Which vinyl to buy for these artists....

I suspect that some of the sealed lps on ebay have been re-shrink wrapped. I've bought a couple that apparently are since the lps were really beat up.

Check around where you live and see if there's any used lp shops. You could probably pick up several you like at a good price.

Ebay can be a bit of a crap shoot. I've gotten several great lps but I've been burned a couple times too.

 

Wags,

A little advice from my experience about "sealed" records. If you're a collector and not into listening then buy all the sealed ones you can afford. If you're buying them to listen (like me) then beware of warpage (from tightness of shrink + time) and sometimes "unknown" pressing defects (hidden by being imprisoned in the thin plastic clinker) . I think it's always a safer gamble to find a legit seller/dealer and buy a properly graded one. Less surprises when opening ("Wow, Martha, I paid $200 dollars for that sealed Jim Nabors album and guess what? There was a loose tooth accidently dropped in the sleeve before being sealed. This is the first record I brought with teeth marks!!". Also, you won't be paying the sealed "surcharge" (will that be cash, credit card or privilages with your cat, sir?).

For Beatles and older Elton John stuff, you can never go wrong with some nice UK pressings. Neil Young keep your eyes out for early US pressings and for 'Harvest' with "LH" in the dead-wax. Rush, I have not idea (r)...

Todd

P.S. A good rule of thumb (or nose or thingie) is to get pressings from original country of recording (but not always the case)....

 

As far as Beatles are concerned forget about that crappy U.S. Capitol Magical Mystery Tour and look for the German pressing instead.

It's 100% true stereo on side 2, where on the Capitol issue the last 3 songs were in fake stereo.

 

As we've recently been discussing elsewhere, I'd look for the one with the SHZE catalog no. over the Cxxxxxxx catalog no.

As for Neil Young, there are two different versions of After the Gold rush -- I never found out why, or which is the "approved" version, or which is more rare. One of them has a few bars of Southern Man that were edited out of the other coming out of the guitar solo; and one has a longer fade on "When You Dance", with a lot of the stereo stuff reversed from the other. I think both of them sound quite good, within their limits, to tell the truth, despite some tape distortion and hiss. I'm not at home, so I can't look, but I think the earlier has "RE-1" and the later "RE-2" both on the matrix and on the label matrix no.

I had a German pressing of Harvest once and it was ugly! The standard U.S. release is a little dull sounding, but otherwise very good.

 

For Elton John, you may wish to find the DCC vinyl of "Madman Across the Water" and "Elton John's Greatest Hits," for starters.

 

Neil's first self titled LP was released without his name on the cover in a rare first pressing. The LP was reissued with his name on the cover and REMIXED! I had the original cover years ago...Not anymore.

 

Many of the original cover issues had the remix too, same orange/brown Reprise label.

 

The US press with the initials "LH" in the dead wax, early pressing, is the one to have. Tom Port has recommended this pressing too. It is anything but dull. Hands down the best sounding issue of this album I've heard anywhere. Supposedly, it handily beats the Nautilus, which sells for a mint. Not to mention that it's a quad pressing, but nowhere on the album does it say so. I got my copy for $2, and it's a little noisy, but what a beautiful mastering!

 

Hello Mike.

I understand this is a myth. I kinda remember the confusion has to do with some writing on the tape can or box that mentions Quad but it is related to the name of the studio or something like that.

I also believe the rumour started here in this forum. Was it you Mike?

I'm sure that Vex has the complete info on this.

 

No, this was information from Steve.

Click Here

I don't know if someone found out otherwise.

 

Just my 2 cents but on Neil Young, I have all the first pressings and have had pressings into the eighties, not tremendous differences. Stick with US Reprise pressings and don't get to fanatical. IMO the best sounding version of Harvest that I've heard is the Japanese pressing, the Nautilus is excellent but not worth the money.

 

What are you taliking about? The original "no name" Neil Young cover had one mix only. The reissue with Neil's name on it had the remix. The "no name" cover was only out for a short while.

 

It's true. Check Goldmine, they back me up. Not to mention that I actually own one, purchased from it's original owner

I'd much rather it were a 1st issue before the remix. Oh well!

 

sorry, wrong thread...

 

Are you referring to the Noname Neil Young's first LP? Maybe we're on two different Lps?