I have also found that records purchased at a Goodwill store, if they appear to be in good condition will play and sound quite good, despite not knowing what they were played on previously

Regarding context, I have no plans to purchase any new record, not at $25.00 and up, so I am really going tp play my 400 + record collection of 50 years, which, though in good to very good condition, I would not consider pristine and therefore not warranting an expensive cartridge