The Vinyl Collector's Thread

[Certif1ed]

I've read a lot about those and find it incredibly difficult to believe, given the awesome quality of the "Livin' Lovin' Wreck" press - but I'm still searching, coz US presses don't crop up regularly here, let alone Bob Ludwig ones!

Apparently there is a legendary German press that is at least as good as the RL US one.

[wad]

Originally Posted by Certif1ed

(Cribbed from xxxrecords - eBay seller of top grade collectable vinyl).

All inserts in the first press are on thin "typewriter" paper.

1) "Notice" insert, printed in Navy Blue, with hole punch and "Mr Lambert - Who" appearing at the bottom.

2) "Delivery Note" insert with typewritten, not printed text.

3) "My Generation Lyrics" insert with clean, not messy text, and annotations that look like they're pencilled, not printed. There is also an additional star (*) on the right.

4) "Kings Agency" insert, hole punched to the left.

5) "Action" insert, folded along the central line, with Action logo in light grey.

6) "High Numbers" payment insert in yellow, folded along the central line, and the bottom typewritten line finishes exactly 1 cm above the bottom of the paper.

7) "Premier Talent Associates" insert in yellow, 'Received' stamp at the bottom is perfectly legible.

8) "EMI Records" insert

9) "Marquee Club" payments insert

10) Small "Picture of The Who" photograph insert with perfectly clear images.

11) "Guitar Overhead" insert, with handwritten text on the reverse. Apparently only the first few hundred had this.

12) Large "Marquee" Poster, printed with a light 'semi-gloss' front and a heavily textured reverse to the poster.

cool. thanks for the info

[+81]

I have a turn table but I have a few questions as going to keep an eye out for used record players.

1. What exactly is the cartridge?
2. How do I know if the needle needs to be replaced?

[Certif1ed]

1. The cartridge is the bit that the stylus plugs into, which hangs down from the tonearm.

2. Good question - I usually leave it too late, I'd suspect. I care about my LPs, but I'm not obsessive. If you're buying 2nd hand, then get a stylus anyway, unless the seller explicitly states that it's brand new. It's worth finding out in advance how much the stylus is for the record player you're intending to buy, as some can be expensive.

Most modern amps don't have Phono inputs, so you might need to buy a pre-amp if this is the case - something worth thinking about.

I'd recommend a Project Debut III - it's not cheap, but it's an amazing sounding deck for the money - and comes with a built in pre-amp so you can plug it straight into line-in. In other words, it doesn't need either a phono input on your amp, or a separate pre-amp.

The Project also comes with an Ortofon cartidge, which is great quality, and there is a USB version, so you can rip your vinyl on your PC.

I reckon it's a bargain - but there are other USB turntables you could purchase if you wanted to go down this route

[+81]

I presume stylus and needle are synonymous or is the needle connected to the stylus?

[Certif1ed]

Yeah - "needle" is actually more of a slang term, as it hasn't been a "needle" since the days of 78s, but more usually a gemstone such as a diamond.

When you buy a stylus, it usually comes fitted to an easy to fit plugin package which connects straight into the cartridge.

[ghostofpbthal]

The RL pressing of Zep II with the narrow deadwax on Side 2 is indeed the best there is, I have also had a UK plum but it is not in the same ballpark.

Now the UK plum of Zep I is amazing...check my profile for my blog location, both albums are there to listen to

[almauro]

Originally Posted by +81

I presume stylus and needle are synonymous or is the needle connected to the stylus?

Just refer to it as the cartridge, which is the most important element to the turntable. You can spend a ton of money on the platter, but if you get a shi-ite cartridge, it will sound awful. With cartridges, you get what you pay for.

[Classof75]

Originally Posted by Certif1ed

Excellent!

Of course, as with antiques or any form of collecting, the main point of collecting vinyl is to enjoy it - that's why I say you can pick up ANY Red/Plum Zep album and it will sound amazing, if it's not scratched to death.

There are certain presses that sound better than others though - and there are rumours I've heard about some early pressings being mastered in such a way that cheaper record players simply couldn't handle them, and many "scratched" copies of mind-blowing vinyl were returned to stores - so a really early press may not suit your system if you're on a tight budget.

For example, some US audiophile collectors swear by a particular US pressing of LZ II with the initials RL in the dead wax - apparently copies can still be found in secondhand shops for less than $10. The sound on this pressing (RL was the mastering engineer) is supposed to render the music breathtakingly lifelike (and is the one I heard the above rumour about) - but I couldn't verify that, as US presses hardly ever turn up in the UK.

Like "Antiques Roadshow" (UK TV show), there's always interest in what it's worth - that's another part of the fun of collecting - but I mainly want to find the finest possible sounding recordings of the music I really dig.

LZ III is a superb album. I just double checked mine, which I got from a local shop for £10, and yes, it's definitely the earliest press possible, and Near Mint - which is nice.

Now I need another that I can actually play without worrying about decreasing its value...

The original 1969 U.S. pressing with "RL" (Robert Ludwig mastered) etched in the runout (near the label) is indeed the most dynamic sounding pressing of this album. They are sought after (and can be found). I have one in VG+ condition, and it is really a great sounding slab of vinyl. Only the first early pressings were cut by Ludwig. Some people (back then) thought the album was defective because their needles were jumping out of the grooves. That's how "hot" this record was cut. Today, cartridges track much better, so jumping needles are not a problem. Worth searching for this one!

[tgpo]

This summer I got my Granddad's 1989 Yamaha stereo, complete with turntable, and I'm hooked. Vinyl collecting is insanely fun. I can't help but wonder why I didn't start collecting sooner.