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Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 01:23
by bonzo
If I am posting this in the wrong category please forgive me. So tonight I sat down to listen to Zeppelin. houses on the holy. I’ve mentioned in the past this is my least favorite album, however this pressing is one that is “sample copy Not for sale”. I’ve learned this is a rather early pressing and I have to say, Wow! This sounds great! So, my question.. where could a huge Zeppelin and Pink Floyd fan go to obtain earlier pressings? I’ve also read that the statement “but the album from the country the band is from” applied to many but not Zeppelin. My goal would be to purchase a few albums (not the unplayed, sealed) crazy price ones, but ones that significantly outperform my current copies. Not looking to collect, not concerned with bent corners on album cover.. just looking for more music. I hope that made sense.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 02:42
by markiteight
Have you tried https://www.discogs.com ? It's been the best resource I've found so far. They even break down each album into the different pressings so you can search for exactly what you want.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 03:17
by bonzo
Thanks so much for your quick response. I find it difficult to identify/filter which copy for sale is actually an earlier pressing. Suggestions?

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 07:50
by Matteo
+1 for Discogs.

You can also find useful information regarding which version of an album on the Steve Hoffmann forum.

M.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 08:08
by Spannko
bonzo wrote: 2019-05-02 03:17 Thanks so much for your quick response. I find it difficult to identify/filter which copy for sale is actually an earlier pressing. Suggestions?
They’re listed in date order!

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 08:28
by Charlie1
The ‘buy from country of origin’ advise is perhaps best viewed as a shortcut in place of time consuming online research so long as you know there are many exceptions, Led Zep being a good example. Some exceptions will be down to the album level, not just the band. There are no failsafe hard and fast rules from what I can gather. Research, such as the Hoffman forum Matteo mentioned, is by far the best way but it takes times.

I also use discogs to buy most LPs. Takes a while to get the hang of how best to do things. Quite good cos it will often breaks down popular US releases into the various pressing plants. You have to read the sellers notes though cos some will just stick their items anywhere convenient.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 10:56
by Tendaberry
Another vote for Discogs. I can verify that the early pressings are better. We have done quite a few comparisons over the years. If you want to make sure that it's an early one, go for the "Promo" versions (from the year the record was released). Sometimes, however, there are also promo-versions of re-releases, but avoid these. And for Zeppelin, the US versions are definitely the best ones. Especially good are the Robert Ludwig masterings of II and III, but they command silly prices ($400,- upwards for VG+). I avoid remasters, if at all possible, because they usually screw up the tune and timing.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-05-02 12:23
by Charlie1
+1 ref re-issues.

Can't recall a single re-issue that I prefer yet, or even like that much, apart from much quieter vinyl. The Rhino / Hoffman / Gray version of 'Blue' is quite pleasent but I much prefer my knackered second UK pressing which is nothing special at all.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-07-16 16:49
by nmakowsk
I agree that Robert Ludwig copies of Zep 2 and 3 are pretty scarce and have high demand but I have found many RL copies of Houses of the Holy on original USA pressings. When I attended record shows years ago in Ann Arbor I would find quite a few usually from Presswell plant (PR) or Richmond, Indiana (RI label code). Cost about 20 dollars so not bad and these do sound good. One of the first records I stole from my dad's collection and beat up when I was younger....

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-07-16 21:16
by Ianw
Charlie1 wrote: 2019-05-02 12:23 +1 ref re-issues.

Can't recall a single re-issue that I prefer yet, or even like that much, apart from much quieter vinyl. The Rhino / Hoffman / Gray version of 'Blue' is quite pleasent but I much prefer my knackered second UK pressing which is nothing special at all.
I also have the Rhino pressing and an old pressing. The Rhino is supposed to be superior, but to my ears the standard pressing is more alive and times the music better.

Got to agree that a lot of MOFI’s I have heard are quite dead and flat. MOFI isn’t all it’s racked up to be IMHO; there are far better labels available and original pressings are good provided you can get a nice copy that’s not beat-up.

Although the MOFI One Step Nightfly and Bill Evans are exceptional IMHO. I have both of these, but haven’t heard the other releases.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2019-07-16 21:28
by Ianw
Ianw wrote: 2019-07-16 21:16
Charlie1 wrote: 2019-05-02 12:23 +1 ref re-issues.

Can't recall a single re-issue that I prefer yet, or even like that much, apart from much quieter vinyl. The Rhino / Hoffman / Gray version of 'Blue' is quite pleasent but I much prefer my knackered second UK pressing which is nothing special at all.
I also have the Rhino pressing and an old pressing. The Rhino is supposed to be superior, but to my ears the standard pressing is more alive and times the music better.

Got to agree that a lot of MOFI’s I have heard are quite dead and flat. MOFI isn’t all it’s racked up to be IMHO; there are far better labels available and original pressings are good provided you can get a nice copy that’s not beat-up.

