Led Zeppelin III.......deadwax Question?

I tried to search for anything on this but I couldn't find anything. I came across a copy of Zeppelin III that has a lot of writing in the deadwax area and I was wondering if anyone had any insight into it? Starting with the matrix # st-a-702005-a (1)one mastercraft PR -so mote be it- AT Any info on the initials or the message scratched on it would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hi.
I think the other side has 'do what thou whilst'. Not much other insight on the trail-off, but I can tell you that I've had two of those mastercraft pr Led Zepp III U.S. pressings, including a white label promo, and they were both muddy. The original Canadian pressing is wonderful.

 

Those same "messages" are on the original UK plum/red vinyls as well.

I also understand that the West German pressing of this is quite wonderful as well.

 

Thanks everyone for responding. Very insightful Jerry, thanks. My copy has that same message on both sides. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet though.

 

My Mastercraft copy sucks too.

 

It's "Do what thou wilt"
In 1970, Jimmy bought Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness. It once belonged to Aleister Crowley.

 

This is a bit off topic but...Isn't this the same album where you can hear the bass drum squeak throughout the whole song? (How in the world could they miss that one?) LOL it's a blues tune if i recall. Also there is another track, Out On The Tiles where you can hear Robert telling the enginner to stop.

 

How do you propose they could have gotten rid of that? I take it you don't know much about Zep at all do you?

 

I would have guessed a dab of oil would do

 

Yes. I have two German copies. One of the LPs has one side that sounds great. The other side is okay. I also have another where both sides are just okay. Could someone post the matrix numbers of the German version that is great on both sides? Thanks.

inperson

 

About Mastercraft . . . couldst thou be a reference to the mastering house run in Memphis, TN by Howard Craft? Certainly the "PR" was the Presswell plant that manufactured LP's for Atlantic, its subsidiaries and distributed labels then.

My copy - pressed by Columbia in Pitman, NJ (with label copy typesetting therefrom), mastering by Columbia's NY studios - and on both sides of the label, an "LY" suffix which was Atlantic's code for Shelley Products. Go figure.

 

Nothing that was released was unintentional or "missed".

 

How do you propose they could have gotten rid of that? I take it you don't know much about Zep at all do you?

Oh, I know more than enough, don't worry about that. I just thought that was something that could have been taken care of.

 

Thanks W,B. Any idea what the AT stands for?

 

That was an abbreviation for "Atlantic," written on the dead wax of lacquers mastered (mostly) by the label as far back as the 1950's, which I.I.N.M., went back to when they used a pressing plant (of which I know not) which also used codes of labels in their dead wax (i.e. AMP = ABC-Paramount; M = Mercury; RCA = RCA Victor, pressing on a contract basis).

 

Guys, on this one, just search ebay for some nice CDN. sellers and get an orig. red label CDN. Atlantic copy. They are not expensive and it's a gorgeous sounding record.

 

I just got a chance to listen to this LP and agree that the sound isn't very good. I guess I'm gonna have to find one of those Canadian copies.

 

PR stands for Paul Richmond, who was the mastering engineer for MasterCraft before Howard Craft. I believe he went to work at Monument in Nashville around Memorial Day 1970. Paul and Terry Manning did the Mastering session. Somewhere I have the original settings card for this session, but who knows where it is now.

The reason a lot of these pressings are dull may be due to the quality of the original stampers ( a lot of 3 & 4 step stampers in those days = sux) or just due to the age (poor quality vinyl). Monitoring at MasterCraft was very accurate, the mastering equipment was top notch and well maintained.

 

Hey there, and welcome to the forums. It seems that you have some intimate knowledge regarding MasterCraft and the cutting of this record. Might I politely ask you, who you are?

 

I've always been partial to the AT/GP Piros cutting that I purchased new in the mid to late 70's. This has beaten all of the Mastercraft copies I've come across. I have a German press which I haven't listened to in a few years. I'll have to check it out. The Canadian sounds interesting.

 

Intereresting that Mr. Richmond's initials were identical to the code of one of the plants Atlantic used to press their albums then. I, for one, am an appreciative soul for learning all this.

 

since i've been loving you.

later, chris

 

Howard Craft is my father. I went to work there in 1977 and starting cutting masters shortly thereafter, thrown in the fire so to speak.