numanoid

If you have more to spend, like maybe around tax return time, I would recommend the Pro-Ject Tube Box. http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Tube-Box-II?sc=7&category=947 I've got one, and I like it a lot. But it's more than $100...

A reel to reel also works.

What do you guys think? If I make some super bad ass packaging, like a screenprinted poster, and a CDR of the tracks, which would also be screenprinted, and make this available only with this pressing, would it be worth it for you to buy? There is going to be a repress with good plates, but the bonus material will only be available with the defective pressing. Becuase let's face it, no matter how bad the pressing is, someone will want that elusive first pressing as long as it exists. It doesn't look like United is going to help me out, so I'm going to reorder, get a test, reject them, and have them replate them. I tried to explain to them that this is what I planned on doing, and tried to get them to skip a step and just replate it. I also asked if they could take them back and do a regrind or something. I dunno. I need thoughts on damage control if they don't replate or do a refund for me. They a-side is the messed up side, and as the music gets louder passed the long intro, its not as noticable. If anyone knows of somewhere to upload an mp3 of the vinyl rip so everyone can check it out, I have one available.

They sent the clear ones separate from the black ones. I was excited and went home at lunch to check it out. When I noticed it was bad, I figured I could stop the presses on the black, and find out what the problem was. When described to the guy on the phone, he said it sounds like bad plates and the black would sound the same. The black came a few days later, and they sounded the same. With the plates being bad, I can't even get a small number pressed again. I agree that I should have to take the burden of the ones pressed, but I do think they should take care of the plates, after all, that's quite a bit of the expenses involved in pressing a record. And really, that's all I wanted. The only think I can think of is to place another order, get test presses, reject them, and get the plates redone. But I doubt that will work. And it wasn't a money issue, I was trying to speed things along for a band that started their tour already.

What lesson is that exactly? That $800 isn't enough money to ensure that you do the job I paid you for correctly? I take pride in my work. I would think that they would too. I understand shit happens, but come on? This is a manufacturing defect. Look, I can understand if the music on it sounded like shit; muddy, flat, too much bass, etc. But this isn't the case. In fact, they sold me something defective. The plates are bad. After paying well over $200, I would think that the plates would be good, but the music may not be up to my satisfaction. I work at a screenprinting shop, and this would be equivalent to me requiring all of my customers to pay for a test of their shirts. If they don't pay for them, then whatever the end up with is their problem. Like a torn shirt, wrong ink color, or wrong design. This is just not how it works. In fact, we've replaced shirts before when someone did approve art and there ended up being a misspelling or something. That's what a decent business does. Like I said, I was willing to risk the audio sounding like shit. But they didn't manufacture something that I paid for correctly. And when it's all said and done, I paid them over $800. And it's a good thing you don't run a pressing plant.

I was trying to save time. I've never had a test press sound bad. And they claim to listen to everything before it goes out. The plant said it's my problem. I think I'm going to ask for my money back. I think I'm fucked. The release is a Static Static 7-inch.

I didn't get one. My records have a loud, repetitive noise all throughout them. If it was a minor defect, I would say fuck it, it's my problem. But this is bad! Is there anything I can do? I mean, come on! If I gave someone something defective, regardless of if they got a test of some sort first, shouldn't they be held responsible? And how far does it go? What if I didn't get a test pressing, and they messed up and put someone else's song on one side. Would they be responsible for that? How far does this go? I really need advice!

Is nine years old too young to listen to Metallica? I was in fifth grade, and all of my friends were skaters and most had older brothers and sisters, so it wasn't uncommon for us to listen to good music. And this is before Kids Bop... Sorry if you were listening to crap when you were nine.

It doesn't sound loud and gritty, it sounds shitty and brickwalled. Every drumbeat, heavy guitar riff, etc, hits a plateau instead of going to a peak. I can't listen to music that has been butchered like this. It's annoying, and I can listen past this to hear the music. A metal album doesn't have to be loud and compressed to be a metal album, it just needs to be dynamic, and it helps if the music is good. This has no dynamics. I downloaded a flac file ripped with eac and ripped my own 320 kbs mp3's hoping it would sound better. It doesn't, it's awful. And now that I hear the vinyl isn't better, I may not buy it. It's a shame that most people don't care, as long as it's loud... I really, really WANT to listen to this album. It reminds me of when "Justice" came out. Everyone was excited, the music was pretty good, and you couldn't go to any of your friends houses without hearing it. But, I CAN'T listen to it. I can't get beyond the shitty compression and the lack of dynamics. I'm sure that 98% of people can, either because they don't care, or have never heard a decent system, in which case, whatever. But for the 2% of us who can hear it, and do care, then this is unlistenable. And that's a shame...

