Beatles (Christmas 2017 releases)

To create a collector's item?

 

Because, I'm guessing, a scan will always look like a scan. No matter how fine the resolution, the edges are going to be a little bit blurry. Also, this way they can use a clean white background instead of trying to scrub the aging out from between the letters.

They did the same thing with the catalog LP back covers in 2010 & thereafter. (They also appear to have used the original photos, or most of them, instead of just photographing the pictures off the album covers.) For the most part it worked, but they clearly used the wrong font for some of the spines and the Help! back cover. (Not sure why the artwork on the mono Beatles for Sale came out so dreadfully orange. They also appear to have blurred the BFS back cover art to make it less obvious that the boys' picture was glued onto a leafy backdrop.)

 

The original plates might not exist anymore, and they would have to scan a vintage jacket. By reconstructing it, they can get much better image quality but at the risk of introducing typos and other inconsistencies.

 

There are also a few typos on the back covers of the reissues, too. For example, “Los Angels” on the back of the mono Magical Mystery Tour LP.

 

I didn't catch that one but I noticed there's at least one other typo. On "Another Beatles Christmas Record" the last word in Tony Barrow's sleevenotes is "steakhousel" as opposed to "steakhouse!". Looking at a scan of the original, it's hard to tell whether it's the same typo or just a case of exclamation mark gone bad in the print.

 

My guess is spell correction software run amok combined with the lack of quality control.

Can't tell you enough how many times my own computer tells me how to spell.

Beagles? No, it's The Beatles!

 

It was fun collecting all these UK singles 20th anniversary versions:


plus this 12" version of Hey Jude:

 

It's not as though typos are anything new. "The worm he locks my bone"? If I had been the one transcribing the liner notes for the 2010 LPs (or the 2009 CD booklets), I'd have been sorely tempted to fix that typo from the original Yellow Submarine (if they can fix dropouts then they should be able to fix typos.)

Cool stuff! I also saw a 12" of "All You Need Is Love" back in the '80s. I'm not sure how many other singles came out in both sizes for the 20th anniversary.

 

It WAS fun. I could find the first couple in the US. But after that, in those pre-internet days, it was Music Machine and various record shows and Beatlefest to complete the set. At the end of the run, with all the new McCartney and Harrison releases, the fun returned to the Beatles collecting world. It was also pretty expensive...

 

I have that, too but could not find a good picture yet to post here.

I started collecting maybe into a year when they first started, so I had to go back and get a few that were released already. The prices in the early years started around $8 each, and it rose each year until Let it Be, when they were sold for about $10-12 by then. The only one I had to hunt down was She Loves You, I found it at a used store in LA, about 2 years after its initial release and paid about $23 for it. I thought that was such an inflated price, but I wanted to complete the collection, so I bought it. Good thing, as I never saw another copy, even at record shows until almost 20 years later.

 

I think it was only those two plus Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You on 12" - on black vinyl anyway. Those are the three I have. I don't know about any other picture discs as I'm not interested.

 

I have the Let It Be 7" picture disc. Man, the sound quality is lousy on that one. I tried to sell it here like 10 years ago but nobody was interested!

 

Especially when they're using robots to pack them and want drones to deliver them Jetsons-style.

 

According to tracking info the Canadian sourced set is now in the UK (it does presumably have to negotiate customs - please treat it well) and may arrive tomorrow. I'm not counting my chickens (or should that be turkeys!) as there are still two unfulfilled orders out there (one actually a pre-order). I guess if all goes well I will have to deal with those when my own sourced copy arrives. I either cancel them of the basis that they do not seem to be able to supply the item or see what happens. It will ultimately have cost a lot more to get this item than it should and lessons will have been learned but to be honest no-one here (except Amazon in Canada if things go to schedule) comes away with any kudos and that really includes Apple. Whatever has happened here (do we know?) there has been a general supply issue. It was released very close to Christmas and perhaps that has had an impact. I'm guessing that the two suppliers I ordered from were caught out and did not have firm supply chains in place before taking the orders and are now struggling to find supplies. It looks like I have managed to get hold of one before they can which does not inspire future confidence. No updates in the last week of progress from either. I have chased on several occasions now so I do not anticipate my next contact will be anything other than a refund request.

