pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jun 11, 2023 9:32:08 GMT
(The subject of identifying / differentiating vinyl pressings has cropped up occasionally in the past, so I submit this title format as a means of identifying them all if it ends up becoming a series)
I was browsing a record shop yesterday and they had what appeared to be an early pressing of Queen II - my first check is always the crest, to see if there's a copyright note under it, which was applied from sometime in 1975.
That wasn't there, so it was on to the vinyl, and the runout groove...where there was nothing funky, just the YAX matrix number (which I can't remember, although I think the suffix was 3 on the A side and 4 on the B side).
Finally I looked at the label, which was subtly different to what I'm used to. The side white writing credits were not after each song, but after the end of the list, stating (May, except *Taylor).
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jun 11, 2023 9:37:08 GMT
I think the general sequence for UK pressings is
1974-75 - unknown number of pressings, crest not copyright, no barcode
1975-79(?) - unknown number of pressings, crest copyright, no barcode
1979(?)-82 - unknown number of pressings, crest copyright, barcode on back
1982 on - unknown number of pressings, Fame label reissue, additional logo on front sleeve, gatefold in black and white
Anyone have any more detail?
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Jun 11, 2023 9:38:20 GMT
(The subject of identifying / differentiating vinyl pressings has cropped up occasionally in the past, so I submit this title format as a means of identifying them all if it ends up becoming a series) I was browsing a record shop yesterday and they had what appeared to be an early pressing of Queen II - my first check is always the crest, to see if there's a copyright note under it, which was applied from sometime in 1975. That wasn't there, so it was on to the vinyl, and the runout groove...where there was nothing funky, just the YAX matrix number (which I can't remember, although I think the suffix was 3 on the A side and 4 on the B side). Finally I looked at the label, which was subtly different to what I'm used to. The side white writing credits were not after each song, but after the end of the list, stating (May, except *Taylor). Can't comment on the pressings, but I'm amazed you found a record shop! I thought they'd all gone. |
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jun 11, 2023 9:40:06 GMT
It was Truro, where the 70s never ended!
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Jun 11, 2023 10:16:10 GMT
There's one or two left in Brighton, but I don't get down there very often.
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Post by dragonkiller on Jun 11, 2023 11:03:53 GMT
What`s a record shop?
I seem to remember from long ago they were a big thing and you could find them everywhere.
Last one I was in it had a small selection of LP`S and even a smaller selection of 7 inch singles. The shop had it`s main business as a coffee shop and the records were a side item.
As the old saying goes "Sometimes you don't realize how good the good old days were until they're gone"....How true.
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Post by Blair's Cat on Dec 10, 2023 15:07:18 GMT
I'm looking for a QII vinyl copy, and found a UK BLAIRS, from a great seller too! Is it really a 3rd pressing? It seems to be ealier than that from the pictures. If so, does it sound similar to a 1st pressing? QII in particular is not known for its audio quality... www.discogs.com/sell/item/1055981960 |
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rub3945
Ploughman
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Post by rub3945 on Dec 22, 2023 3:10:55 GMT
I'm looking for a QII vinyl copy, and found a UK BLAIRS, from a great seller too! Is it really a 3rd pressing? It seems to be ealier than that from the pictures. If so, does it sound similar to a 1st pressing? QII in particular is not known for its audio quality... www.discogs.com/sell/item/1055981960It looks like Side Black on this pressing still uses the same plates as the 1st pressing due to the crossed out runout. Seeing that Side White is a Blair's cut, it should sound ever so slightly better. But as you said, even the best analogue pressings of this album won't sound amazing. |
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rub3945
Ploughman
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Post by rub3945 on Dec 22, 2023 11:07:52 GMT
Apologies for not noticing this thread until now. I'm not an expert on the timeline for the sleeve variants, but the etchings & stamps on the deadwax also offer some hints as to roughly how early/late it may have been pressed.
The earliest variation has the crossed out matrix ending with -4U on both sides. I believe those ones were still in production for a while after the switch to the 1975 copyright logo on the sleeve. At some point after the copyright logo came in and well before the Fame reissues, new cuts for Side White started to come in (ptwo different Blair cuts ending with -6 and -8), with the -4U Side Black hanging in there a little longer.
