Wow! Now I have absolutely no idea, what the "x" stands for. I thought it may be similar to a "RE-" typical of the Warner or Reprise pressings of the day, which just meant that it was a remaster/remix. Now, I am not sure, since I only suspected Side 2 having been redone, but not Side 1.
If the rest of the handwriting does not match, the "v" tape box was written by someone else (which does NOT necessarily mean that someone else mastered it). I see that "v" "M" on the dead wax of other records for which TML/Doug Sax gets the mastering credit AND for which Mike Reese gets the sole credit. Therefore, my guess is that that handwriting belongs to Mike Reese, a long time mastering engineer who worked for Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab.
That is very interesting also. My guess would be that the metal parts (or whatever that was used to pressed the W-1 pressings at the West Coast plants) for Side 1 were used by a East Coast plant which pressed your record. Because of the number sequence, W-1 for Side 1 and E 3 for Side 2, it would be logical that Side 1 was the "older" one and Side 2 was the new lacquer. Therefore, my guess is that your Side 1 was pressed by the same East Coast plant using an old metal parts (or whatever the correct term is) and Side 2 was pressed by the same East Coast plant using a new lacquer, mother or stamper (whatever the correct term would be).
Since no one was able to answer my question, I searched out a Decca W2 (with the same quarter sized indentation near the spindle hole) - there is no comparison. The W-1 is world's better (like a veil has been removed).
That would explain it. Then my guess would be that your W-1 US sounds even more similar to my A/1 Track original.
Sung, I would think that would probably be the case. Now I just need an A/1 Track to prove it to myself.
Sorry to revive this thread but a couple nights ago I unearthed a record I got early on when I started collecting...a true W1, W1 copy, with the above criteria! No x, -1, -2 or any other number/letter after each "W1". I think I played this once after I cleaned it and remember it sounding great and being almost noise-free. I'll listen again tomorrow...
I found a VG+ Track 1st pressing (as you described it in the first post) this week for a whopping 6 euro's. I hadn't even read this thread yet, only now up to this post above. My opinion FWIW : The recording is mastered pretty softly, making it absolutely important to find a clean copy if you go for this pressing. Especially the beginning of GIT may suffer from crackling & clicks. I agree about the minimal distortion. There is a little bit, mainly on SIO, but it is minimal. The sound scape is nice. But not fantastic, IMO. What are my references ? The SH 1984 CD, and the (a lot less good sounding) DE. I expected the drumssound to be more dynamic on the LP. The whole thing sounds somewhat... compressed to me. It's a nice pressing, but if this would be the very best one then I'd advice Steve Hoffman's 16bit/44.1kHz version instead. Even though I do prefer vinyl to CD by a mile in daily life. Lastly, a big thank you to Sungshinla for his interesting research! I love how you share all your knowledge about matrix codes and pressings in general on this forum.
I found an original Decca (black/rainbow stripe label) Canadian pressing with the following scribed in the deadwax: Side 1: MG7-12888-W1 Side 2: MG7-12889-W1-2 No other etchings. It does beat my US -W2 noticeably as discussed in this thread. 'Like a veil was lifted.'
Came home with a a W2, W2x, Decca tonight. Both sides sound fantastic and I can hear some added echo on "Getting in Tune."
FINALLY!!!!!! this weekend was a good one....finally found a W-1 W-1 "Who's Next" and in excellent condition and as been said before, WOW Been my favorite one or two album since first hearing, "Won't Get Fooled Again!" YIPPEE!!!! and now back to the music.......
I have a hand-etched W1-2 / W1-2 Side 1: the "M" looks like a "v" to me. Is the "smile" clearly a smile? the "G" has the horizontal line going inward the "888" are clearly drifting the right Side 2: the "M" looks like a "v" the "G" now has the horizontal line is split, giving it two edges, in and out the "889" is clearly drifting to the right Additionally, to my eye, the "MG7" are written by two different people. Not the same hand writing. Yes, I am confused. Can anyone help a guy out? -Mike
I know I am a bit late for this thread, but I only just found it. Great information! My Who's Next has "2408102 A//1-11 33" (machine pressed) and "MG 12888" (etched by hand as described) on side 1 and "2408102 B//2 triangle 420 11 36" on side 2 (ther is also "04" at 4 o'clock). Does this mean it is a first or early pressing? I always thought I had a later pressing. Sounds fine anyway (compared to a German pressing I had before).
Sung, your pet theory could have made you rich. http://www.dccblowout.com/product.asp?pf_id=who__whosn_0807
Entering this thread rather late, I never realized my pressing that's been sitting there for years, has the same matrix in the deadwax, but a Decca U.S. pressing.
Never too late. It's good to see this thread get bumped. I just came across exactly the same thing a few weeks ago and I have cleaned it but I'm just waiting for the right night to spin it. Loudly. I'll report back to see if there is a difference with my other pressing. What do you think of your copy LesPaul666? -Mike
ACK! My US Decca is a W3 on both sides. Sounds good, but it's no wonder I liked the Classic 200g on first listen. Now to find a W1 (hopefully!)
I found a W1-2 pressing this weekend for 8 bucks! It sounds better than the W2 I have. Matrix # Side1 MG7-12888- W 1-2 Side 2 MG7-12889-W 1-2
That's very interesting Mike, because my Canadian pressing matches exactly what you say here down to the last detail. So I hope Sungshinla will catch this thread before it falls into the abyss... After reading all the posts here, it does appear to me there's a chance we might not have a Doug Sax mastering after all. I'll try later to upload pictures of the dead wax etchings from my two pressings. All the best, Robert
A question for owners of the W1 (aka West Coast Copies) about side 2: I revisited this thread this afternoon, to prep me for pulling all 6 of my current copies, to have a gander at the deadwax. I am curious about those of you with w1 copies. I have 2 copies of the same LP: side 1 is an east coast e1 machine stamper Side 2 is 7 MG 12889 W1 -Z X This is all in a very neat, and orderly script, VERY different than any of the confirmed Doug Sax of outward pointing G and sloping unclosed 8s fame. I then went to my German copy, Side A in adition to the machine stamper info features a Doug Sax etching, Side B is the same plate as the W-1 Z-X described above. The match is spot on. My question thos that own W1 copies, tell me about your side 2s, specifically does it conform with Doug Sax's handwriting style, or is it the more orderly hand writing style described above. I'd really like to confirm the existence of a side 2: W1 Doug Sax copy. Thanks folks!
By the way, since starting this thread a while back, I have discovered that there are copies with dead wax matrices ending 1A, 1A (all hand-etched). Hmmmmm. I am assuming that these were contract pressings done by Columbia or Warner, whose dead wax matrices ended with 1A, 1A for the very first lacquer cut. Anyway, I have seen two copies like this but both had surface marks and I did not pick them up for a sound test. If I ever see a clean copy, I will pick it up to compare. Just a FYI.
I found a German Polydor a couple a weeks ago and it has both a August 1971 copyright date on the label and the Doug Sax tell-tale matrix on both sides along with a preceding German label number 2408 102 etched by another hand on side one only. the W1 on side two is scratched out but still easily read, there is nothing but MG 12889 on side two Neither side has another mark in the deadwax a little scratched, but a bit less noise than my Decca W1/W1 What struck me most was there is no country of origin either on the cover, label or vinyl. It has a Track logo on the back (upper left corner and a Polydor logo on the upper right) my only hint it was German was the "also available on Musicassette", which I have seen on other German lps of the era. BTW....I was holding out till January 1, 2009 to be the first to post a "Who's Next" thread, but hey, I just couldn't wait any longer!! So sue me.
