UK Mono version of Satanic-Stones question

yes, i stand corrected. jagger was actually talking about 2000 light years from home but darned if i remember where...

 

Rolling Stone interview 1968...

 

I'd like to revive this thread inviting those Forum members who do have a folddown Decca mono LP to provide their matrix no's, same way as Parkertown did with his LP...
Thanks in advance!

Doc

 

Per request to list matrix for UK mono

Same exact label as Parkertown

Matrix #'s:
Side 1 ARL-8126-1P
Side 2 ARL-8127-P1
Nothing else

I am not convinced this is fold-down. Three gongs in the Lantern and the fact that nothing sounds rolled off suggest otherwise. I have a later stereo pressing that sounds very good, but this mono is my go to choice.

 

thanks, keep 'em coming (especially those who believe they do have a folddown: c'mon, there must be a difference in those matrix no's!)
Doc

 

I just finished a needle drop of a Mono UK unboxed Decca TSMR that belongs to theBeatles67.
Matrix info: all stamped
ARL-8126-T2 2K
ARL-8127-T2 2K

The Lantern has 2 gongs. I have been trying to decide if it is a dedicated mono, although a different mix than the US, or a folddown from the stereo.
Very curious that Parkertown's copy on the same unboxed Decca label has 3 gongs.

Does anyone have an insight as to the timeframe sequence of matrix numbers,
ie. -1P, -P1 Vs T2 2K ?
Seems the T2 2K could indicate a different pressing but the 2 vs 3 gongs doesn't add up.

 

Makes perfect sense. There are two versions of the mono unboxed UK. One is a fold-down and the other one isn't. Two gongs (T2 2K) fold-down, three gongs (1P P1) true mono.

BTW, my matrix numbers:

UK DECCA unboxed label mono:
Side 1 ARL-8126-1P
Side 2 ARL-8127-P1
US London dark red label mono
Side 1 ARL-8126-1A
Side 2 ARL-8127-1A

 

Cool! thanks a lot.
Doc

 

My UK Decca mono matrix info:

Side 1: ARL-8126-T2-3K
Side 2: ARL-8127-T2-3K

Two gongs on 'The Lantern', so a fold-down. But it's nice to have the 3D pic, glossy laminated outer sleeve, and swirly red inner...

 

I've found out there's a third, intermediate version, which couples side 1 from the folddown (T2 2K) and side 2 from the dedicated mono mix (P1). Beware!
Doc

 

Do you prefer one over the other or do they sound about the same?

 

I have 3 mono Satanics; US, UK & South Africa. All "3 gong" versions. The US issue gets my vote for the best sounding, the bass is markedly purer, stronger, more rounded & focused, just allround cleaner & more natural sounding. It verily bubbles & burbles it's way all through 2000 Light Years From Home, just a great sounding bassline.The UK & SA sound very similar, just a bit less "heft" than the US pressing.

The respective matrix info is as follows:

US ARL 8126 BW / ARL 8126 BW (handwritten)

UK ARL 8126 1P / ARL 8127 P1 ( machine stamped)

SA TXL 103 ARL 8126 / TXL - 103 - ARL 8127 DD4 (handwritten)

 

My side 1 is the same as yours, except I think what you write as a letter "I" before the "P" is actually the number "1" because it is identical to the "1" in 8126.

That said, my side 1 is:

ARL-8126-1P

My side 2:

ARL-8127-P1

3 Gongs on The Lantern on my copy too.

Are you sure you didn't mean to type 8127 for your side 2?

 

Just to add further confirmation I have 3 UK unboxed mono copies. 2 are fold-downs and one is true mono, with 3 gongs on side 2.

The quickest way to tell which version of side 1 you have is as follows.
Check out the last (and only) verse of Sing This All Together (See What Happens);

Stereo/fold-down = eerie reverb on the vocal
True mono = dry vocal

 

I would like to revive this thread.

Over the past few months I have started collecting Stones vinyl again after a 20 year hiatus. I've pretty much done my research by using this forum.

Last week I received a UK mono pressing of TSMR with the following matrix numbers: UK ARL 8126 1P / ARL 8127 P1 (machine stamped). The LP is in VG+ condition and is a really nice player. This pressing sounds teriffic to me. It's open sounding with plenty of bass. As others mentioned, I don't think this pressing is a fold down. I compared the LP to a US stereo pressing that had it's channels combined. I found several differences which would leave me to believe that this is a dedicated mono mix, not includuing The Lantern which has already been pointed out on this fourm.

This evening I came home to a Canadian mono pressing of TSMR. It has the maroon boxed London ffrr label. As I expected, the LP was filthy with scuffs, scratches and mold. It took me 3 cleanings and some lighter fluid to get out some of the scuffs/marks. I would say at best it's a VG player. The matrix numbers are hand etched: ARL 81276 and ARL 81276-2.

