Best 180 gram pressing of Sticky Fingers?

Ok, I'll transfer it to a nice 'Outer' Plastic sleeve and toss the Heavy plastic one, which btw, is a pain in the *ss to slip the lp cover in anyway, it sticks to the paper, not a smooth slide in/slide out by any means. But I do really like the Pressing, Flat, quiet and sounds as good as the SACD/Platinum SHM. But it's much cooler watching that slab turn around with the needle on it.
I Love Records
I Love the Rolling Stones
And I Love You Guys at the Hoffman Forums!!!!

And the beave means that!

 

You are correct in your observations re: the CDN and the EMI. To me, the similarity is that both actually have bass, whereas all U.S. copies I have ever heard sound bass-less to me. I have gotten used to that on the U.S. copies, but I still prefer the CDN and the EMI. My early UK (TML only on side 1) is also pretty lifeless and was the first import LP I bought that caused me to question what I was hearing: "How can the import be worse than the CDN.?" I thought. Well it was, but I nonetheless traded in the CDN. to a local Vancouver shop in about 1981/2. Always remembered how it sounded, though. Flash forward to 1999/2000 and a used Columbia era CDN one shows up in a local shop for $5.00. Bought it, played it and there was that sound.....my memory was correct.

 

I wish that were correct, but unfortunately, it appears that it probably isn't. I have some relatively recent releases in PVC sleeves where the sleeve is already starting to "bubble" or get wavy (indicating that the plasticizer is probably leaching from the PVC, which causes the damage to vinyl). The releases that come to mind are McCartney's Electric Arguments album and the "Pure LP" releases from Universal Music Japan (such as the Stones IORR and Sticky Fingers). Another one is the Daft Punk Tron Record Store Day 10" single. One thing I did notice was that of the two copies of Electric Arguments I have, one was in a resealable mylar outer sleeve, and that album showed much more "clouding" of the vinyl than the one that was not in an outer sleeve - so perhaps the leaching gases get trapped in the sleeve causing more damage to the vinyl. Not sure, though

I don't think it has anything to do with climate or storage conditions - my records are in a dedicated music storage room that is temperature controlled, dry and dark. However, I have some older records that were in PVC sleeves for years that did not show any evidence of leaching. I think it depends on the chemical process used to combine the plasticizer with PVC at the time of manufacture. I know zero about chemistry, but I saw this article about a way to prevent plasticizer from leaching, so perhaps in the future this will not be a problem. http://www.materialsviews.com/prevention-of-plasticizer-leaching-out-of-pvc-products/

 

How you describe the early UK and US copies: 'bass-less'/'lifeless', is smack dab parallel with my experience. My earlier post details what I think about MY copy of MOFI's SF, and now we/I see that there is a second MOFI mastering different to the first. Good Lord this never ends man.......

so now, with the Japanese 100% Pure Lp out of print and the $ out of the Question I guess it's time to start looking for a Canadian Pressing so I can add it to the collection.
Does anyone out there have any pictures of the Label or what to look for as I'm in the Seattle Washington State area I just might get lucky being close to Canada. But yeah, like it's 40 years old, good luck with that one eh??.

the beave

 

I'm confused. So the Monarch copy sucks now?

 

Not at all, but it does lack bass. Some people are OK with that, but I am not one of them, having grown up with the CDN. version. Interestingly, as has been discussed here before, the JPN. SACD (which sounds close to the US version to my ears), resolves all issues relating to this LP, including the lack of bass.

 

Doesn't the CAD pressing use the same plates as the US one? Why would it be different? Correct me if I'm mistaken if somehow the CAD was mastered differently.

 

Going off of memory, the dead wax info is indeed different. I believe it is a unique mastering, but it could easily be just plating/pressing differences. The reasons concern me less than the outcome - a better record.

 

EMI Centenary EMI 100 UK LP is my go to. Love the bass. Just right.

 

Yes. And this being the primary reason I say it "compares" well to my CDN.

Adding: the pressed in UK for export to Germany copies of SF (larger zipper pull tab is how you identify them) do sound a hair bassier than a standard UK, but I could be wrong. In any event, they are close enough to not be an issue - I just thought I'd mention it.

 

Yes, there are two different masterings of the MOFI LP -- one is awful, the other (which I have) is pretty damn nice!

.

