopefully it has a blue dot in the corner indicating there's an unopened one behind the counter, maybe again the top quarter of their stock... that's your only shot at a (M) album.. so lame... such crap... and overpriced to boot for the half of their stock that is going to be worth 10-25% of the sticker when you walk out the door... again 10% more expensive for something that's going to be worth a tenth of a mint copy... to a collector this translates to a no go on almost all... credit where credit is due, they do carry a ton of unofficial presses... those are $40- $60 generally but that's the market for bootlegs... so they better be cherry... Other than that since moving the hip-hop/rap to the front of the store, the problem of poor condition became much worse... so while they do have a great stock, it's only because they're overpriced and the "me" buyers out there aren't buying.. IE the ones with a dozen cubbies at home... guess it's the tourists... I have no problem going on the internet and not supporting a mom and pop for this reason... they could find a better solution to theft... sorry not sorry read more

Great service, excellent selections. Staff was very helpful. The place was packed for 4th so f July weekend but they found a way to manage everything and help everyone, while remaining friendly & helpful. Left with about a dozen records, 3 that were on my hard to find list. read more