ZZ Top Cinco: The First Five LPs (5LP 180 Gram Vinyl) June 9

Thanks, but I'm going to keep my order, the security of Music Direct, after the horror at amazon. Besides, I also threw a couple of SACDs in for padding, The Cars, and Eat A Peach.

 

Would like some pics of this set if anyone cares to post some. Hard to tell what box is like from online.

 

Now I know what to say to my wife. I threw those CDs and SACDs for padding. Brilliant!

 

Just don't open it in front of her. Unless she's a drooling idiot of course.

 

She's a ZZ Top die-hard fan so I will buy the box for her. Now I can buy some extra items for myself too... you know, for padding.

 

Amazon UK has two listings for this, one regular (set for relase on 7 July) and one which is marked "Import", which is aready out and would be the US one. This doesn't bode well, I was hoping there would be only one version of this. I will hold back on buying anything until I know what masterings are in the one sold in Europe.

 

Wise move.

 

Same as Amazon.ca.

 

Wow. It took some time for my set to arrive. I tracked the order and our USPS decided to take this from Chicago and ship it to Warrenville, PA before shipping it back to Iowa. Luckily it was well packed and traveled unharmed. It's very well done as I find to be the case with Rhino the majority of the time these days. My one gripe, why are the debut and Tejas in paper sleeves? Luckily, mine didn't suffer much for this.

I don't know what the European box will contain but as for the domestic version it is fantastic IMO. The live side of Fandango! has never been a sonic gem. It sounds better here than I've heard it before though. Its actually a really fun side to play. Everything else sounds stellar IMO. The vinyl is quiet, flat and the mastering well done. The packaging is as true to the original releases as could be expected.

I really like bands like Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, and Lynyrd Skynyrd with almost more members than you can keep track of but three man groups who accomplish similar success like ZZ Top and Rush have always impressed me. The music here is beyond reproach IMO and it could hardly be represented any better. Will there be a box of the next five albums? I think that'd be a great idea.

 

Did you order from oldies.com or somewhere else? I still haven't pulled the trigger on this. How's the first album and Tejas sound to you?

 

I went with Music Direct and the 20% off sale. I can't speak for you Jon because we have disagreed in the past. I think they sound great. I'm listening to the first now and I love it. I listened to Tejas this morning with seeds of doubt in my mind because of what I had read here from one poster. I found it to be way better than advertised. The whole set really sounds great IMO. I don't know what to tell you other than I'll bet you'd be pleased.

 

I ordered from Oldies.com it was shipped properly without issue.

The new First Album sounds good to me. I have a London and they sound similar. I've never analyzed this record much but I like the sound after 2-3 spins.

The new CB Tejas sounds pretty awesome to me. I have two Londons with Viva Tejas! in the deadwax. The original has a smokey voodoo to it and I love it. I mean lets just say I have a very strong affinity for the old London Tejas LP. This new one is fun because it's clearer. For example the Stratocaster tones on El Diablo, and the acoustic sounds in the closer Asleep in the Desert. It thumps and it sounds like a veil is lifted, but I'm pretty sure they wanted the veil on there. The original is mysterious and dark. The new one feels modern and I enjoyed it a lot the few times I've heard it so far.

The whole set is really nice. The other cuts are reviewed already though I will say the live side of Fandango sounds great the drums are deep and thunderous! The packaging is great sans the labels which are all wrong, but that's a small complaint for how nice this looks and sounds. $90 is a good price for this.

I also grabbed the Degüello reissue from 2011 since it's well regarded. It is pretty nice so now I'm all set with ZZ-Top reissues.

 

Excellent point on the labels which I neglected to mention. Given the attention to most every other detail, and Rhino's other recent efforts, the choice of labels here is baffling. Could it be due to licensing restrictions?

I also recently got the Deguello reissue (proper label) and agree it's well done. I'm not sure I'm all set with ZZ Top reissues though. I'd likely go for a box of Deguello-Recycler if it were done to these standards. Not all their strongest efforts but there's enough good material there to make it more than worthwhile IMO.

 

Warner do not own the London Records label name (not really sure who owns it at the moment), so there is no way they would reproduce those labels. I assume the covers also have the WB logo?

 

It would seem that since Chris Bellman did all analogue cuts of Rio Grande Mud and Degüello, and did all analogue cuts of the Roth-era Van Halen catalog (twice; also on Warner Bros.) that these new cuts of First Album and Tejas are likely analogue too. That, with the SH/KPG cuts of Tres Hombres and Fandango! would make this an all analogue set. I can't believe this wasn't hyped in marketing. I ordered it anyway.

 

I follow your logic here but can't confirm all of it myself. I hope they all are AAA. What I can confirm is that the whole set sounds wonderful on my system. I've been through them all several times. Once you play them you may stop caring what the source is.

 

Ah, 'tis the effect of a Bellman / Grundman production every time.

 

Def need to pick this up. My cheap ass is waiting for another sale.

 

I just received an e-mail from Rhino about their 20% site-wide sale this weekend The price for Cinco on their website with discount currently is $91.98 before shipping.

The Rhino Store | Rhino

Feed the beast!

 

$ 101.70 w/shipping : ZZ Top Cinco: The First Five Lps Oversize Item Split, 180 Gram Vinyl, Boxed Set, 5PC on ImportCDs


Rhino is $107.52 for my cart, which inc. sales tax + shipping.

That's a savings of $5.82. Yes, I checked all over online.

.

 

Stop it ! I need to do a brake job on my car NO VINYL must resist....

 

I have really nice orignal pressings of their first 7 albums with the exception of "First Album" and "Tejas". I have a copy of "Tejas" but it is not a tri-fold copy and it sounds a little worn. All the others are PRIMO!

Part of me wants to get this, as opposed to tracking down a mint copy of the 2 originals that I need. Which I expect would run me at least $50.

 

I understand, but that comes out only $ 20.34 each. A price you're not likely to see again. Put it on a credit card, pay off in 30 days interest-free !
.

 

I'd place a WTB for those 2 Art. We've got some exceptional vinyl sellers right here.

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Might be a little cheaper at Barnes & Noble if you're a member....They have a 20% deal going on through the 4th. $87.39 before tax....but free shipping. About $94 total.

Btw...the code is
JAUXUKPDAT1CF