Beatles Yesterday and Today in true stereo - how can you tell?

I am looking to purchase a true stereo version of this album not one with the 3 duophonic tracks. How can the true stereo version be identified? Is the cover or are the labels different, is there a specific matrix no I should be looking for?

 

Sorry I don't have all the info for you but what I do believe is that the Yesterday and Today LP in True Stereo it must at least be one that was pressed in the late 70's up to the late 80's. Capitol used ST 2553 for the Stereo Catalog number for the Original Rainbow Label. I even have a Purple Label, and Orange Label that still have the duophonic mixes. I'm not sure if there was a duophonic Green Label pressing which I believe came to be the standard of 1976-77. So it has to be sometime after these years. My other guess that it would say someplace on the LP cover TRUE STEREO instead of the Full Dimensional Stereo logo that was on the front for many a year, meaning duophonic stereo on the 3 Revolver songs, I'm Only Sleeping, Doctor Robert as well as "And Your Bird Can Sing". All of the other songs though seem to be in True Stereo as I just did a real quick listen through my NeedleDrops for you and believe me I got quite a few both in Mono and Stereo from all over the many pressings and labels of Capitol. So I'd look for TRUE STEREO on a back either the front or back of the LP trunk cover.

 

My true stereo pressing has the following stampers:

side 1: ST-1-2553-G26 #2 (handwritten) MASTERED BY CAPITOL (machine stamped)
side 2: ST-2-2553-F26 #4 (handwritten) MASTERED BY CAPITOL (machine stamped)

This was a Winchester pressing, and what looks like a tilted glass is also etched in the deadwax on both sides.

The label is Purple (large-domed).

The cover features the "Gold Record Award" red stamp. Note however that those are found on fake-stereo pressings as well, so that's no indication. In fact, I don't believe there is any way to tell the true and fake stereo pressings apart just by looking at the cover.

Further note that at least some of the ca. 1983 colorband label pressings are MONO, despite showing stereo catalogue numbers and stereo stampers.

 

Unfortunately, it isn't that easy. All stereo copies of "Yesterday & Today" (at least what I've seen), have the Full Dimensional Stereo on top of the front cover.

IIRC, the first (all tracks) true stereo pressing of "Yesterday & Today" was the capitol record club edition. The Apple label pressing can be confusing. Some have the duphonic tracks some play all true stereo. It depended on were the record was pressed.

Also beware of the 80's black rainbow (colorband), it states stereo but plays in true mono through-out. I've also read that there's some purple label pressings (with the small logo) that play in mono also, but I never was able to personally confirm that.

Anyway, my Capitol purple label pressing plays all in true stereo. The matrix numbers are the following:

Side 1) B-15874 ST-1-2553 + H34 + (triangle) 747
Side 2) B-15875 2-2253-F-25 (triangle) 728

This is all hand etched with a machine stamped Mastered By Capitol

 

Robert I have the same one and yes you are correct it is the UK stereo mix as you can hear the backwards guitar line when John sings, "Running everywhere at such a speed, till they find, there's no need" that's missing on the US original mixes both Mono and Stereo. So that is the purple label and also the same on my Capitol Orange label Trunk Cover with the Gold Star award on it ST-2553 LP with Side One having the Matrix G 29 and Side Two also G 29. Both these Lp's are nice sounding pressings. I'm still not sure about what a Green label pressing might sound like though. ???

So for sure on the Purple and the Orange labels if you want the True Stereo versions!!

 

Peter posted sometime earlier that he has a 1983 colorband pressing which plays in stereo. So they're not all mono. Mine plays in mono.

 

Thanks Joe for that info too. I also have some nice needle drops of the original Mono and Stereo with the Capitol Rainbow logo labels on them from a very good friend of mine.

 

I love you people - it’s for this kind of knowledge I joined this forum.

 

I think it's a labor of love for us all. God can't wait to find out some cool Beatles knowledge from you about Swedon pressings and what they are like.

Don't ever be afraid to ask questions and post all you can, so we get to learn from you too. Share the wealth, my good Madman.

