Steely Dan Aja LP Matrix Question

Yesterday, I found an early U.S. Aja LP, gatefol cover, yellow ABC label, lyric hard paper stock inner sleeve. Here are the matrixes:

Side 1: AA-1006-A, followed by the number 1 in a circle. The SRC (Specialty Records) logo also appears.

Side 2: AA-1006-B, followed by the number 1 in a circle. The SRC (Specialty Records) logo also appears.

Is this a first press?

 

Within that time. It's also possible that this was a subcontract pressing, being that during the summer of 1978, while Aja was within the top of the charts, there was a strike against Columbia's Pitman, NJ plant - and Columbia handled ABC.

In addition, this appears to have been mastered in-house at ABC Studios. I remember that the "Peg" single was mastered at A&M by Bernie Grundman.

 

W.B., what do you mean by "within that time"?

I should add that I cleaned and played side 1 and it sounds VERY nice.

 

Help! I was browsing the forum a few weeks ago, and remember a comprehensive list of all the CD issues of "Aja," with the corresponding ID numbers in the center circle of the CD. The listing explained how to identify the issues that Steve had mastered. I believe I got to the listing via a link contained in another post; I am trying to locate that summary now, and cannot locate it. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

 

Maybe this one?:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=158372&highlight=steely+dan+aja

 

I say this because of the Specialty pressing, and also your description of the deadwax. It also came to me that ABC sometimes used other plants besides Columbia for LP pressings, though only using Columbia for 45's.

 

I wonder if that includes the 12' promo, must check my deadwax.

C

 

I have a demo copy and both sides have (RE-3) before -A on Side 1 and -B on Side 2 (and on mine that is followed by -1A, -1B).

It is interesting that your copy does not have the (RE-3).

 

Thanks Sung. It sounds OK, but a little lacklustre. I amd going to keep it though.

By "demo" do you mean a WLP copy?

 

For some reason (price codes?) AJA seems to come in both AA-1006 and AB-1006 catalog numbers. Can't recall if there's both, or revised, numbers in the matrix.

I'm pretty sure the RE-3 and/or RE-2 is Bernie's release cut, and Peter's new one is a recut by a.n. other. (I often see those circled numbers on ABC and A&M discs, but nothing really comes to mind as to their significance. I've never noticed or compared similar discs with different circled numbers.)

 

Listening to my RE-3 (1A, 1B) cut right now and it sounds fantastic. Let's keep it real, though--the only copy of AJA that I've ever heard on LP or CD that doesn't sound that great is the MFSL vinyl. Aja isn't one of the top audiophile records of all time for nothing.

 

That was it. Thanks, Paul!

 

MIne does not sound that great. Now I know why.

OTOH, I have the MFSL LP and I have always thought that sounded amazing, and I am usually not one to like MFSL vinyl.

 

Hi Peter,

As far as I know, there was WLP for Aja (dunno why). I am sure Test Pressings exist though. All "demo" stamped copies I have seen had stock labels. Some of those, however, came with booklet/leaflet literature promoting the group.

A long time ago, I had access to about 30 or so pristine US copies of Aja with different dead wax variations, and came to the conclusion that the 1A, 1B copy sounded the best.

But Ted is correct. This is just a great recording, the mastering engineer will need to work pretty hard to screw it up. I even love the MFSL CD (and you know I am not a CD fan).

It is interesting that you like your MFSL vinyl, however. I would agree with Ted that the MSFL vinyl is noticeably inferior to the first US pressings (cut by Bernie Grundman) and the Japanese first pressing. Perhaps, you have a differently mastered MFSL copy, which would not surprise me. Perhaps, there was a "good" MFSL copy. Perhaps you should note the dead wax matrices of your copy so that others can compare with their copy -- I no longer have a MFSL vinyl copy of ASIA (which, for newbies, is what Aja means).

 

My "Aja" MFSL matrixes are:

Side 1: MFSL-1-033-A4. Then below that, "A" and below that, "27 MAY 80." Then, "SR/2 ORTOFON." Then "1 4 2."

Side 2: MFSL-1-033-B3A. Then "SR/2 ORTOFON." Then, "30 MAY 80." Then "1 3 1."

 

Yes, price codes. In the years before ABC started using AA and AB prefixes, ABCD prefixes were used for the then dominant $6.98 list LPs. AB replaced ABCD as $6.98's, but they raised the wholesale price a few points. AA then designated $7.98 lists. But during the transition there were some exceptions. I don't recall for certain if the original AB-1006 was one of these exceptions, or if it followed the rule from release through the transition. In other words, if Aja followed the rule, it was released as a $6.98 list, and didn't become a $7.98 until the prefix changed to AA.

My stock copy is similar to that, but I should add that mine shows evidence of some changes etched into the metal parts along the way in order to match AA on the label and jacket. AB was changed to AA by adding an A to the front, and scratching out the B on both sides. Another change was made on both sides after -A and -B. Side A was legible through the scratches, but Side B couldn't be deciphered through the scratches.

