I was looking into some alternate/secondary copies of some LZ pressings to complement my current lineup. Got me thinking, if you had a max of $100 (based on current going rate) to spend on two different pressings of Zep albums on vinyl, which two would you buy?
$100 on albums you already have? If you need second copies you might as well get as many of the current pressings as you can for the money. $100 is a lot for two records, but from what I know the best and most desirable Led Zeppelin pressings sell for more than that in excellent condition. You could possibly get early 70s UK pressings on the orange and green Atlantic label within that price range. They sound very good and close to the original pressings. Postage from the UK is a killer though. Very expensive.
Ouch! I honestly wouldn't spend any where near that on just two records. I would just look out in the wild until I found what I wanted at a reasonable price.
I guess it was more in the vein of what two copies give the most bang for the buck. For example I have a 1977 GP repress of LZ 2, was wondering if a new remaster would be a good secondary copy. Far less than $100 spent, but for me, aside from "Hey this is the best pressing" I'm interested in things like, "this one sounds really good and goes for 30% less than everyone's expensive favorite". I've A/B'ed my Piros with a RL Hot of LZ 2 and while I notice the difference and prefer the RL, I am pretty happy with what I got for what I spent on my GP reissue. Hope that clarifies. My intent wasn't you have to spend $100, just using that as a cap.
That’s what I was getting at. I could go get an orange/green UK but then I’ve almost blown my ‘budget’. I’ve got a Canadian pressing if III that I like the way it sounds, it’s just not in the greatest shape. What’s a good next option for under $60? That was where I was coming from
Whatever you do, don't get the US RCA Record Club Edition of Led Zeppelin IV from around the mid 70s. I had one in the house recently, they don't show up in the UK often. I was very surprised at how poor it sounded, with very little power or definition to the sound. This one had RCA Club Edition printed on the label and was pressed on thin vinyl.
I'm not sure I'd take this challenge. With the cost the new remasters being toward $30 or more, the price of older pressings have escalated. A few years ago, you could find an RL copy LZII that would allow you stay under budget to allow the purchase of the 2nd album. Not really a thing today. None of my Classic Records releases are under $100. With this budget, I would go for the Diament CDs and get the entire catalog. Or if you're too lazy, buy the Marino Complete Studio Recordings box.