New cuts for Side Black eventually appeared (a non-Blair ending with -5, and Blair's ending with -7). Many variations exist from this point on, with different cuts for each side being paired together (seemingly randomly)! Hope there's no completists out there 😂 The pressing I own has YAX 4735-8 BLAIR'S on Side White and YAX 4736-7 BLAIR’S CUT on Side Black (don't ask me how it sounds though because I don't have a turntable 🤫).
By the time the Fame Reissues were a thing, new cuts for Side White rolled in (ending with -10 and -11 I believe, and none from this point on have Blair). The Side Black cuts ending in -5 and -7 were still in use for a while, but were eventually replaced with a new cut (ending with -9 I think)?
I could be missing some details here and there, but hopefully this plus the info on the sleeve variations could give you a rough idea on when a particular version may have been pressed 🤞
As far as which pressing sounds best? I wish I could answer! I've only ever heard LP rips for the variant with -4U on both sides, one of the variants with -6 Blair on Side White only, and another variant with -8 Blair's on Side White only. The Blair cuts sounded ever so slightly better to my ears, but obviously have yet to hear a later cut for Side Black so who am I to judge! Does anyone here own a Fame reissue? Who knows, maybe one of those sounds okay too 🤷♂️
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Post by dragonkiller on Dec 22, 2023 14:31:36 GMT
I have another variation of this album. Side White has Blair and nothing else written on it. Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath.
I bought this album back when Adam(not Lambert) was a lad from a HMV shop in 1974
I think I have the Fame re-issue, I know that I have the first album for definite, I will have a look around for it.
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rub3945
Ploughman
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Post by rub3945 on Dec 23, 2023 2:44:19 GMT
I have another variation of this album. Side White has Blair and nothing else written on it. Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath. I bought this album back when Adam(not Lambert) was a lad from a HMV shop in 1974 I think I have the Fame re-issue, I know that I have the first album for definite, I will have a look around for it. Ooo interesting, your Side White has Blair etched but no matrix or anything? There's clearly more variations out there than I thought! If you indeed own the Fame one too, do you remember if there was one you tended to play more than the other? |
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Post by dragonkiller on Dec 23, 2023 12:41:30 GMT
I have another variation of this album. Side White has Blair and nothing else written on it. Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath. I bought this album back when Adam(not Lambert) was a lad from a HMV shop in 1974 I think I have the Fame re-issue, I know that I have the first album for definite, I will have a look around for it. Ooo interesting, your Side White has Blair etched but no matrix or anything? There's clearly more variations out there than I thought! If you indeed own the Fame one too, do you remember if there was one you tended to play more than the other? There is no matrix numbers just "BLAIR" and has a 1974 copyright. I bought this not long after it came out, maybe a month later (had to save up my paper round money) The fame one`s would have been played maybe once. I realised early on that these were just re-issues, but still bought them as I collected different issues from a very early stage. I haven`t a turntable (getting one soon)so I cannot comment on any sound quality yet. |
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rub3945
Ploughman
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Post by rub3945 on Dec 25, 2023 23:43:10 GMT
Ooo interesting, your Side White has Blair etched but no matrix or anything? There's clearly more variations out there than I thought! If you indeed own the Fame one too, do you remember if there was one you tended to play more than the other? There is no matrix numbers just "BLAIR" and has a 1974 copyright. I bought this not long after it came out, maybe a month later (had to save up my paper round money) The fame one`s would have been played maybe once. I realised early on that these were just re-issues, but still bought them as I collected different issues from a very early stage. I haven`t a turntable (getting one soon)so I cannot comment on any sound quality yet. That's a really good memory! Pretty sweet childhood 👌 Perhaps my estimations were wrong in that case, and the Blair cuts must've already been rolling in before the sleeve changes... |
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Post by dragonkiller on Dec 26, 2023 13:18:26 GMT
There is no matrix numbers just "BLAIR" and has a 1974 copyright. I bought this not long after it came out, maybe a month later (had to save up my paper round money) The fame one`s would have been played maybe once. I realised early on that these were just re-issues, but still bought them as I collected different issues from a very early stage. I haven`t a turntable (getting one soon)so I cannot comment on any sound quality yet. That's a really good memory! Pretty sweet childhood 👌 Perhaps my estimations were wrong in that case, and the Blair cuts must've already been rolling in before the sleeve changes... More of a troublesome teenager years than a childhood. Remember my Dad saying why do you want to listen to that rubbish for? Just a passing fad.🤣 |
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jan 2, 2024 9:27:31 GMT
Features of my copy of Queen II...