I've not been as active as I usually would be on the forum as my mother is very very ill for many many months going now. But I'll still be trying my best to read your posts when I'm around. Even though at times it looks like I'm online here because I leave my system on and usually a Window open to the SH Forum.

 

I stand correct! Good to know. I guess it all boils down to were the record was pressed.

When I bought my black rainbow re-issue of "Yesterday & Today," I was shocked to hear it play in mono. Nearly fell off my chair.

The black rainbow re-issue of "Beatles IV" has the same history as the black rainbow re-issue of "Yesterday and Today." It took me years to find a mint copy of "Beatles IV." Of course with the release of the Capitol Box Set "Vol. 2" this is all pretty much moot, now!

 

Wow, all this great info within 2 hours of posting this thread. What a knowledge base this forum is! Whatever did we do before the internet, in fact what did we do before the SH Forum?!!

 

The only Swedish press I got of Beatles is Sgt Pepper. I find it a lot warmer than the English. Nice for background listening but can’t be compared to the real thing.

 

My 1990's pressing C1-90447 (purple label) is true stereo throughout. My original 1966 mono pressing has a warmer sound though (despite the background noise and the few pops).

 

Well I think it's safe to say that you now know what 3 different Y&T Lp's to look for, that are the True Stereo versions. I think we came up with at least 4 of them all with different labels and Matrix's to look for.

I'm not sure if Joe meant that there's even one with the Apple label, perhaps we can get an answer from him on that.
I'm still curious about the Green Capitol Label unless there wasn't one???

 

Looking for some info....today I bought 3 canada purple label on capital, 2 of them are 1st press purple label (1977), and the last is from the 2nd pressing purple label (1978). They are:

Help (1977)
Yesterday and Today (1978)
Something New (1977)

All are stamped mastered by capital. They sound great and are in near mint condition. I was curious if the Canadian version of Yesterday and Today of this pressing has the true stereo like the US. Do they share the same mastering? The only thing missing from the deadwax is the on the side wine glass.

I'm very happy to have found these. Never heard the original track listing of HELP...very cool cover and gatefold.

 

Just FYI (this doesn't answer your question - sorry)

The only for-sure way to get the all true stereo mixes is to get the Capitol Record Club ST-8-2553. You can tell by the cat # and the cover (the three diagonal bars at the top left of the cover).

If it's a regular ST-2553 pressing you can't tell by the just cover (bars are not there).

More info: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/beatles-yesterday-today-c1-pressing.129068/

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This also does not help completely, but I am not at home to confirm any other information: But beware, because some pressings have 1 side with duophonic and the other with stereo... so it is possible to get a 1/2 & 1/2. Trust me I have 3 of them!

 

Mine is true stereo, on the Purple label with large Capitol logo (ST 2553), and sounds great (it was mastered by Wally Traugott). I also have the original mono release from 1966, and it sounds good too.

 

The Canadian ones, do they sound the same as the Wally mastered copies? I think it sounds great.

 

My purple label pressing from around 1980 has all 3 duophonic tracks, which is the way I was hoping it would be when I ordered it on eBay.

 

Some people on this forum say good things about the Canadian releases, but personally I have never heard one.

 

I'll give my thoughts after a proper spin. I spun them in the store, but their gear is not really in the best condition. I'll give them a cleaning and spin tonight. I'm really looking forward to it. I matched my matrix info to others that have the same copy of Y and T, and this pressing does have the true stereo tracks.

 

Re: True Stereo "Yesterday & Today". First pressings were Capitol Record Club issues. With the ST-8 prefix on the catalog number. And known retail examples were normally pressed at the Winchester, Virginia plant thus far or with Winchester, VA deadwax (look for the rifle marking in the deadwax). If anyone here has an all True Stereo from elsewhere, post the deadwax, please.

 

To make matters more confusing, some Apple copies have side 1 in true stereo and "And Your Bird Can Sing" on side 2 in duophonic!

 

How can you tell "and your bird can sing" is in duophonic?