Although the MOFI One Step Nightfly and Bill Evans are exceptional IMHO. I have both of these, but haven’t heard the other releases. Not forgetting The Nightfly is a digital recording.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-27 10:39
by Robert Lake
Many reissues are bad. MoFi is now August 2022 in a class action lawsuit because they did not use the original analoge tapes. Instead they used digatal tapes starting from 2011. In many cases between 2011 to 2014, and even in 2019 they used 64 bits instead of 256 tapes. Some records were sold as expensive high frequency recording though they were based on the 64 bit tape. It is adirty business, like cheap olive oil sold as high quality virgin oil, or italian wines sold abroad from wineyards nobody has heard about.

You can google MoFi class action and read all about it.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-27 15:00
by bonzo
“I agree that Robert Ludwig copies of Zep 2 and 3 are pretty scarce”

I’ve never heard of RL pressing of Zeppelin 3. Could someone please please confirm this. Great album.. I’d love to hear Since I’ve Been
loving You pressed by RL.

Thanks everyone.

Btw I recently acquired Zep 2 RL and it’s night and day!! heck, just visually you can see the heavier/deeper grooves compared to other pressings.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-27 19:04
by tpetsch
bonzo wrote: 2022-08-27 15:00 “I agree that Robert Ludwig copies of Zep 2 and 3 are pretty scarce”

I’ve never heard of RL pressing of Zeppelin 3. Could someone please please confirm this. Great album.. I’d love to hear Since I’ve Been
loving You pressed by RL.

Thanks everyone.

Btw I recently acquired Zep 2 RL and it’s night and day!! heck, just visually you can see the heavier/deeper grooves compared to other pressings.
Friends of mine and me spent quite some time evaluating Zepplin albums and when it came to the RL's they are no doubt very good and fun to listen to but this mainly concerns the Zeppelin "II" RL album but that one can be very pricey now. When it came to the Zep "III" the gem of the bunch amongst all of our copys us was a German Pressing Reissue with the Matrix on the A Side reading "R/S Alsdorf 50002-A3 H".

https://www.discogs.com/release/2713702 ... ppelin-III

But as stated earlier it's rare that a reissue beats out a first press musically speaking, trouble with Zeppelin records is that so many were pressed that it's easy to get one that sounds too laid back, but also kinda by design at the time as record companys didn't want returns due to skipping from deep bass tracks on kids worn out record players as was the case with the Zep II "RL" pressing.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-27 22:29
by Matteo
I have the 2018 RE of LZ I, II, and Presence; they are decent.

Unfortunately, nowadays early pressings are crazily overpriced
IMHO.

M.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-30 12:05
by Tendaberry
For Zep 1 go for the George Piros master from 1972, 1973 or 1974.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-30 14:22
by bonzo
Thanks everyone. I ended up getting a red label Canadian pressing of Zep I and it’s pretty strong, and a good deal.
I still have yet to see anything about a Zep III RL. I’d love to be mistaken!

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-08-31 12:42
by Tendaberry
bonzo wrote: 2022-08-30 14:22 Thanks everyone. I ended up getting a red label Canadian pressing of Zep I and it’s pretty strong, and a good deal.
I still have yet to see anything about a Zep III RL. I’d love to be mistaken!
I think the Zep III RL might be a myth. Did you compare the Canadian pressing to anything else?

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-02 17:05
by Matteo
Can someone suggest me a decent version (also recent or mono) of the first two Doors' albums that doesn't cost like a car?

Thanks

M.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-03 10:14
by Tendaberry
Matteo wrote: 2022-09-02 17:05 Can someone suggest me a decent version (also recent or mono) of the first two Doors' albums that doesn't cost like a car?
This one? https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1837846576
Couldn't find a nice pressing of the first one for the kind of money you're looking to spend. I did find one for 100,- which is certainly less than a car... Just enter an early US pressing (until ca. 1976) in your Discogs wantlist and something will come up.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-05 21:57
by Matteo
Thanks

Unfortunately the first album is a masterpiece, the second not so much

M.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-06 10:51
by Tendaberry
Matteo wrote: 2022-09-05 21:57 Unfortunately the first album is a masterpiece, the second not so much
You could do a lot worse than this one: https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1936048079

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-06 11:18
by Matteo
Tendaberry wrote: 2022-09-06 10:51
Matteo wrote: 2022-09-05 21:57 Unfortunately the first album is a masterpiece, the second not so much
You could do a lot worse than this one: https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1936048079
Seller contacted; not sure he ships to Italy.

BTW, thanks!

M.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-06 11:20
by Tendaberry
Matteo wrote: 2022-09-06 11:18 Seller contacted; not sure he ships to Italy.

BTW, thanks!
I have had very good experiences with the Japanese Post, once it took only 3 days from Japan to Hamburg.

Re: Acquiring early pressings.?

Posted: 2022-09-06 14:15
by Matteo
Tendaberry wrote: 2022-09-06 11:20 I have had very good experiences with the Japanese Post, once it took only 3 days from Japan to Hamburg.
11 € shipped with tracking mail from Japan (less than other EU countries)!

I guess there will be some custom charges though

M.