Johnny Cash - American Records "Unearthed" Vinyl Box Set. 3rd November 2017 Release Date

I’m pretty happy with mine. I would recommend cleaning the LPs by whatever means you have available. Also, replace the paper sleeves. They are unlikely to be uniformly dead quiet throughout but After several plays mine are at quite an acceptable level. Sound quality in great and it’s nicely put together. With a bit of patience and effort I think there’s a good chance you’ll really like it. Good luck.

 

As a fan I’m already familiar with the material.
I have plenty of MoFi inner sleeves at hand, which I also used on the Am. Recordings vinyl boxset. I’ll find out at the end of the week, or early next week.

 

Not worth it in my opinion.

 

Why not? It's a great price, and if something's wrong, Amazon will replace it.

 

Yes, but that's all under the assumption something's wrong with it. Maybe it's fine. Maybe it will take a few tries. Maybe, I will give up after a couple of times. For this price I take the wait and see approach. I'm thinking this will probably never get another pressing anyway, so I might as well make the best of it.

 

Because I am not paying 200 Euros for a product that obviously does not meet basic quality standards. And I am not really a fan of this "Amazon will replace it" attitude. Or the other attitude: I will keep buying it until I have a perfect set. That is just not my style.

 

Fair enough. I see what you mean. Usually I have the same attitude towards this. I hate shoddy products. And you're right, it should have been met with much higher standards for this price. Absolutely.
However, I don't expect to see any improvements in the future for the music retail business and I just want this boxset, so I'm making an exception. It's not that somewhere down the line a new and much pressing will surface.

 

It's too bad others have been having problems with their sets. Mine is great all around and the sound is comparable to the initial American releases.

 

Mine arrived. I have yet to listen to it. The packaging is gorgeous. First class all the way. The records... well, each one is dirtier than the last, as I make my way through cleaning them. On number 6, and it was the first one with a center punch that was too small. Needed to widen it. WTH is with today's records and this happening? Seems like 30% of everything I buy has this problem... but I digress. I will be listening tonight, and hope it sounds great. Once cleaned, the records look spotless, but out of the package they had white swirls and paper bits ALL over them.

I will continue to listen to the set over the weekend, hoping to complete it all by Sunday evening with the help of some fine single malt

I guess I just wonder what someone WITHOUT a record cleaning machine would even do if they received what I just opened. Jeez.

 

I’ll report in as I listen, for those who are curious...

Just finished the first LP. Pretty spectacular. Sounds like he is in the room singing to me. And his voice was just so spectacular as he aged. Such depth of character.

A little surface noise for the first ten seconds on side one. Otherwise clean and clear, and of the same sound quality as my copy of American IV, which is to say really really good.

If they rest is this way, I’ll be ecstatic. #happy

 

On the 4th LP.

#2 and #3 were more of the same. Quiet. Clean. Really excellent with a wide stage, tons of detail (especially when he is just talking before/after tracks) and absolutely wonderful.

#4 is on now. More of a studio sound and less of a “live” sound, but again, pretty great. Awesome separation and clean bass, no distortion in his vocal tracks.

As of now, I am in love with this set. And the bad memories of having to fix two punch holes and clean off whatever the **** white residue was on the records upon opening them, have dissipated.

 

LP #4 was great. #5 is more of the same. If the rest are equally as good, I won’t bother with another post. Seems like the quality is there, but the QC was not.

Over all, I paid just under $200 with a great coupon, and got a really nice set!

One other thought... the book is FANTASTIC.

Only one gripe: the opening talks about “this CD set”... they didn’t bother to alter the text to reflect that it is now on vinyl. Small bit silly oversight. Another QC issue, imho.

Packaging and book: 9/10
Sound quality: 8/10

Overall score: 8.5 I consider this essential for any fan of Mr. Cash.

 

Well, I finished the set, and felt like sharing some comments on the music. I loved it. ALL of it. What a fantastic collection of songs, and styles, and pure awesomeness! Really just so happy I got this.

I have to admit, My Mother's Hymn Book was my least favorite, as I am not a huge fan of the style/type of music. Still, I can appreciate it. I may never play it again, but I can appreciate it LOL! The collection of hits from the American Series was great for me, as I never got that box set, and while I have IV, there are only 2-3 crossover songs, so ultimately, ALL new music to my collection,

I can see myself listening to this set often in the years to come, and sound quality throughout was excellent.

Tonight, I plan to pour a dram of old whisky, and listen once again to the Redemption Songs LP, as I want to really soak that one in. So good!

I hope some of you enjoyed my posts on this set, and if you are on the fence about it, have made a decision one way or the other

 

Thanks for the insights. I bought this set last month and agree with your findings. Also on the whisky. I’m wondering which one you’ll have

 

Is the 20 track Sun Greatest Hits available on vinyl?

Just thinking that 10 78rpm disks in a box would be friggen cool .

 

Last few nights I have enjoyed the following whisky:

Compass Box The General
Bruichladdich single cask PX sherry, 11 year old
Glendronach 25 year The Kingsman

Tonight, with Redemption Songs, I think I shall pour a North of Scotland 1964.

 

Ah, you have a small collection? That’s nice. I think most whisky lovers have. Not because of Johnny Cash, but I also enjoy a good bourbon too, and there are some really good ones out there.

 

Johnny Cash - Original Sun Singles '55-'58

Bought this one a while ago. Great collection.

Johnny Cash - Original Sun Singles '55-'58

 

Thanks fpas. How is the sound quality?

 

Not too shabby. It has a bit of sibilance/distortion here and there, but that could very well be the original recordings. I would have to compare it with my Original Sun Albums CD boxset from Charly that was released last year. In any case, with the yellow colored vinyl, it is a nice looking set. And I found nothing horrible sounding, that would certainly draw my attention.

 

Cool, thanks for that.

 

I founded a whisky group with almost 5,000 members globally and keep a modest (compared to the truly dedicated!) collection of around 300 bottles.

I don’t drink a ton, but I love a dram 3-4 times a week, and love the art, history, culture, and community of whisky

Nothing better than having a few friends over to share some great whisky and listen to tunes!

 

When I look at my whisky bottles, I could think "Well, I could buy ten of those bottles with the cost of the Unearthed vinyl box set". You, on the other hand, are able to buy three Unearthed boxsets with the cost of a single bottle of that Compass Box The General.

 

LOL. I bought a few bottles when it came out... about $280 a pop.

Last I saw at auction they were selling for the silly sum of $1200-$1500 a bottle #wth #crazy