Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: Songs for Young Lovers, rel. 1954*

So much for the Record Store Day "exclusive." Copies of the 10″ LP are available from numerous third-party sellers on Amazon, some for nearly HALF the original price. (Anyone besides me feel ripped off?)

US —> amazon.com/dp/B00SRZ0IL6
UK —> amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SRZ0IL6

 

I feel ripped off, I should have waited but the record is so good I really think it's worth it.

 

I feel doubly ripped off. Not only did I wait in line and pay full price on RSD, but I ordered a second copy off eBay at a premium price so I could keep one sealed. Never again.

 

There is only one U.S. seller offering the disc at a significant discount -- and that is Marvelio, a deep-discount store that has sometimes dubious customer service (in my experience, anyway).

Plus, once you add the $4 shipping charge you're still paying $19 for the item. I paid $23 at retail, and knew I was getting a perfect copy with no dinged corners or (frustratingly routine for LPs) shipping damage.

 

That's interesting, because two of the three sellers offering the record at low prices ($14.99 and $16.66 + $3.99 shipping) are based in the UK. I've bought a lot of records from the UK, and typically the seller pays an absolute minimum of £6.70 (about $10.25 US) to ship an LP to the US. It may be even more now. And that's sticking the record in a thin envelope, which almost certainly guarantees damage. Usually, shipping LPs from the UK costs more--in the neighborhood of $15-20, if the packaging is, shall we say moderately "robust".

How they can offer the product at that low price does not make much sense to me. I would expect that it will be shipped in very light packaging, which is standard in the UK. So, unless you don't mind the jacket bent, (and the record possibly broken in half) this might not be the great bargain it appears to be at first glance.

For what it's worth, I paid $27.98 including shipping from a US vendor on Discogs, which seemed reasonable--no line, no long wait, and packaging was sturdy. I'm happy with the transaction and the product.

 

Yup. Almost every time I've had LPs shipped from the UK, they arrive looking like they've been to hell and back. And that's not counting the ones that get held up in customs.

 

It's unfortunate. People I know who have lived in England say the postal system there is wonderful. Packages are handled carefully and deliveries are frequent.

I wonder if sellers in the UK do not understand the sort of abuse that a package will receive once it goes in an airplane and then gets thrown around by the USPS, with heavy boxes stacked on top. I cannot count the number of times I've sent an email to a UK vinyl seller begging them to pack well, only to nonetheless receive a damaged item in frail packaging.

 

I paid $24.99 at retail, plus $1.56 sales tax = $26.55 vs. $18,97 shipped from Marvello. That's a 28% reduction. Add the loss of sleep, time, and cost of gas, and I still feel ripped off by the RSD hype. I won't make the same mistake next year.

 

I'm in the UK and I can say from experience that the postal system here is not very good in regard to looking after parcels, everything goes into a large sack
with dozens of parcels and packets piled on top and yes most UK sellers use those thin record mailers which always guarantees bent corners, when I buy anything through the post here I call the seller and insist they use a record box and bubble wrap and point out that if the sleeve is damaged I will send it back it works every time and now my records arrive in perfect condition, there are a few dealers here who now use boxes as the standard method for posting discs.

 

Plus, don't forget as earlier posted...on RSD itself there were copies of the 10" LP going for face value (with expedited shipping to make profit). There were a few copies going for just a few bucks more than face. They went quickly. So there were definite options to standing in long lines, etc. Hey! If that's your thing and you enjoy "the experience" that's great. Just not for me anymore.

Also, for comparison, last year's RSD edition of Dream with Dean was readily available online on RSD and was around for quite some time after at barely inflated prices. That copy, BTW is nothing to write home about and all copies of that album are now paled in comparison by a WIDE margin by the fabulous AS 45RPM edition!

 

In my experience there are a few items every RSD that end up being genuinely hard to get. Those usually end up being by artists with large, fanatical fan bases that also seem drawn to the whole vinyl fetish thing (think Jack White, Flaming Lips, Phish, etc.). Almost everything else ends up being relatively easy to come by at a reasonable price if you are patient. I love RSD at my local shop because it's a fun event with DJs, live performances, a big store wide sale, etc. But I never sweat getting the limited releases.

 

I never leave LPs sealed. I always remove the cellophane. Over time the cellophane could tighten and warp the record.

 

I've been told that just breaking the seal at some place on the wrap (a small slit or the like) allows the cellophane to breathe and that keeps it from tightening. I don't know how true that is but have heard it from several collectors over the years.

 

Analysis by paralysis. It continues.

 

Call me whatever....but this is a repeating process with your evaluation of new product. I mean no evil or harm...just stating fact. I BEGGED you to take time with Swingin' Brass before endorsing. It got ugly. Here we are again.

 

Great detective work!

I'd agree that only some of the tracks are faded early. For example, I just compared "Kick" on both the RSD and the MFSL vinyl, and the endings sound about the same to my ears. But, "Little Girl Blue" now has a gentle fade on the RSD.

Speaking of the MoFi vinyl from the 1983 silver box, I just gave that a listen. Mastering was by Stan Ricker, by the way. To my ears, the MoFi pressing mastering has a bit more vibrancy and dynamics than the new RSD 10". I especially like the kick drum punches on the MoFi "I Get A Kick".

The Record Store Day reissue is no slouch, though, in comparison. The sound is sweet and very easy on the ears.

 

I agree on all counts

 

I had a couple of 2 hour drives in the past 10 days - something that's rare for me nowadays. I had my iPod with me - hooked up to the car radio. During those drives a couple of tunes came up from the MFP CD that has Songs For Young Lovers & Swing Easy on it.

I can't thank Bob and the rest of you guys for tipping me to that disc - it sounded terrific - even in the car! The fact that it was nighttime just made it better. Like I might have been sitting at one of those little round tables at small club years ago...Frank out front...orchestra behind him....not blasting him out. Smooth.