De Agostini - 'The Beatles Vinyl Collection' mail order set via subscription

Yup, that’s where I was heading! For some reason I didn’t find one of the very early releases in there and just assumed they weren’t stocking them...

Anyway, have my Past Masters now, thank you!

And now I will never have to shop at Tesco ever again...

 

Hell isn't it? The frying pan of Tesco on the one hand and the fires of DeAgostini on the other.

 

On the last track of the Past Masters 2LP set that I got today... just been singing my head off to Rain a while ago. As I've seen it referred to in a couple of places, I have heard a couple of minor 'blemishes' on disc 1 - I Feel Fine had a tiny bit of non-fill and disc 2 was a wee crackly during the first several seconds to begin with... a few pops earlyish during Hey Jude and as Let It Be begins (the former IS plainly a defect that's also visible) but overall, nothing I'd get upset over.

I didn't feel too excited about this release, until I opened it, that is! Enjoying it far more than I thought I was going to but it's still sad that there is no more for this particular collection. I know it's another compilation BUT it does have so much that's not on any other albums (not forgetting that the Long Tall Sally EP tracks are in stereo on Rock & Roll Music... which I sometimes have to admit to doing) - meaning that 'red' and 'blue' are pretty much redundant, now.

 

My wife picked up Past Masters for me today in WHS Brixton, got first record on now and sounding good! Have enjoyed this series and it has been a cost effective way of filling gaps in my Beatles stereo collection.

 

Congrats to all who have completed their purchases. I'll keep checking if AHDN ever appears on their back issues page, obviously need to be sure it's the corrected version before ordering...

 

I’d just like to publicly thank Wayne for picking me up a copy of Past Masters and allowing me to complete the collection. Received today in pristine condition.

I’m glad the collection is over and I most certainly won’t be buying any further collections from that bunch of jokers, DeAgostini.

 

I'd give a definite thumbs up to this. Nice one, @wayne.

Although I didn't subscribe, it was all the uncertainty - especially early on - whether any shops would keep stocking them. My usual stockist had problems, so I had to go on the hunt then all of a sudden it went fine again... that was less than halfway through so it did worry me a bit. That and finding 4 or 5 covers with fair size creases on the back, when you expect them to be perfect, going by the front being so (in HMV, you could at least ask for a few quid off if getting a replacement would be too much hard work!) I wondered it it was my clumsiness as I did slightly damage one but I knew the others I took a lot of care with. Fortunately, there was only the odd crackle of a couple of mine - no worse than I've had with new albums from shops. Except in the case of Help! and I'm still thinking I might ask for another copy of that - I'll see if I can take a picture of the weird mark across I Need You, that causes the loud pops.

Then last night, I realised that my collection is not quite complete - should have my redelivery of the recut AHDN tomorrow, 3rd attempt from Royal Mail. LOL

Stripey Rambles on You Tube (and a fellow Madness/2-Tone fan too, yay!! ) illustrated what some in this thread have gone through and I did feel sorry for the number of subbers affected, that the company seemed unconcerned about getting a thing right! My good mate Steve is/was included in this and he really doesn't respond well to stress of any kind, sadly. I'm glad that I only had to contact them by email a few times and their responses were just about what I hoped they would be - so not too bad in that department.

Hopefully, the remainder of the free gifts will be with everyone, without much more of a wait. And any LPs that haven't yet arrived as well!!

 

Dublin update: There were about 8 copies of Past Masters left in Easons (GPO Branch) at 10:30 this morning. Spoke to another shopper picking up a copy and we both agreed that it’s been an enjoyable journey through the catalogue via newsagent distribution. I like to think that some copies if not the whole series, were acquired in small shops across ‘these islands’ and not just in the big chains and supermarkets.

 

Well, as gmcmahon noted (thanks!), the final issue did arrive in Dublin shops this morning. Mixed feelings about collecting the final one in that I am certainly going to miss it (and keeping up with this thread).

There is certainly no extension of the series because the back of the cardboard bit reads:

"Dear Reader,

Past Masters brings us to the end of this historic collection of The Beatles' music on vinyl. We hope that you have enjoyed hearing the songs on 180g vinyl - whether you are re-living memories of the past or listening to the albums for the first time.

Thank you for collecting this series, and we hope it will give you listening pleasure for many years to come.

The Publisher
De Agostini"

Separately I asked for a replacement AHDN to replace my replacement and got a prompt response confirming that "issue 10 has been rectified" and they are "still awaiting stock". I am to enquire with them "after a few weeks for a replacement". They also ignored my query about how much the storage boxes would cost "including p + p". Ah, well.

Bit shoddy that I have to follow-up to get a replacement for a product that they acknowledge is faulty though. Can't see why they could not issue it to me as a matter of course.

 

They're not the best at answering direct questions... that's for sure. And I had no reply (did anyone?) either - I'm sure at least one other poster has said the same - when I asked if they would sell them online. They must have a series of 'stock' answers and if it's not on their list, then we're left to make our own conclusions.

Unfortunately, they have shown us that this is far outside their way of thinking... Or are they trying to recoup some of their losses in this way?

