Jump to content

What Test Presses do you own?


Recommended Posts

5 hours ago, hzielaskowski said:

Don't worry. I'm going to buy this version as well soon. The real test presses for "Homogenic" have hand written info on the label. There are 4 or 5 copies like that. The rest with typed info on labels are promos. They are cool anyway IMO.

I agree. Regardless of what they were used for, it is still pretty cool. I picked it up for less than $10; it sounds great and is one of my favorite albums she put out, so it was a win for me either way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

My updated list.  Was able to snag some Russian Circles tests recently.

 

Appleseed Cast, The - Illumination Ritual (non-numbered, standard Graveface jacket)
Balmorhea - All is Wild, All is Silent (/5)
Cloudkicker - EPs (2xLP, /5)
Cloudkicker - Fade
Cloudkicker - Let Yourself Be Huge
Cloudkicker - Subsume (/5)
Cloudkicker - The Discovery (/5)
Coastlands - To Be Found (red marble)
If These Trees Could Talk - S/T & Above the Earth, Below the Sky deluxe set (2xLP, #'d 43/50)
Murder By Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
Pray For Sound - Dreamer (/15)
Russian Circles - Enter (w/ custom hand-painted jacket)
Russian Circles - Geneva (2x LP)
Russian Circles - Memorial (/7)
Russian Circles - Station (/10)
Unconditional Arms/Threading - Split (7", /20)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, mrewest said:

My updated list.  Was able to snag some Russian Circles tests recently.

 

Appleseed Cast, The - Illumination Ritual (non-numbered, standard Graveface jacket)
Balmorhea - All is Wild, All is Silent (/5)
Cloudkicker - EPs (2xLP, /5)
Cloudkicker - Fade
Cloudkicker - Let Yourself Be Huge
Cloudkicker - Subsume (/5)
Cloudkicker - The Discovery (/5)
Coastlands - To Be Found (red marble)
If These Trees Could Talk - S/T & Above the Earth, Below the Sky deluxe set (2xLP, #'d 43/50)
Murder By Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
Pray For Sound - Dreamer (/15)
Russian Circles - Enter (w/ custom hand-painted jacket)
Russian Circles - Geneva (2x LP)
Russian Circles - Memorial (/7)
Russian Circles - Station (/10)
Unconditional Arms/Threading - Split (7", /20)

 

Sargent House sale?  Also, pics of the Enter jacket?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, zerohacker said:

Sargent House sale?  Also, pics of the Enter jacket?

Actually just Geneva was from Sargent House.  Enter was from someone here, & Memorial & Station was recently from ebay.  

 

Here's a link to my IG post on Enter.  Had an IG buddy make a custom painted cover.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, zerohacker said:

Sargent House sale?  Also, pics of the Enter jacket?

I'm not a big test press person. But I jumped at the chance to grab a few RC tests (been one of my favorites since Enter). 

Got these:

RC - enter

RC - station

RC - empros

RC - guidance

 

I'm in the process of putting together some stencils to create custom jackets. Just picked up the spray paint and exacto. This might turn out to be a debacle but the process will be fun. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
8 hours ago, andysrobbins said:

Sargent House test presses up on an offer basis. Wish I could afford some of these...

https://sargenthouse.com/test-pressings

I can't remember what I offered for Drugs To The Dear Youth, but it was pretty close to the asking price and I got it, I'm not sure how many people are going after some of these, as they've been up for a while, so it's probably worth going after at least one. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a few on hand, because the price was right, but the concept has been bugging me lately.  I feel that record labels press a bunch (maybe 25 or 50), for the purpose of selling and making extra money.  For the record label, good for them to find a way to put more money in their pocket, to re-invest on future releases, as selling physical music must be a dog fight these days.  But at the same time, I feel it's a marketing ploy on the buyers.  The purpose of test presses is now being misrepresented, and the dollar worth are being inflated by the label.

For instance, labels from time to time, "open their vault" and sell stock on Ebay, which are test presses they've been holding back, in order to make a good fortune sometime in the future.

