ZZ Top Tres Hombres - first US cut?

I have a copy with matrices "-1", "Bell Sound" and "Sf" etched on both dead wax side, with blue London label.

Is it a first US pressing?

 

Yes, it is one of several that were cut at the time of release.

 

Thats what my radio promo copy has. I bought my first copy in 1975 (still have it) and it has -3. The vast majority pressed are Bell Sound / Sam Feldman.

 

Clay, James, thank you!

 

If one side is missing the sf/Bellsound markings does that mean that side is not the Feldman cutting?

 

In all likely hood, yes. The side missing s/f was probably not cut my Sam Feldman.

 

I have a whole bunch of different US copies of this one. I guess several masterings were done and sent out simultaneously to pressing plants, so there are more than one "first pressing". All these pressings have "Bell Sound" and "sf" in the deadwax (I have more than one of most of them, so there is this pattern):

Allentown (AL): -1 / -1
Terre Haute (TH): -2 / -4
Waddell (W): -3 / -3
PRC (PH): -6 / -6

I guess there might be additional "first pressings" from other plants as well.

 

Oh, forgot there is also a pressing that has STERLING in the deawax, but this seems to be a bit rare, I have never seen one. Does anyone know who did this cut and where it was pressed?

 

http://www.discogs.com/ZZ-Top-Tres-Hombres/release/5399645 I have this and it's a great sounding cut but it was in the dollar bin and not good shape (cover is excellent though) it's a heavier vinyl and Bell Sound in the deadwax on both sides, however I have http://www.discogs.com/ZZ-Top-Tres-Hombres/release/840158 this one as well and it's definitely the high end oriented good cut with the shiny silver labels and different (thinner) vinyl but it is a first press.... has Bell Sound SF on Side A...but on side B it does not and I can't figure out where it was from, it has what looks like an "A" or a "V" (hard to see the bar if it's an A), I am trying to find what that means. After reading about London just using different people to press the albums it made perfect sense why deadwax info on this is so numerous and confusing.