 

You know it's really funny Peter and all, I've been collecting the Stones since I was 13 years old, worked at record stores in my youth for close to 10 years and NEVER ever heard of the EMI 100 series. My friend bought me the domestic US edition for my birthday back in 94 and when I tracked it I knew something was wrong with it, it just blew. I mean, how does an album get on the market sounding like THAT???? I am going to take a chance with the new one coming out in June. If it is the Stephen Marc brickwalled version then I'll just send it back to Amazon and get a refund. But the fact that the 2009 'Red Vinyl" version was mastered by a different person (George something?) there might be a small chance that this pressing will be a different/better version than the pos in the 71-2008 box.
the beave

 

I played the SM mastered copy of Exile and I just couldn't believe how bad it was. Had I known that the T-shirt version of SF was a unique mastering, I would surely have picked that up. Also, I do believe that there is an explanation out there as to why the 1999-2000 versions of SF, EOMS and SG sounded so bad - Fremer, I think, figured it out - but in the end it hardly matters how it happened; the fact is it DID happen and these 3 LP's are to be avoided. I am optimistic about the new SF vinyl, though. Not sure why I am optimistic, but I am. Life's more fun like that anyway. Reminds me of buying a VG looking copy of the first Ambrosia album about 10 years ago, cleaning it and discovering I had an audiophile masterpiece on my hands.

 

Is there a way to visually discern the two MOFI pressings? I have one (not sure which one), but have not listened to it in a long time - I do not recall it sounding awful though.
Can you please share your 'good' pressing info?
Thanks

 

My friend has 3 Mofi's and he gave me some deadwax information, all three are different (!). He'll track them later to see if they sound the same or if there is one that sounds 'right'.
the beave

 

The red vinyl w/t-shirt version actually sounds pretty decent and has Golden stamped in the deadwax for Golden Mastering.

 

Peter........

woooooooohooooooooooo! I got one!!

Just scored the LPCENT 38 near mint!!!!!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!!!!! To Me!!!!!!!

As Jagger would say...'Thank You Jesus, Thank You Lord'!!

ok, now I can calm down. I'm very lucky with this. Now, it cost me $86 but now I can put up my Mofi and see if I can make some of it back.
But again Peter, thanks to You and everyone on this thread and the Hoffman Site for educating me to know about the Centenary Issue.
I can't believe me luck so a Great Sunday it is!!!!
the beave

 

Congratulations! Nice score. Not cheap, but these were around $30 back in the day so I don't think you did too bad.

 

Thank you Peter.
Expensive, yes. But it's a one off pressing in nm condition. Regular domo versions of SF are going nuts right now on ebay and Amazon, so to find a copy of this in this condition is worth the money to me. Ad again, i'm sure i can move my mofi for at least 50 dollars, so that will take some of the sting out of the purchase.
The beave

 

Yes. I too believe you can off-load the MoFi for around that price.

Now, not to upset you, but you need a CDN. Kinney Exile. Wait till you hear the bass on that.....

 

I have 2 MOFI SF LPs. Each has different dead wax info. I'll compare them to see if I can detect a difference in bass.

 

I actually found one on Discogs Peter, But the seller is shall we say, not enjoying a stellar reputation for grading properly.
My VIRGIN Centenary is on it's way, hopefully before a couple of weeks are up. Since I lost out on the 100% Japanese issue I am really excited about this, hope it lives up to it's rep.
I remember tracking the US version of this, the one pressed at RTI, and both my friend and I looked at each other like ??????????
LOL, it was really a Stones moment for us. Luckily, I was able to sell it off 3 years ago for $85 so That, in essence, paid for this one.
But one thing Peter, the copyright shows '1995' when other sources say it came out in 1997 and my friend swears that he bought mine right after it came out in 1999 in the US/.
any clarity to this???
the beave

 

Which 90's pressing had the actual zipper in the cover (or did they all)?

 

Probably the best place to find that out is going through the Discogs listings for SF starting at 1990 and click on the pictures. Remember that in the 90's vinyl had come to an almost dead stop, they even stopped pressing Beatles US vinyl for a few years until the Anthology TV project when they pressed up the catalog again for a very limited pressing in 1995. So I was even unaware of the Virgin OR Cbs pressings until around 3 years ago.
What, CBS pressed up Stones Vinyl????? Yup, at least SF/Exile/ and maybe Some Girls. Don't know about any others, especially overseas, I just know these US vinyl issues from seeing them first hand, I even have the CBS Exile, and the pressing is surprisingly Excellent for that era. Too bad they used copy tapes and the Exile's Sweet Virginia, does have that massive 10db drop in level that they never fixed.
the beave

 

I know I have one from the 90"s that has a zipper which is annoying because it scratches the covers of other albums. I think it is a Virgin. I'm not at home, so I can't check.