I choose to use + signs. Because everyones perception of the grades differs a bit I try to be more fine tuned to better describe each 45. I use 5 grades in between VG+ and NM/M-. They are VG+, VG+ to VG++, VG++, VG++ to NM and NM/M-. This may be excessive (let me know what you think) but I used to be a collector of sports cards which, if you can believe, is much more ticky about grading than records. The grading companies for those use 20 individual grades (1-10 with .5 intervals). Since switching to this more detailed grading system, I have have had very very few complaints about my grading. As said previously...I always grade the vinyl seperate from the label and try to put a sound clip of every more expensive record up.