Why are the Italian Beatles first mono pressings so good and hard to come by ? PMCQ

My understanding is that most European countries that issued the White Album in mono used stereo tapes folded to mono.

 

I think that it's possible, but not 100% sure; maybe that the master-tape used in Italy to cut Beatles albums was a Cutting Master (or a L.E.D.O. tape....); or maybe that from the UK was sent here in Italy an asap lacquer....who knows? however I think that from the U.K. was sent here in Italy a copy of the master-tape.

Greetings from Italy, Jake!

 

That's my understanding too, though I seem to recall that Portugal had true mono copies imported from the UK.

PS. What about European 'White Album' singles? Were they true mono or folddowns?

 

Folddowns, at least according to EMI Australia, who crowed that they were one of the few countries that issued white album singles in true mono.

 

This is a very viable hypothesis, too.

 

I thought so. But a lot of countries issued 'Ob la di Ob la da' as a single, and that track suffers a lot when folded down, with the vocals (the only thing panned hard left and right) almost disappearing.

 

Possibly. The Portuguese "Ob-La-Di" EP, however, is a folddown.

 

However good the original Italian pressings were (I only had four or five) they certainly went downhill later. I bought a copy of 'Tutti Per Uno' ('A Hard Day's Night') from my regular shop - not a chain - on the light blue and white label in the early '80s. It was covered in tape dropout, usually right at the start of tracks. It was terrible. That was one piece of vinyl I Wasn't sorry to lose.

 

I find it very hard to believe that the first gen Beatles tapes were sent to Italy for local mastering.

 

The red labels were used for the first five Italian LPs:

The Beatles (the sleeve used the Robert Freeman shadow photo from With The Beatles, but the tracks were the same as Please Please Me)
I Favolosi Beatles (same tracks as With The Beatles)
Tutti Per Uno (the Italian EMI affiliate did not try to do a literal translation of A Hard Days Night)
Beatles For Sale
The Beatles In Italy (compilation that included single and EP tracks not issued on previous LPs -- also issued in Israel (1965), Netherlands (1968 or 1969), Spain (1981) and Japan (1982)).

 

This is an extremely difficult issue to find answers to. I just borrowed the albums again for a few days ,so I can find as much as possible on them for rarities sake. The White as example, has a long history and the story is incredible. The labels on the White are rare,as is the pressing. The matrix numbers on labels have T-1, which is great,however the dead wax has T-2. Then the PMCQ does not have the S prior,but it does highlight Stereo over the word mono on labels. It is a stereo pressing.
There is no poster,but the pictures are inside ,they look extremely large ?
The Revolver with GOTT is as rare as the first stereo gold banner label of PPM. It is worth a lot of money. I did not mention this to the owner yet. I MUST get Ciprianis book. I want these four records very badly now. From the sound of these first pressing mono,s they sound like they used the first mother and first stamper on each. I know that is a reach,but they sound fantastic. I have no agenda here,as I have only sold UK Beatles first pressings,these were an eye opener for me.

 

There is a book called " The Italian Sides of the Beatles" It is sooooooooooo hard to find,let alone buy. I went to the site and was redirected to no avail.
I have been aware of it for quite some time,but now it's time to buy it. Every review indicates it is mind boggling in respect to details of all Beatles albums and singles.Go to "THE ITALIAN SIDES OF THE BEATLES " I believe the authors name was something like Stefano Cipriani or something like that.
If you find a place where you can buy it ,let me know. I tried the site,but I could not log in ,tried five times. It is expensive ,but given current situation,this will dispel or confirm certain things.
Thanks
Jake

 

In terms of pure rarity, for Italian Beatles LPs it is hard to top the 70s reissue of Sgt. Pepper on the Stateside label.

When all the EMI sub-labels were directed to adopt the boxed logo label style circa 1973, there were a number of Beatles LPs pressed on the wrong labels. The new labels looked far more uniform (that was the entire point of the change), and I assume that employees in the printing department carelessly picked up a stack of the wrong label blanks.

I know of the following error labels:

Italy:

Sgt. Pepper (black & silver Stateside)
Revolver (sky blue Columbia)

Germany:

World's Greatest (blue Columbia)
Beatles' Greatest Hits (blue Columbia)
Something New (blue Columbia)

Israel:

Oldies (black & silver Harvest)

Australia:

With The Beatles (orange Columbia)

UK:

Revolver (black & silver Columbia)

The most common ones are Greatest Hits and World's Greatest from Germany (they typically surface a couple of times a year on ebay). Something New (Germany), Revolver (UK) and With The Beatles (Australia) are quite rare and command high prices. The three LPs from Italy and Israel are virtually impossible to find.

 

You might think it odd, but quite a few EMI affiliates mastered LPs locally from the source tapes. Others were sent stampers (usually but not always from the UK). There was no real rhyme or reason to which country chose to do what.

 

I never knew that there was an Italian issue of "Revolver" on Columbia label; do you have a picture? thanks

 

Enjoy:

 

I won't dispute you, but I have never heard that before. It seems VERY odd that EMI would allow those tapes to leave the confines of Abbey Road.

 

... but it's "Rubber Soul", not "Revolver"!

 

I know what you mean! I too have a copy of that LP (dated from 75 or 76), and side two has dreadful wow and flutter on it - very fast and cycles by a few percent between faster and slower all the way through! It's not due to a mispressed centre hole; the record looks true, and the arm isn't waving left to right! I also have a mid 70's Italian 'Abbey Road' with the same problem. I thought my turntable was faulty at first! The strobe showed it not to be, and several other turntables all have the same issue playing these two LP's - all of various Technics direct drive quartz lock early 80's decks in fine working order!
Seems like whichever plants were cutting the masters was having some tape or cutting lathe issues! Shame, 'cause apart from that speed issue, the side 1's were quite nice sounding!

 

I really am losing my mind.

 

Do not worry, everything is OK! however, in recent years I have seen vinyl that I thought did not exist, so now I do not wonder about anything ....

 

What are referring to as "source tapes"? The actual 1st generation masters from the mixdowns or a copy of the 1st generation master tape?

There is no doubt that copies of the 1st generation tapes were sent all of the world and were used by many countries to cut LPs. But the actual 1st generation tapes for these albums were sent to Italy? No way. If the U.S. got copies, you can bet that Italy got copies (at best).

 

I assume Italy (and every other country that rolled their own) got copies. Apologies if I used the wrong terminology -- you can make money betting on me doing so.

 

Does this mean you were already familiar with the Columbia Rubber Soul?

 

Yes. Giovanni, Paolo, Giorgio, e Ringo.