AA[strike]B[/strike] 1006 (RE-3)-A [strike]1A[/strike] 1B ...which equals AA 1006 (RE-3)-A 1B
AA[strike]B[/strike] 1006 (RE-3)-B [strike]??[/strike] 1B ...which equals AA 1006 (RE-3)-B 1B

So it looks like the lacquers that my record came from probably started out close to this:

AB 1006 (RE-3)-A 1A
AB 1006 (RE-3)-B ??

Does anyone have AB in the deadwax without it being scratched into AA? If so they should be earlier pressings, but may have come from the same lacquers. AA in the deadwax (with no alterations) should be later pressings from later lacquers.

 

I also have the scratched out "B" marked as "AA" but without the "1A", "??", or "1B" at the end.

 

I hope someone with another copy of the MFSL chimes in and compares the matrices against their copy.

Peter's copy may be special and I would like to know.

 

My "Aja" MFSL matrixes are identical except for the final suffixes: my sides end in "1 4 1" and "1 3 2."

 

Excellent post!


I will try to (hopefully) answer these questions in parts.

First, the matrices on my "demo" copy is as follows:

AB 1006 (RE-3)-A 1A
AB 1006 (RE-3)-B 1B 1A [with the 1A scratched out]

Also, it is interesting to note that the 1A on Side A and the scratched-out 1A on Side B are most likely from the same person and those markings were added AFTER Bernie neatly wrote the "AB 1006 (RE-3)-A" for Side A and "AB 1006 (RE-3)-B" for Side B. For one thing, the handwriting is a bit different. In addition, the 1A are several spaces after Bernie's neat writing. Also, if you look at his cutting of Joni Mitchell's Blue and his Classic reissues, he was not in the habit of etching 1A's or 1B's etc. Furthermore, Bernie's markings are more deeply etched than the lighter 1A. Finally, see LLP7's post above -- it appears there are later pressings, probably taken from the metal parts of the original lacquer cut by Bernie, which do not have the 1A. Therefore, it appears that Bernie's markings at the time of cutting the lacquer was limited to the cat. no. plus RE-3 plus the side designation.

The 1A, then, was the mother code etched after the lacquer was already cut by Mr. Grundman.

For whatever reason, however, the 1A on Side B was scratched out (perhaps by the same person or another person at a later time, I am not sure) and someone etched IN FRONT OF the scratched-out 1A, "1B" squeezed tight (or forced into) after Bernie's original lacquer etchings.

This is what I call the 1A, 1B pressing (which, I suppose, should instead be called "first lacquer, first mother" commercial pressing.

The scratched out information that you cannot read on your copy should be 1A. The person who scratched out that information probably also added the "1B" AFTER everything instead of squeezing it in right after Bernie's markings.

I hope this helps.

 

Sung, thanks. Ted has always told me I needed to hear an original U.S. Aja. Looks like I still need to find one.

 

Thanks, Sung. That's very helpful. I was nearly ready to say that my Side B unidentifiable scratch-out was originally 1A, but I wasn't 100% certain, so I didn't guess. And like yours, mine has the light 1B squeezed in front of the scratch-out (even though my other post inadvertently showed it behind the changed letters). In other words, it seems that with the exception of mine changing AB to AA (probably done in the metal parts), our matrix info matches completely.

I think it is almost a certainty that both our records are descended from the same lacquer, but yours is an earlier pressing...made before the price/prefix change that mine exhibits.

 

Not sure if this the right place...

...but short time lurker and having recently picked up a copy of Aja, I had to register and ask if can anyone tell me the significance of

side 1: ABCL 5225 A3 and ALLEN etched in vinyl
side 2: ABCL 5225 B1 etched in vinyl

Hope I can continue to contribute to this great forum!

thanks, Simon.

 

Mine promo copy has the following hand inscribed writings:

Side A: AB 1006(RE-3)-A 1A, no cross out.
Side B: AB 1006(RE-3)-B 1A, no cross out.

This one to my ears, sounds a bit better(clearer) than my other copies.

However, my favorite copy(may not be everyone else's) is actually the Cisco/Kevin Gray 180g reissue. On that one, sound level was "definitely" cut a couple dBs lower than the originals; you'll have to crank it up a bid to match with the originals. When the volume level are equal, the reissue to me has about 5-10% more detail information. Cymbals rings a bit longer, bass and vocal are a little tighter and more focus. My two cents.

 

I used to have a couple of this as well, but one was a promo and the other was just a stock copy. And I agree they sound great but I also think Cisco shows bit more detail. What I just love about the Cisco is not that, however, since I can make a case for the original or the Cisco on that front. I think the Cisco is a MUST because it has less inner groove distortion (see, "Deacon Blues") and is on much quieter vinyl. Most Steely Dan vinyl of this era were on noisy vinyl (some worse than others).

By the way, as I read back at my first post on this thread, I accidentally missed the word "no" in front of WLP. I meant to say that I have never seen a White Label Promo of this LP. I have seen "promotion only" stamped copy and my copy, which is "demonstration only" stamped copy.