Now I know that the US/Canadian mono pressing gets high marks on this forum due to the fact that it's a dedicated mono mix and its overall excellent sound quality, but I have to say I prefer the UK pressing. Granted, my Canadian pressing isn't in the greatest shape, but I expected it to blow away the UK pressing and it doesn't. Yes, it has some nice bass, but it's no better than the UK pressing. Plus, the UK Decca is more dynamic sounding to my ears and the vinyl is thicker. Before I make a final judgement I will look to find an upgrade to the Canadian mono.

I noticed that there is one difference between the UK and US mono pressings. There's a gap of silence between the "barker" (if that's what you call it) and the opening of She's A Rainbow on the US mono, while on the UK pressing the "barker" leads directly into She's A Rainbow, which is the same on the US stereo. I've yet to hear the UK stereo. I wonder if there are seperate dedicated mono mixes for the US and UK?

 

There is no such gap on my dedicated US Mono.

 

My mistake.

I should have said there was a gap on my Canadaian mono pressing, not the US mono. I assumed they were the same. I'm expecting a US mono pressing within the next week or so.

 

Its been a general presumption that the UK mono's were fold downs - because the most common stampers are. But as you found, the UK 1P/P1 is a superb sounding true mono mix. IMO it sounds a bit clearer and smoother than the US mono by a small margin.

 

I just received a US mono pressing of TSMR. The condition of the LP is in VG condition. That being said, this pressing is much better than the Canadian pressing that I picked up a few weeks ago. It's more powerful with a better bottom end. It sounds teriffic, although I still prefer the UK pressing.

I need to give this LP a good cleaning, although I suspect that it won't help that much. It would be nice to find one these LPs in NM condition without having to pay a small fortune.

 

Mono Mispress

Hello--

As both a long-time fan of this record and someone who has always felt that "stereo" is something of a marketing scam, my interest was piqued when I came to learn that Satanic Majesties was in fact released in mono as well. For years I've been listening to my stereo copy and now I'm anxious to hear the mono mix.

I've educated myself by reading through the pertinent threads on this site, and I *think* I've just found the blue-label USA/London 80s mispress that you speak of here. An NM copy came on the Bay last night with a BIN of $19, and the picture of the label looks identical to the side 1/side 2 so generously posted by a board member on page 2 of this thread. (For the past few weeks, I've been casually monitoring the auction site to compare/contrast pictures of the blue label London pressings, and it's amazing how many subtle variations there are of this.) I emailed the guy to ask if the above matrix numbers appear on the platter, and he replied that side 1 does in fact show these exact numbers. Side 2 he said, however, has much less dead wax than side 1, and he cannot make out for sure what those numbers are. I figured it's worth the $20 gamble.

For those of you who have this mispress, might you kindly be able to confirm this alleged paucity of dead wax on side 2? Can I be fairly certain that I'm getting the mono mispress? Was this a large production run?

Regards,
Ivan

 

It's a small space on side two for the deadwax...however in order to make sure this is the real thing on both sides you have to ask about the deadwax....if anything has ARL in the matrix...then that's it...if not...it may just be a one sided...but you are right...checking it out against the label and bevelling on that label is still a great first strike...

 

Thanks Paul--

The record is en-route to me now. The seller says that the side 1 matrix numbers are correct and that the side 2 numbers *look* like they're the ARL-812-7-1C that I asked him to confirm for me, but he can't make them out for 100% certainty. In my having spent way too much time researching it this past weekend, it appears that there was yet another (mis)pressing of Satanic Majesties with one side stereo/one side mono. It would seem however that I'm in fact getting the all-mono mispress that was discussed earlier in this thread.

On another note, I inquired about a steeply-priced original US mono copy of Satanic Majesties (NP-2) that's listed as a buy-it-now. The seller is an old-time record dealer from Texas. I sent him a friendly email asking if he wouldn't mind detailing his definition of what "VG+" means, as these gradings can be pretty subjective in my experience. He shot me back an all-caps email saying, "records that are 50 years old like this are offered for historic value only and are not intended to be played (?!?)...if you have any doubt, do not buy it."

I mention this for the bemusement of fellow board members here. At any rate, I'm looking forward to receiving my mono mispressing of TSMR.

Ivan

 

That sounds right. The one sided US mono mis-press shows up more often than the double sided one, which I'd rate as 'very scarce'.

 

And I think you are getting the right thing as the person who sold me my copy had troubles making out the matrix numbers accurately on side two because it was such a small space to write them in...

An early congratulations...it sounds awesome and you won't need an original...it's THAT awesome!