best US vinyl pressings for THE DOORS LPs....are they all monarch?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bigmikerocks, Jul 5, 2012.

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  1. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Much obliged for the compliments. But on the issue at hand, if Leslie Pfenninger's site dealing with A&M's history (onamrecords.com) is to be believed, the label established its own mastering facilities in either late 1968 or early 1969 (in any case, months after Waiting for the Sun and "Hello, I Love You").
     
  2. bigmikerocks

    bigmikerocks Forum Resident Thread Starter

    the soft parade, anyone?
     
  3. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    My favorite vintage copy of The Soft Parade is a big 'E' red label Monarch pressing. I found it in a used record store in Atlanta, of all places.
     
  4. attym

    attym Forum Resident

    Location:
    US

    Ironically, I found a big red E, Soft Parade last night with "RL" in the runoff as well as CRC... I don't have anything to compare it to.
     
  5. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    The best U.S. recordings for the first two Doors albums are now the Analogue Productions 45 rpm releases.
     
  6. Bryce

    Bryce I drank what?

    Location:
    New York City
    My Doors S/T mono is EKL 4007A (COL)/EKL 4007B (COL)- so this is pressed at Columbia? Can anyone give me their takes on thsi particular matix combo as compared to others?

    And am I to take it that the Columbia pressed versions are inferior to the Monarch's?

    What is the matrix info for the Monarch? Or how do you tell if you have one? (I have a couple more of these stashed away somewhere and I always thought the COL sounded the best but should I re-listen?).

    As for the AP 45 rpms - I've ordered them based on the rave reviews - looking forward to compare.
     
  7. Bryce

    Bryce I drank what?

    Location:
    New York City
    Ok, so I guess I should read through these threads before asking my questions... The EKL4007A (COL) on side 1 and EKL4007(B) (COL) on side 2 is the matrix comobo I have. I have other copies of this somewhere, don't know the matrix info, but the fact that this is my play copy must mean something. I can't compare it to other versions, but it does sound amazing to my ears.

    Does anyone else have any thoughts on this matrix combo as compared to others?
     
  8. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    My flat gold label copy of Waiting for the Sun has "EKS 74024A - SON / EKS 74042B - SON" in the deadwax, side 2 also has "MII" lightly written into it. Any insights into this one?
     
  9. Not a US pressing but...I have a Gold Label "Morrison Hotel" which is a Canadian Pressing with TG in the Dead Wax which sounds incredible.
     
  10. PBo

    PBo Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    Nice find! I've read on these forum that an RL exists for this, but I've never come across one.
     
  11. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Ah yes. A pressing by Sonic Recording Products, Holbrook, NY.
     
    Wally Swift likes this.
  12. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    Yes, what is that tiny mark?

    It's on all my original US copies of The Doors and Strange Days. All eight or so copies (mono and stereo) which have handwritten deadwax. If the matrix number is said to be at 6 o'clock, then the mark is at noon. It's so tiny I needed a magnifying glass to see it. Perhaps it's two initials, the first one might be "B".
     
  13. karmicg

    karmicg Forum Resident

    Location:
    new york
    I have a Sonic Sticky Fingers which is my go to copy, amazing sound. I also have a Sonic Steve Stills s/t LP that sounds very good, but I prefer the Monarch. They seem to be pretty obscure but worth having if you can find them. The Sticky Fingers for me was a revelation, I'd be curious to know how your WFTS stacks up against other copies.
     
  14. Bryce

    Bryce I drank what?

    Location:
    New York City
     
  15. Cassius

    Cassius On The Beach

    Location:
    Lafayette, Co
    There is NOT a Monarch of LA Woman. They used the Columbia factories on that LP. Notably CSM and CTH. Mastering was done by Artisan.

    I should clarify there is certainly a good chance a later pressing may have been done at Monarch, but not the Butterfly Artisan original.
     
    EasterEverywhere likes this.
  16. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Monarch did press some butterfly label LP's - but their time of pressing in this era ended in late 1970. And there was another Columbia plant that handled L.A. Woman. CP.
     
  17. tearaway

    tearaway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mandeville, LA USA
    Waiting for the Sun: White Label

    Hey everyone - thanks for all this info. I came here trying to research about my white label copy of "Waiting for the Sun". The sides are marked EKS 74024A-CTH and EKS 74024B-CTH, Because of the "white label promo" mentioned here, I thought someone here may know more about my record. It is in pristine shape. I see one the B-side the very faint "A", indicating "Allentown" I suppose from reading this thread and one it links to? On the other side, very faint, is the 2 looking like a backwards 5, which I guess could be a clue to the masterer, according to things I read on this forum.

    Another thing on both sides is a very clearly etched capital "T". I didn't see that mentioned in either this thread or the one by Raunchnroll. Does any one have any idea what significance, if any, this "T" has?
     
  18. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    My, I'm surprised. All this indicates a pressing from Columbia's Terre Haute, IN plant ("CTH" and "T"). In addition, the "A" was their guide as to which generation of metal plating the stamper used to press that copy was derived from. (Naturally, the label fonts would be from Pitman, NJ, and the original label color on the stock copies would have been the same ochre tint used for A&M LP's at the time.)
     
  19. tearaway

    tearaway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mandeville, LA USA
    Thanks for that info - that clears up my interpretation of the dead wax content with what else I read about on the thread. I really appreciate it!
     
  20. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I did a search and couldn't find any info for this specific matrices on the gold labeled self-titled:

    EKS-74007A -2 (MON) ^9991 (MR in circle) / EKS074007B-2 (MON) ^9991-x (MR in circle)

    Any ideas of what pressing this is? Compression and EQ applied?
     
  21. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thats the second cutting. (M) appears to be the very first cutting; sounds more open and dynamic. (MON) = EQ'd tape was used. Still nice though.
     
  22. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Ah, thank you! I have the "grail" pressing and now this one. Never hurts to have a back up of a great album.
     
  23. attym

    attym Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    How about a side 1 (M) and a side 2 (MON)?

    Also, any experience with a waiting for the sun red label canadian pressing?
     
  24. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    "MON" was the code used at the time for Monarch.
     
  25. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    I have a Doors S/T copy like that. The "M" side is awesome. Definitely better to my ears than the new AP45. The "MON" side is pretty great as well. The difference noted by Raunchnroll is noticeable (but not huge) when compared to the first pressing.
     
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