I am not sure who alerted of the Canada availabilty but as long as it does appear tomorrow you have my thanks for posting the information here. It has been a long wait and I guess Christmas will be celebrated very last here!

 

So it is now out of stock in the U.K. as well as the U.S.? I thought for sure there would be another printing (given the so-called “limited” nature of other Beatles vinyl) but the supply does appear to be constrained and I guess ordering from Canada or perhaps other countries seems to be the only real option now.

 

If anyone who wanted a set didn’t order by now I dont get it. If you put away about $25 a month you’d have one.

Christmas is over. I doubt they’d reprint any before next fall and my guess probably never. Maybe the LP CD and download next time.

I think the 45 box is over for the near future.

 

It has been pretty much since release. Seems an odd state of affairs for a Beatles' product. I guess that if they do reissue it will probably not happen now until the next festive season. My guess would however be for a reissue of the album version - perhaps in both vinyl and cd forms at that time. However, it is almost impossible to second guess Apple.

 

How does the UK singles box set compare to the original UK singles?
Are they made with the same stampers?

 

I held out for a while until finally one night I decided to order it and then, lo and behold, the morning after my order Amazon U.S. went out of stock.

 

So did you get it ?

 

Yeah, I ordered it that night and got it a few days later. I think Amazon missed the two day prime deadline by a day or so.

 

I have all of the original 45s and both of the 45s boxes. IIRC, some are (at least some sides) from original metal.

If you do a search, I think there’s a post out there that lists which ones are from original stampers.

 

I have found that, if you pre-order or order soon after release on Amazon, the box sets will come in protective boxes and the lps in easy open, but well protected mailers. My two Harrison vinyl boxes came in factory boxes and also in a second protective box with foam and space from the apple factory. This in turn was placed in an Amazon bigger box with padding. So 3x protection. But I bought a 3rd one for my buddy and it was just wrapped in bubble wrap and thrown into an Amazon box. Same with new release lps. They come well protected when first issued. Later, they come loose in a big box if your lucky. I ordered the Sgt. Pepper 50th. One came well protected as described with the Harrison box set. But the first one I ordered was loose in a box with none of the factory protection I have described.

Here's what I think: If you don't order upon time of release from Amazon, you risk getting returned items that either the customer didn't send it back with all the original packing or Amazon, when they inspect the outside or inside of the box or both, don't always keep the original protective packaging. So this happens, but never for me with a new release that is purchased right away.

My main frustration is getting split seams on sealed albums from both Amazon and Ebay. Happens all the time.

 

Yes, I realize it's pure speculation on my part in thinking that the stripped shipping packaging has to do with returned items. But I can't imagine any Amazon employee taking for example, the Harrison vinyl box set and going, "Hmmm, let's open up this outer box from the apple factory and see what's inside? Guess we won't be needing that cardboard and foam spacing that is inside of this anymore! Now, lets get rid of that pesky cardboard wrap over the actual box. Much better! Charley, hand me that bubble wrap! Let's see.. two wraps of this, and some tape, throw it into a box box, throw away all that pesky factory packing, and were good to go!"

People do things for a reason. My speculation may be wrong but I don't think it is arbitrary. Again, never had this problem with new releases - as far as packing goes.
Now as far as damage during shipping, that is the luck of the draw, but the factory boxing seems to withstand all but the most abusive trauma.

 

Some boxed items come from the manufacturer in individual boxes, like the Beatles sets. Others come with multiple sets in large shipping boxes, so have no independent padding. There is no difference whether ordered early or late in that case. I have experienced many damaged packages, but in fairness, I have ordered a ton of stuff over the recent years.