Beatles UK Black & Silver ‘One EMI Box’ pressings questions...

When did EMI (sadly) ditch the tube mastered vinyl and swtich to the SS ones? Are the Black & Silver ‘One EMI Box’ tube or SS? I think the 'Two EMI Box' labels started in 72/73 are SS but I'm not sure about the 'One Box.' Does anyone know? My reason is I'd like to get some more "tube" Beatles mastered albums but maybe not at first pressing collector's pricing. I want them strickly for playback (like most of my collection)...

Todd

 

Todd:

I have a stereo one EMI box copy of "For Sale" and a two box copy I bought new in about 1978. Give me a day or so and I'll A-B them for you and get back to you. Sorry, that's the only title I have both ways. I also don't have any orig. y/b Parlophone stereo LP's to compare to my 70's two box copies. I'd sure be interested in that comparison. I do have a full set of y/b Parlophone mono LP's but that's another story.

 

Thanks, Peter! I'd be interested in your results...

Todd

 

I was searching around and found this thread...the black/silver "one EMI box" LP's were first pressed in 1969 and I believe EMI went SS in the early 70s (circa '71/'72) so there's a good chance that the one box LP's are tube-mastered but of course I can't be 100% certain that the copies you buy would be.

 

Thanks for the info!! I'm just interested in finding some good tube cut Beatles albums without having to pay collector's prices for the earliest pressings. I want to listen to the music, not stare at it in glass...

Todd

 

Now that IS a can of worms you've opened!!!

Can't tell you about stampers and matrix no's but can tell you about labels!

Are you ready for this?! here we go...


The original Parlophone yellow/black LP's were the pressings issued in the UK between 1963 and 1969.

These were replaced with the "one EMI box" label in 1969. The black/silver two-box design has remained on Beatles Parlophone LP's ever since.

In 1972/73 the one box design was replaced with the "two EMI box" design (at top and bottom of label) with the rim copy "The Gramophone Company..."

In about 1976, the rim copy of the two-box design was changed to begin "EMI Records Ltd..." .

In about 1980 or 1981, the rim copy was changed again, this time starting with "All Rights...".

Another change occured about 1983/84, the rim copy was changed slightly to include the word "renting".

In late 1988 the Beatles UK LP's were re-issued by EMI to match the CD configurations (ie the first four albums in mono). These have slightly different labels again - no silver circle around the perimeter and the rim copy starts "All Rights..." but has the word "rental" in the text.

Also a statement on the sleeve states that the album has been direct metal mastered from a digital master tape (ie the same source as for the CD's).

The "digital" versions are still available new and they have been re-pressed several times since '88. The Apple logo and an accompanying Apple Corps statement appears on pressings from the mid-1990s onwards.

From what you've said LP's you have described sound like the recent DMM versions. Hopefully this information will help you identify which pressings you have!

 

The newer ones I have seen that match the CDs also have a blurb on the back about also available on CD (#)

 

Hi Kipper15

Was there any variation in the black and yellow Parlophone labels ? A little while back I bought a MoFi from a chap who because he was a bit late sending out the record added a copy of Rubber Soul - it is a mono version on a black and yellow Parlophone label - does this make it an early issue ?

All the best - Andrew

 

If the vinyl seems thin and says "mono" over the title to the right then it's the early eighties reissue. Yokono.com is a very helpful site with label info...

Todd

 

It could well be a mono reissue from 1981 but it could also be a 60s pressing. As Todd has indicated would need more info about the disc itself, the sleeve and the label.

 

Steve, it's documented in a number of sources that the black/silver One Box design appeared for the first time on 1969 re-pressings of the Beatles' Parlophone LP's.

Do you know which matrix numbers indicate that a Beatles UK Parlophone pressing is tube-cut? I have the opportunity to buy a couple of those one box LP's from someone for a reasonable price so I'd love to know!

All my UK Beatles LP's are mid-late 70s or later pressings. I do have German copies of With The Beatles and Beatles For Sale on Odeon, which date from 1970/71 (the guy I bought them from had bought new when he worked in Germany at the beginning of the 1970s). I presume these are most likely tube-cut???

 

1969 seems to be the date the experts have agreed on for the one-box issues although I have read one source which did claim 1971! I read somewhere that SS was introduced in the UK by EMI early 70s but I don't know how accurate that is.

The German pressings of WTB & BFS from 1970 do sound very nice, even if they're probably SS - they're currently the earliest Beatles pressings I own but I do have the chance to get one box UK versions of those 2 LP's. If I get them, I'll post the matrix no's.

 

You still cut with that gear? Awesome! Like the pics too

 

I have that blue label Odeon.

That's why the coaster underneath my Molson's is the '87 Rubber Soul CD.

 

Steve,
I heard a rumour circulating from the owner of a Beatles shop in Toronto that a friend of his at EMI mentioned that Japanese pressings of Beatles lp's were going to make their way to North America soon.
What on earth could this all be about?
On my collecting note,
I have all original Yellow/Black Parlophones of
Please Please Me
With The Beatles
Beatles For Sale
Help
Rubber Soul
Both matrixes of Revolver
Oldies but Goldies
Sgt. Pepper

they are mono

a reissue of
The Beatles (mono)

all the original ep's in mono from England

and most of the singles.

I am one lucky boy!

Vancouver, where I used to live, had these at one time.

I wish I had kept my doubles!

Nothing sounds like the originals!! (although I am always willing to try a UK Hey Jude anytime!

 

Who knows!
Beatles question Steve:

What is your favourite album by them (material contained within, and then sonically)?
and,

what was your emotion when playing and handling Macca's first?

(inquiring Beatle minds wanna know!)