 

Of course it might be one of the oldest customer care tricks in the book. If the customer has to contact you back again, you can close the current query. Thus, less "open" or outstanding queries at the end of the day/week and a higher resolution rate.

Or has dealing with this company just made me cynical? - I wasn't before, promise!

 

Not a problem at all glad I could help you out.

If anyone is wishing to purchase this at the Hull Central Tesco’s there are two items left at 1330 this afternoon, if you are looking for them they won’t be on the rack anymore as Tesco’s have given my mum the rack to house these in!!. A bit tatty and falling to pieces after a year of being bashed and moved around with trolleys and the like but me Mam is happy to have it!! ( Heaven Knows Why!! ).
The remaining copies no doubt will be in the music section to the left of were the rack was

 

Well I’ve had another two replies about the storage boxes from two other members of Customer Services both making my previous optimism disappear!!. I thought it would be logical to ask them
To sell the extra boxes (as they are going for a ridiculous £90 or more on EBay) as they for sure know people want them badly. The answer I got today was “ sorry we won’t be selling them as they are free gifts and we can’t sell free gifts!!”. Excuse my ignorance but weren’t they charging £2 extra as a premium subscription for these so called free gifts??.

I’d be happy to pay £50 for a pair of them no quibble!. But I can’t see anyone at Deagostini having sense and selling the no doubt extra stock they have, they must have made more to account for people’s getting bashed in the mail etc, doesn’t seem like financial sense to me.

 

yeah £2 extra, for an extra free gift

 

The problem is that these were marketed as only being available to premium subscribers. If they sell them off separately they would be undermining their own subscription scheme and this could impact on consumers future purchases.

I do actually fully understand their rationale for not selling the boxes separately.

 

I was thinking about taking out two premium subscriptions To get the boxes , would be more cost effective then spending £400 on four empty boxes. Could always sell the issues themselves?. I realise it’s a bit drastic but I feel the boxes are now essential to this set (they look good in a full flight case as they are now but it isn’t the same).

 

If they say “sorry we won’t be selling them as they are free gifts and we can’t sell free gifts!!", surely they could give them away for free?

Hooray!

 

Can you still "subscribe" now that the series has run its course?

 

Have to say I haven’t had any real issues with my subscription.

All records have arrived on time and in pristine condition. I requested 1 replacement due to non fill and received it no quibble within 14 days.

Yeah the first display frame was the wrong size and we are still awaiting some of the ‘free gifts’ but all I really subscribed for was the record and storage boxes.

It’s been great collecting these on vinyl again and I have enjoyed this thread and some members YouTube videos on the series. It’s been a real fun, cost effective way to rebuild my collection.

Just waiting on the final 2 records and storage box which is on its way. Oh and my corrected copy of AHDN

 

Just playing Past Masters ,,so far so good,,, on the TBOJAY and very quiet pressing,,,punchy bassy sound

 

Ditto. Any problem has been rectified pretty quickly. Initial problem was chasing up delivery in the early days. But once you get used to seeing a dispatch date on the account, and then adding 2 or 3 days on, I worked out when I was likely to get a delivery. My main complaint is that subscribers get their records almost a month after everyone else and I am still waiting for Issue 21 and 22 which were sent out 27 Dec so read 29 Dec and add a lost day for New Years Day holiday, so hopefully will get them tomorrow, whatever 21 and 22 are, and then it should be the last one (23) by end of month together with the 2nd box. I was hoping that as per the original tet when I signed up that there would have been a couple of bonus issues such as Let It Be Naked, but apparently not to be. And I am of course still waiting for the repressed AHDN which to my way of thinking should be sent out automatically to subscribers and when I chased up, I was told they are waiting for stock, which in itself seems a strange comment to make.

 

Finally picked up a copy of PM at Tesco's and very glad I did.
A fantastic cut that sounds a bit punchier and clearer than my Optimal cut from 2012.
I note that the booklet makes reference to the fact that these records are all re-cuts and Magee used a 1980's Neumann VMS80 as he did on the previous cuts.
I was brought on board this series by the cheap introductionary offer on Abbey Road and was surprised to find it sounded different and better than my Optimal copy. For the most part, this series has continued this trend. These records are my everyday players of the Beatles remasters as a result.
Whilst there are two "cock-ups" with the intro to AHDN and the missing inner groove nonsense on SPLHCB, Magee did a better job on these than the first time around thus proving the point that experience matters.

 

My thinking re AHDN is that they were initially only planning to send new corrected copies out to those who originally complained. However now we all know there are corrected copies available I expect their complaints/requests have gone through the roof hence the need for more stock. It’s clear they are quite an amateur outfit!

Besides the first 2 or 3 deliveries mine have all arrived in line with the 2nd record being in stores, sometimes before. It seems those who subscribed a bit later in the series are the ones with delays and issues.

I’ve had confirmation that my final 2 instalments plus the storage box are in transit. Expecting them tomorrow or early next week. I’ll let them off with an additional few days due to the holiday season and since this is the final delivery. (I really don’t care if a notepad and power bank ever arrive)

 

In a word - exactly!

 

Correct, when I got my first box it had a small dent in it. I asked them for a replacement and they sent me another one without question.

Chris