Thoughts?

Edited by chicomak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, chicomak said:

I have a few on hand, because the price was right, but the concept has been bugging me lately.  I feel that record labels press a bunch (maybe 25 or 50), for the purpose of selling and making extra money.  For the record label, good for them to find a way to put more money in their pocket, to re-invest on future releases, as selling physical music must be a dog fight these days.  But at the same time, I feel it's a marketing ploy on the buyers.  The purpose of test presses is now being misrepresented, and the dollar worth are being inflated by the label.

For instance, labels from time to time, "open their vault" and sell stock on Ebay, which are test presses they've been holding back, in order to make a good fortune sometime in the future.

Thoughts?

Nothing you have said is untrue, and hopefully not news to anybody (?)

 

I've been buying vinyl for nearly 30 years and yes, they used to be purely meant as 'test presses' to validate the sound. In this vinyl resurgence they have been co-opted as another variant basically.

 

Very similar to AP (artist proofs) of the print/poster world. Used to mean a couple to verify colours etc. Now artists often have 25-50 of these APs to sell to earn a little money.

 

Just an example of how language and meaning changes over time really.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, LeeKaye said:

Nothing you have said is untrue, and hopefully not news to anybody (?)

 

I've been buying vinyl for nearly 30 years and yes, they used to be purely meant as 'test presses' to validate the sound. In this vinyl resurgence they have been co-opted as another variant basically.

 

Very similar to AP (artist proofs) of the print/poster world. Used to mean a couple to verify colours etc. Now artists often have 25-50 of these APs to sell to earn a little money.

 

Just an example of how language and meaning changes over time really.

 

 

I don't see that from the major labels, as much as you see it from the small labels. Small bands seem to sell their TPs, where as big band names like Metallica never really pop up for sale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ambitions  | No Limits |  #3 of 15 | 7"

Continental | Millionaires | 5 made

Hot Water Music | Fuel for the Hate Game | 2xLP | 180g. | Dark Marbled Grey/20

Rumbleseat  | Is Dead | 20 made

Token Entry | Beneath the Streets | Marbled Blue & Marbled Green Split/10

 

Edited by regan138
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nirvana - Nirvana

sorority noise - forgettable

sorority noise - joy departed

twiabp - whenever, if ever

twiabp - harmlessness

citizen - Youth 

Led Zeppelin - houses of the holy (200g classic records sealed)

just sold my nirvana - muddy banks for $650 on eBay 

currently selling my bob Dylan - self titled, another side, counting crows - August and everything after

i also own a rare John Coltrane - blue train on green marbles vinyl when "quality records" got the color wrong and was supposed to destroy it

Edited by Saxonjulin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I got to show this off yet...

3xLP Test Press for the as-of-yet unreleased remastered Shpongle - Are You Shpongled?

It's amazing to finally have all the tracks in one place.
I do not however have any indication of when the preorder may be. 


This was the song layout:

A1    Shpongle Falls    
A2    Shpongle Spores    
B    Vapour Rumours    
C    Monster Hit    
D    Behind Closed Eyelids    
E    Divine Moments Of Truth    
F    ...And The Day Turned To Night

 

iAlRssR.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I recently got a couple of new Test presses (which I've already talked about a bit in the Recent Purchases thread) and was wondering if anyone here has any good leads on a distributor of blank white or black cardboard jackets in the UK?

 

I dabble with painting as a hobby and want a few blanks so I can make some custom jackets to store these in as a sort of fun and cheap weekend project. 

P.S. I'm sorry if this bump sets off anyone's "Tug's Search For The Inner Sleeve" PTSD. I assure you I'm genuine and will not keep flip-flopping on what I want to boost my post count. I have asked a few friends and done a few cursory searches but I'm really hoping for any company that's EU/UK based that someone can vouch for. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×

AdBlock Detected

spacer.png

We noticed that you're using an adBlocker

Yes, I'll whitelist