I wonder what kind of set up they're using to rip the tests? A crappy USB turntable? Or something real that costs decent money. I'd like to know that first.

PM'd!

Wow, free shipping!

That's one "retarded" article! It sounds like he missed out on some $35 Boris record that ended up selling for $300 on ebay and now he's pissed. If the labels wanted to make a shitload of money, as he puts it, they would do ebay exclusives. Imagine if there were only 300 of each new Jay Reatard single and they were auction only. Now that would be bullshit. If a label is going to use an artistic format, why not make every release limited and different? I'd be more inclined to buy a limited edition color re-issue than some black one that is IDENTICAL to the first pressing that was on black (I'm talking Shape of Punk to Come, specifically). Hell, even those black ones were going for $300 because people wanted them after being out of print for so long. It's a collection. If you don't wanna spend the money, don't. What a baby!

It's almost as good as ... And Justice for All. And that's a good thing. This is the only listenable Metallica in 20 years. If you like the first four, this is as good as it's going to get. And I HATE everything past Justice. So yeah, worth checking out. I'm just wondering how many of the 5XLP sets they made...

Current punk sucks.

The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (Double A-side promo only 12-inch) The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Double A-side promo only 12-inch) KMFDM - Naive (Test Press) Oasis - The Masterplan (Fan Club Edition Box Set of Six 10"s) Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion Live (Rare UK Only Pressing) Morrissey - Vauxhaul and I (just really hard to find) Morrissey - Southpaw Grammar (also hard to find, and this one has the poster) Carbonas - Self Titled 2004 (Red Vinyl!) Carbonas - Self Titled 2008 (Clear Vinyl!) I'm not sure if those are all rare, or just sought after. Maybe both... I definitely don't have any "the band only made six of these..." or anything like that. I know those Smiths promos are super rare, and pretty cool.

Luckily, I've always bought vinyl. The only CD's I have and will buy are singles, or other limited type things. CD's are worthless, and you'll find that when you go to sell them. But if you have 1000 and you get a buck a piece, well, that's a lot of money (though I cringe at how much was initially spent on them). CD's are lame. If you're gonna collect vinyl, ditch the CD's. If it's not on vinyl, keep it. Otherwise, archive them to flac for good measure and call it a day. Sell sell sell!

Well, I guess everyone is getting two pieces of cardboard taped together from now on. I fucking hate ebay.

This is right on the money. And this is why the "vinyl resurgance" will never happen for major labels. I've passed up at least 200 copies of "Frampton Comes Alive". Hell, I bet you could find an original sealed copy and pay no more than $3 for it. No one cares, and anyone who does already has an original pressing which is more worth owning than some reissue. These are terrible choices for re-issues. Majors have huge backlogs of stuff to release, from really bizarre bands that sell for hundreds on ebay, to stuff that was mastered badly the first time, to classics that need to be re-issued (and no, Abba, Boston, and the Police don't count...) Even the choice to re-issue the Radiohead back catalog is a bit strange. They're all readily available as is, anyone who wants them already has them, and the 10" albums will still be 10" albums. Makes no sense. It'll come down to the same people keeping it alive. And that won't be the majors.

Yes, he takes a VERY long time to ship orders. At the beginning of the year, I ordered a few LP's and 7"s, it took nearly two months and about five emails to get my stuff. But, the dude is really nice, and gave me a lot of tips on how to do a label. Plus, I take awhile to ship ebay, so I know how it goes, but never two months. I'd say keep reminding him to ship your stuff, but overall he is a nice guy and you will get your order.

Got 'em all!!!

Rust in Peace!!!

I have an original on blue that I might be willing to part with now that the re-issue is out. But the things I'm looking for I doubt anyone has. But, here's a short list: Gary Numan - Photograph Judas Priest - Painkiller Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Devil's Night Out (black and white vinyl) Mighty Mighyt Bosstones - Don't Know How To Party (picture disc) Morrissey - Beethoven Was Deaf Carbonas - Scene Killer Rob Halford - Resurrection Sisters Of Mercy - The Damage Done (original 7-inch) If you have any of those, PM me.

You need to have at least entry level hi-fi in all of your components (tt, stylus, receiver, pre-amp, speakers) to tell a real difference between pressings. Otherwise, everything just kinda sounds mediocre no matter what pressing it is. And then it comes down to mastering as mentioned earlier.

It's open really late, which is nice on the weekends. Get some coffee, and record shop at like 11pm at night. And there's an Ethiopian restaurant a block or two down. Yum. There's a place, I think it's just called Record Exchange, it's an old library turned into a record store. Not much around it, but it's HUGE! Hit or miss though, since they have so many different genres. But it's been about five years since I was there. Got some great scores, The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" and "Faith" on Fiction for $5, things like that.