Led Zeppelin RL Robert Ludwig cut- help needed

Could a forum member please direct me to the threads that cover this topic. I need to know which Led Zeppelin vinyl titles RL cut and how to identify them.

Or feel free to post your knowledge here in this thread.

Many thanks......

 

For side 1: ST-A-69167LMO CC RL MR (with a circle around it) a triangle13933 3(circled) w.

For side 2: ST-A-691672-MO-CC T MR(circled) LW RL SS triangle 13933X w


Hope that helps.

 

I'm not sure there is a 'RL' of the first. But if you're interested in II:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=1881929&postcount=24

 

Oops. I misread the thread title. Ah well...

 

There is also a Houses Of The Holy RL cut.

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/search.php?searchid=7784749

If the link above doesn't work, just search for RL led zeppelin.

To my knowledge, Bob Ludwig originally mastered only two Led Zeppelin LPs, Led Zeppelin II and Houses Of The Holy.

His mastering of HOTH is easy to spot: in the dead wax (run-out groove area) of the disc you'll see MASTERDISK machine-stamped next to his initals, RL.

For LZII, look for SS (Sterling Sound) and RL in the dead wax. Also, the run-out groove area is much narrower on side one than side two.

Hope this helps.

later, chris

 

I think you meant the run-out groove area is much narrower on side two than on side one?

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=2373918&postcount=2

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=84938

And some pics in this thread just to give you an idea of how tiny those "R L"s can be :
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=162497&highlight=zeppelin

Had no idea I had one until I really scrutinized the deadwax.

 

(speaking of LZ II here) This is so only on copies pressed by Monarch & Presswell using the A through C lacquers. The Columbia contract RL pressings for example don't have a distinctly 'narrow' dead wax.

 

My local Indie called me that he has a Led Zep III (3) Masterdisk pressing with RL in the dead wax.

 

I've never heard this before. Can you check back in after you've seen it?

 

sure will

 

That would certainly be new news and quite a find.

 

My two RL pressings are:

SD8236
Side One:
ST-A-691671-SP
W ST-A-691671RSC - B0 LW AT RL SS
deadwax 12mm
Side Two:
ST-A-691672-SP
W ST-A-691672 - A0 LW AT RL SS
deadwax 7mm

SD8236
Side One:
ST-A-691671-MO
ST-A-691671-MO - CC RL SS LW 13933 (2) W AT
deadwax 14mm
Side Two:
ST-A-691672-MO
ST-A-691672 - MO - CC LW RL SS 13933-X W AT
deadwax 10mm

 

Here's what I have:

Side 1: ST - A - 691671 - C RL SS LW W AT
Side 2: ST - A - 691672 - C LW RL SS W AT (narrow deadwax)

 

Here is a pic of one of my two RL LZIIs. I'll post complete info tomorrow. My other one doesn't have SS on it (and its a 1A).

 

I thought that was cut @ Sterling. Am I wrong?

 

I think you're right

My copy is a:

SD19130 75 Rockefeller Plaza NY NY

Side One:
Label: ST-A-732783 PR
Deadwax: ST-A-732783-A AT STERLING RL PR P
Side Two:
Label: ST-A-732784 PR
Deadwax: ST-A-732784-D AT STERLING RL PR P

 

Taking a look today at the RL LZIII.

The RL is in script as per my contact.

Who knows what I shall find.

What else could RL stand for?????

 

Knew it, waist of time. Script pr just like my copy. Not an RL.

 

Interesting... On an unrelated topic, Leslie West-Mountain has the same initials on it as well.
I would listen to my copy but the sleeve is minty but the vinyl is destroyed.

 

The RL cut of Led Zeppelin II was short lived. Reason why, many turntable/arm/cart combos had issues tracking it. Many, many returns on that LP. Later issues were tamer sounding due to that.

 

You have to be careful here. Just because there is an "RL" in the deadwax, it doesn't mean it came from the man himself.

It would be very easy for someone to grab a scriber and put those initials in there. You should be able to tell whether they are molded in or scratched in. But that might be difficult if somebody did a good job.

In fact, in the picture of LZ II above, those initials look very suspicious. They don't look like the Robert Ludwig initials I've seen. And they look scratched into the vinyl (although it's hard to tell from a picture).

Doug

 

That's the way they did it back then. The photo posted above looks like the deadwax on my copy, too.

later, chris

 

You misunderstand me.

Of course the mastering engineer usually scratched his initials into the master.

Then, on actual copies from the stamper, they are molded in.

I'm talking about somebody scratching intitials into the vinyl after the fact.

The "RL"s I've seen in deadwax have looked different from that above. Smoother and the two letters much closer together. I suppose it's possible Ludwig changed his writing style though.

EDIT: I brought this up when reb stated an indie claimed to have a III with RL in the deadwax because that would be very suspicious. I see now, however, that it was a "pr" and not "RL"

Also, it says "STERLING" on HOTH, not "MASTERDISK."

Doug