best US vinyl pressings for THE DOORS LPs....are they all monarch?

Simply means the record was pressed with stampers from a first cutting and a later cutting.

 

Blackie said: ↑

Both this and my darker gold label of Strange Days (CP-1)/(CP-1) also have a very small handwritten mark (might be mastering engineer's initials?) in the deadwax that is indistinguishable.​

Coming back to this old thread, since I've been working on upgrading my Doors LPs. I just noticed this similarity in comparing three mono s/t albums (the Monarch 'upgrade' I got off ebay is going back in the mail this morning, it was traaaashed). Has anyone figured out what that tiny signature is yet?

All three pressings I compared (the Monarch, an Allentown, and a "COL" pressing) definitely had lacquers prepared by the same person, judging by the style probably at the same time ... so my guess is the tiny sig must be someone from Madison Sound in New York, since W.B. noted many lacquers for the first two discs were cut there. And, interestingly, despite that the three I comped this morning sounded different. The Monarch was the best -- it was a (MON), not an (M) -- the Columbia was close and the Allentown far behind.

The thread started by Raunchnroll's that's linked earlier in this one definitely explains why the Columbia pressing I have compared well to the Monarch I checked it against -- the Monarch must have been one of the later LEDO copies.

 

I can understand the first lp sounding better than the new AP 45 due to the master tape being damaged and not used. However, on the remaining albums, my ears vote for the 45 rpm vinyl versions.

 

The Analogue Productions Doors reissues (45rpm) look and sound superb!

 

Thought I'd give this a bump since the question of whether Bernie Grundman cut the S/T and Strange Days was never really answered.

Answer = he did indeed!

That tiny squiggle that might look like someones initials are in fact his (tiny cursive Bg). I base this on my comparison to Joni Mitchell's album Blue. You'll find the same mark on that record as you will on the aforementioned records. HTH did he write those initials so small??

 

He was too shy, I guess...

 

I thought I would revive this thread after just picking up a NM copy of Soft Parade at a local dealer w/ "Big E" red label.
Matrix Side 1: EKS-75005 A WAD (crossed out) MON MR (circled) Delta 13552-X 3 (circled)
Side 2: EKS-75005 A MON MR (circled) Delta 13552-X 3 (circled)
I was familiar with a few of the popular songs on this album and read that it had mixed reviews, but I never sat and listened to the full album. Wow I was impressed with the sonic quality of this recording and pressing on the majority of the tracks. The first two tracks on side 1 (Tell All The People & Touch Me) were a bit bright and compressed sounding which is how I recall Touch Me sounding on other Greatest Hits LPs I own. But the rest of the Album was very rich sounding, great channel balance and Morrison's vocals sounded very life like. This was quite a find and on par sonically with my Strange Days Monarch pressing. I Want More Monarch Pressings!...been searching a while now for the S/T & Morrison Hotel LPs and hope to eventually find some clean ones.

 

I'm wondering how the red label Big E S/T by RL at SS I have would compare to a Monarch.
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-doors-soft-parade-vinyl-with-rl-matrix.148775/page-2

 

It is "Ray" written in deadwax.
Sorry for the late answer.

 

Are there any copies of these records I can play that are OK without the hunting.
Thanks

 

I found a very clean copy of this this morning for $2.50. Mine is rather heavy/thick. Should be spinning shortly. How do you like yours?

 

I actually passed it on to a friend some time ago. It just wasn't one of my favorites of their albums, though just to be completist at this point I may pick up another if I come across it. I remember it sounding good; very dynamic with warm vocals, which stood out to me.

 

I just listened to it. Very nice. Pretty much as you describe. The sound really jumps out at you. This copy is well played but with minimal groove wear. No inner groove damage. Whoever previously owned this left a big smootch mark on Morrison's face! Thankfully it wiped off easily! I also got a clean, legit Let it Be with this for $5 total.

 

I spent some time trying to convince people here that a tiny BG signature in a circle was or might be BG's but to no avail. It wasn't on Blue as I don't have that. See post #16:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/bernie-grundman-joni-mitchell-vinyl-masterings.418940/