Led Zeppelin First US LP - Mastered by George Piros

How many is rare this LP mastered by GP?

I have seen only a copy, the one I have and it is a Monarch press.
The GP initials are on side two only and I don't know why (?)....

On label:
Side 1: ST-A-681461-MO
Side 2: ST-A-681462-MO

Deadwax:
Side 1: ST-A-681461-Mo-AA AT △12703 RG W
Side 2: ST-A-681462 CC-Repl. AT GP △12703-X
Of course both side have the circle imprinted with MR inside.

I think it's quite rare, any of you know of any other copies??

 

Different stampers? Maybe only side two uses GP's mastering. Are the channels for both sides correct or is this one of the copies with one side reversed? Members have reported LPs with different channels, both sides or just one side.

 

...sorry, not understood very well what you mean. Never heard what you say about copies with one side reversed/different channels...Could you please explain me?

 

Hi. Just compare a track for each side with a track on one of the CDs. If both are the same (or both reversed), all is well. If only one is different, then it is an LP with one of the reverse channel sides.

Which is "correct" is a matter of debate. Even the tracks from the Crop Circles box and Box 2 are reversed compared with the later remastered Led Zeppelin CD. Both have the Page/Marino credit.

 

Only side 2 on your copy is cut by GP..you need to find one with side one!!!!

 

Hehehehe...thanks, ok, but.... are there many copies mastered by GP? I whould know if it is a "standard" release or not...

 

Ok, I will do...thanks!

 

I can only speak for the Monarch pressings, but there are SD8216 and SD19126 catalog numbers (both 75 Rockefeller label) that have GP mastering on side 1 and 2. I have occasionally come across copies in the used bins, but they are usually in conditions I would not buy. I don't think any of the first pressings had GP mastering, at least this is what I have gathered from reading this thread: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/best-led-zeppelin-i-on-vinyl.251748/

Matrix info from one of my Monarch copies:

side1: ST-A-681461CC-REPL AT/GP MR(CIRCLED) (DELTA)18257(2) PR
side2: ST-A-681462CC-REPL AT/GP MR(CIRCLED) (DELTA)18257-X(2) PR

 

Thanks a lot for show me this link, I am to read it carefully....

 

I own three copies with the AT/GP inscribed in the deadwax,a 8216 on outer sleeve and vinyl label, AT/GP, on side one and two, PR.
Another copy with the AT/GP on side one only 19126 on outer sleeve and vinyl label,SP. A copy with the AT/GP on side two only,8216 on outer sleeve and vinyl label,PR.
All three copies have the 75 Rockefeller address.
All of the sides etched with AT/GP have a more narrow deadwax on them.
The copy with the AT/GP on both sides does not have the Warner Communications dot,probably an earlier pressing I guess.

 

With the info on this link I have the answer, thanks!

 

Is $60 in EX condition a good price to pay for an 1841 Broadway Presswell Piros?

 

Hey, everyone! I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I've been browsing the forum for about the last month or so. For about the last year or two I've been bolstering my vinyl collection, more specifically my LZ. I'm always in the record stores and during this time basically never come across any used LZ albums of any type. Thankfully, I was reading the forum before I found this recent album. From what I've read, I'm pretty stoked about my recent find and wanted to run it by you knowledgable folks as to what I have.

I came across a Led Zeppelin I record for $30. Details as follows....

The jacket is in excellent condition and I would say the vinyl is VG+(+)...has some scuffs, but sounds surprisingly quiet. I have to say I've never heard any vinyl sound as "realistic" as this. It literally sounded like the hi-hat and snare were inside my right speaker! I was hoping to find Bonzo in there too, but no luck.....

SD 8216
1841 Broadway address on vinyl and jacket
Superhype credits

Label on vinyl - ST-A 681461-MO

Deadwax -

ST-A 681461CC - REPL - AT/GP
ST-A 681462CC - REPL - AT/GP

From what I understand, this is the holy grail of US pressings......opinions?

 

Welcome on board David!
Regarding your finding, yes, for what I know it is the holy grail for this title on US pressing. Congrat

 

Good 1841 Broadway pressings of this album do sound astonishingly realistic: not just the drums, but the acoustic guitar on "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You," and the electric guitars on all tracks.

 

It's definitely a "Monarch Pressing", it could be that one of the stampers was starting to wear out and the pressing company used another stamper from a different mastering house. Pressing plants were chosen by record companies for logistical reasons, not so much for the sound quality. In the case of Led Zeppelin, I prefer both "Presswells" and "Monarchs". I always thought they sounded the best for whatever reason. Both pressing plants would have used George Piros cut masters.

 

My copy, which I bought new in 1973 or 74 for $4.79, has:
ST-A-681461C AT/GP PR
ST-A-681462C AT/GP PR
SD 8216 with 1841 Broadway labels and the channels are reversed.
The cover has a 1/4 inch greyish/silver band across the top which my 180 gram Classic Records copy doesn't have.
I haven't compared these two since the Classic first came out but I remember liking the Classic a little more than the Piros.

 

Do all the AT/GP cuts sound the same. I've read the CC sounds the best?

 

I want to purchase a CC cut Piros for a reasonable price in VG+ or better condition. I was thinking around $38? Anyone have one for sale?

 

Do you know if the single "C" deadwax Piros sounds the same or inferior to the holy grail "CC" cut?

 

I don't know. I think every -MO pressing I have owned is CC, but I can't check at the moment.

 

Most of Atco/Atlantic line uses a letter for the lacquer code. Additional faintly scribed letters next to the original scribe denote that other metal parts for stamping were used at their other plants. Thats all. The same lacquer source. I think Monarch has three letters, Philips has two, Presswell uses one. Theres a thread here somewhere explaining it better - if one searches.

 

I currently own (2) Monarch GP CC copies. For whatever reason, I have one copy that sounds great and another that sounds magical.

 

Anyone heard a Piros of III? I doubt it would beat the UK Plum. The other US pressings just sound dull.

 

I picked up a III from a thrift store today that has one side by George Piros. It's a 1977 reprint, catalog SD 19128, and I was surprised to see that side 1 was mastered by Paul Richmond at Mastercraft, while side 2 has George Piros' signature. Here is the deadwax info:

Side 1: ST-A-702005-E AT / (1) one / 0-1 / Mastercraft PR / (PR) - SP (upside down) / -Do What Thou Wilt- / A-13469-A (scratched out)
Side 2: ST-A-702006-H / AT@GP / SRC / 1-5

Label catalog # at bottom is ST-A-702005 SP / ST-A-702006 SP

Unfortunately the vinyl isn't in great shape. But even with the pops and occasional skip, it's easy to hear that the Piros side is head and shoulders better than the Richmond side. Piros has well defined, solid bass, excellent detail, and a wonderful rich sound. The Richmond side, by comparison, is thin sounding with very little detail. Anybody else got a similar dual pressing?