1. Original Catalogue number EMA767
2. No bar code
3. 1975 Crest copyright notice is in place on rear and inner sleeve
4. Labels have writing credits track by track
5. Matrix etchings -
Side White - YAX 4735-B, BLAIRS, J J, G.
Side Black - YAX 4735-4 U
4736
Anyone else able to provide similar details for their copies?
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rub3945
Ploughman
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Post by rub3945 on Jan 3, 2024 7:33:10 GMT
Features of my copy of Queen II... 1. Original Catalogue number EMA767 2. No bar code 3. 1975 Crest copyright notice is in place on rear and inner sleeve 4. Labels have writing credits track by track 5. Matrix etchings - Side White - YAX 4735-B, BLAIRS, J J, G. Side Black - YAX 4735-4 U 4736
Anyone else able to provide similar details for their copies?Great idea. Just checked mine. I have the exact same sleeve variation as yours, labels have the same writing credits, and etchings are: Side White - YAX 4735-8, BLAIR'S, O G, 4 Side Black - YAX 4736-7, BLAIR’S CUT, R G P, 1 Has the inner sleeve with round-cut corners. |
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Post by dragonkiller on Jan 3, 2024 14:24:36 GMT
Mine is 1 Cat no EMA 767
2 No Bar code
3 1974 with no Crest copyright notice on either back or inner sleeve.
4 Labels have writing credits track by track.
5 Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath...
Side White is YAX 4735 6 BLAIR. (I was looking last time in a bad light and it is very faint, so I thought it did not have a matrix no. Apologies)
6 Inner sleeve has straight cut corners.
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jan 3, 2024 16:02:00 GMT
5 Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath... That's what I meant by mine too - are there any isolated letters elsewhere on the runout? |
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Post by dragonkiller on Jan 4, 2024 11:51:28 GMT
5 Side Black is YAX 4735 -4U BUT the 4735 number has a line through it and 4736 etched underneath... That's what I meant by mine too - are there any isolated letters elsewhere on the runout? No PG. There are no more letters or numbers in the runout. The same serial numbers are on the record label and I assume that they will be on every label.(unless it`s a mis-press) |
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Post by dragonkiller on Jan 9, 2024 18:00:55 GMT
Apologies for not noticing this thread until now. I'm not an expert on the timeline for the sleeve variants, but the etchings & stamps on the deadwax also offer some hints as to roughly how early/late it may have been pressed. The earliest variation has the crossed out matrix ending with -4U on both sides. I believe those ones were still in production for a while after the switch to the 1975 copyright logo on the sleeve. At some point after the copyright logo came in and well before the Fame reissues, new cuts for Side White started to come in (ptwo different Blair cuts ending with -6 and -8), with the -4U Side Black hanging in there a little longer. New cuts for Side Black eventually appeared (a non-Blair ending with -5, and Blair's ending with -7). Many variations exist from this point on, with different cuts for each side being paired together (seemingly randomly)! Hope there's no completists out there 😂 The pressing I own has YAX 4735-8 BLAIR'S on Side White and YAX 4736-7 BLAIR’S CUT on Side Black (don't ask me how it sounds though because I don't have a turntable 🤫). By the time the Fame Reissues were a thing, new cuts for Side White rolled in (ending with -10 and -11 I believe, and none from this point on have Blair). The Side Black cuts ending in -5 and -7 were still in use for a while, but were eventually replaced with a new cut (ending with -9 I think)? I could be missing some details here and there, but hopefully this plus the info on the sleeve variations could give you a rough idea on when a particular version may have been pressed 🤞 As far as which pressing sounds best? I wish I could answer! I've only ever heard LP rips for the variant with -4U on both sides, one of the variants with -6 Blair on Side White only, and another variant with -8 Blair's on Side White only. The Blair cuts sounded ever so slightly better to my ears, but obviously have yet to hear a later cut for Side Black so who am I to judge! Does anyone here own a Fame reissue? Who knows, maybe one of those sounds okay too 🤷♂️ Found my Fame issue of Q2 FA 4130991 Barcode and Copyrights under the crest. Side white has YAX 4735-10 Side black has YAX 4736-5 No BLAIR markings and no lyric sleeve The only markings I can see are a `C` On SIDE BLACK and `C1` On SIDE WHITE. Bought around time of release, and never played. |
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