B+P F.A.Q.



1.1 What is a B+P?
1.2 How do I find a trader?
1.3 How do I contact a trader?
1.4 What do I need for a B+P?
1.5 What do I do with the things I have?
1.6 What kind of media should I send?
1.7 Why is it taking so long?
1.8 What to do if it is taking a long time:
1.9 What NOT to do if it is taking a long time:
1.10 Some other Helpful Hints:


What is a B+P?
B+P stands for BLANKS and POSTAGE. You send blanks cds or tapes to a trader with proper return postage and they will be happy to burn a show or two for you.
How do I find a trader for a B+P?
Well there are many sites you can go to in order to find traders willing to B+P:

Get Taped Up @ Nancies.org, Concert Trades Search (Can search by date and venue)

How do I contact a trader?
Well there a a few things to remember when contacting a trader for a B+P. First, you need to notice that the trader is acutally gaining nothing from your b+p so be nice, and be courteous. Second, tell him what shows you would like, ask him to please respond with an answer. If a trader says no then you just have to keep going. There are many of traders who are willing to help a newbie out. If he is willing to do a b+p however, you are obviously going to need his address. So if he didnt give it to you then you need to ask. Remember his email address also, so if something goes wrong you can contact him.
What do I need for a b+p?
  • 2 Padded Envelopes, one small and one larger so the smaller one will fit into the larger one. Buy them from Wal-mart or another office store so that they arent $1.50 from the post office. The larger one also does not have to be padded, but you run a higher risk of damaging the contents.
  • 2 blank cd-r's.
  • 1 Note
  • Something to write with.
What do I do with the things I have?
  1. Address the small padded envelope to yourself.
  2. Address the larger envelope to the trader who is burning your shows.
  3. Write a note on the piece of paper with the date and venue of the show, your return address, and your email address.
  4. Place the note in the padded envelope
  5. Place the blank cds or tapes in the small padded envelope, DO NOT seal it!
  6. IMPORTANT: Include proper return postage for your package. You know the price of postage is a little high, so don't just put a 33 cent stamp on there. Remember theres no such thing as more then enough. Check these websites for prices: United States Postal Service, UPS, Federal Express
  7. Put the small padded envelope in the larger envelope, and seal it.
  8. Mail entire package to the trader.
What kind of Media should I send?
Of course, with different types of media, there will be some types that are signifigantly better then others. If you are trading with analog tapes, the best media is, Maxell XL II's, which provide the best transfer, without losing any sound quality. If you are trading with video tapes, the best media is, Maxell Hi-Fi tapes, or any other HI-FI tapes. If you are trading with CD-R's, there is no real perfect media. You should ask the trader what kind of cd his burner accepts, and you should send him that kind. Normally, don't send generic cd's, they have a better chance of getting errors, and sometimes Maxell CD-R's don't copy well on some burners.
Why is it taking so long??
First off, MOST traders take a while to burn your cd's. Traders are busy with trades, which are there first proirity, then trees, which are their second, then B+P's. So if it is taking around a month, thats not bad. Some traders like me, can't stand to have stuff lying around, so I send a.s.a.p. But if a month or so passes bye, you might have a problem.
What to do if it is taking a long time:
If it is taking over a month or so heres what to do:
  1. Try contacting the trader via email. Be nice and courteous, and ask him why there are any delays, and if there is any way you can help to speed up the process. If he does respond to your emails, then you know you're in good shape. Just wait and they will come in time.
  2. If he does respond to your emails, then you should try to contact him again.
  3. If you have tried to contact him and he does not reply, then you should wait, but not keep your hopes up, because you might have been had.
  4. Find a webpage that you can post onto and put him on there as a bad trader.
What NOT to do if it is taking a long time:
Since there are certain things you should do, like wise there are things you should not do:
  • Don't write a screaming cursing email to the trader, not only will he not copy your shows, you might get a bad rap as a trader.
  • Don't put a post on a mailing list saying I hate this trader we need to ban him from trading for life, because theres nothing more annoying then someone who whines, and takes up bandwidth.
  • Don't send the guy more cd's!!!! The dumbest thing you can do.
  • Don't do anything stupid.
Some other helpful things:
  • Include the return postage for the padded envelope, some people prefer it to already be on the padded envelope, other's prefer cash; find out!
  • Always ask a trader before sending them tapes for a B&P
  • If the show is only one tape or you are getting multiple shows, then include that number of tapes instead of two


© 1999
Xtremedmb & Xtreme4747
Last Updated: 8.21.99