Vinyl quality in CBS pressings-improved by 1975??

[kap'n krunch]

Since what I've concentrated on doing are SQ LP conversions, most are CBS
pressings (Epic, Blue Sky, etc), I have noticed that early 1972-1974 pressings,
(and those who had the original gold borders on the covers which don't have
the new cat. no. sticker on the spine) are worse than later pressings.
For example, later ones like Santana Amigos and Chicago X are much quieter than the early ones.
Can anyone else confirm this or am I this fortunate?

Cuz right now I'm cleaning the Santana I and it's pop corn time -even though it is a "later" one....

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

Since what I've concentrated on doing are SQ LP conversions, most are CBS
pressings (Epic, Blue Sky, etc), I have noticed that early 1972-1974 pressings,
(and those who had the original gold borders on the covers which don't have
the new cat. no. sticker on the spine) are worse than later pressings.
For example, later ones like Santana Amigos and Chicago X are much quieter than the early ones.
Can anyone else confirm this or am I this fortunate?

Cuz right now I'm cleaning the Santana I and it's pop corn time -even though it is a "later" one....

Most of my Columbia pressings, be they from Japan, USA or Canada have been rather nice.
Some better than others but then again, most of mine were bought new
when they came out (I took great care of my records through the years).
or from reputable sellers on the "Bay".
I do have an Israeli pressing of MFSB's Philadelphia Freedom that isn't all that good,
and I find that a lot of the Philadelphia International pressings were not
the best in the lot.
The Epic stuff (Redbone & Edgar Winter) and the Rick Derringer (Blue Sky) I have are questionable as well.
Burton Cummings' ST album is very nice.
My USA press of Pink Floyd's WYWH is amazing as is my S&G's Bridge Over Troubled Water & Janis' Pearl.

I guess it's hit or miss.
But I lucked out on many of mine.

-Bob

 

[JonUrban]

Could it be because there were fewer pressed of the later titles? The stampers were probably only used a few times, whereas the "Gold Border" LPs were probably pressed a ton more.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Thnx for your replies, Bob and Jon...

 

[ClarkNovak]

I have found that most of CBS' pressings were fairly good to begin with - they used nice thick vinyl and a smoother compound than, say, RCA or A&M - but you're right - quality took a marked step up in the mid-70s. Some of these pressings are absolutely beautiful to look at! The gloss and linearity of the groove spacing is exceptional (OK, I'm a vinyl geek and I admit it!).

Conversely, CBS' 45 pressing quality declined severely in 1976, when they began using recycled vinyl for singles. When I was on the air, we found that these thick, brittle presses would cue burn quicker than you could say "Walter Yetnikoff". The earlier, thinner, virgin vinyl 45s (with the razor-sharp edge) held up extremely well, though.

 

[Eggplant]

Mrs. Robinson[/I]. Those that didn't sounded horrible after only a few plays.

My "frontline" CBS razor-edged releases -- including Paul Simon's Kodachrome -- were outstanding, as noted.

Recycled 45's? What a brilliant concept!

Not.

 

[ClarkNovak]

You're likely right about the date, eggplant. I tend to be off a couple of years, give or take As I think about it, I imagine they must have gone to the recycled pressings on the "Back To Back" series first, though, and then cycled through to the other commercial releases, then the radio promos, as I still have perfect white-label promo copies of late-70s stuff like Springsteen's "Thunder Road", the Jacksons' "Enjoy Yourself" and "Wings' "Arrow Thru Me" on the thin wax. But my WLP of McCartney's "Coming Up", which I think was 1980, is the thick stuff.

 

[MidiMagic]

All records in 1973-1974 were worse than other years. There was a shortage of an ingredient needed to produce good records due to the Arab oil embargo.

 

[JonUrban]

All records in 1973-1974 were worse than other years. There was a shortage of an ingredient needed to produce good records due to the Arab oil embargo.

That's a great point (that I had forgotten about as well)

 

[Doug G.]

Well, I remember all that but I really haven't found pressings from those years to be universally inferior.

Doug

 

[quadtrade]

I wonder about that comment myself Doug. We still found gas, they still made plastic. In fact i worked in a factory pulling plastic parts from a machine during those years. We had factories back then. Lots of them in Illinois--back then.

 

[Doug G.]

I worked as a clerk at a meat packer back then. Not lucky to work in an actual manufacturing factory like you. \:^) It was at the famous home of Spam though.

Anyway, the whole shortage deal in the seventies wasn't real anyway. It was all politics and economics. Mostly politics.

Capitalism has its downside in that individuals get involved that don't give a rats ass about anything other than their own pocketbook.

That's what happened back then.

Doug

 

[quadtrade]

Capitalism has its downside in that individuals get involved that don't give a rats ass about anything other than their own pocketbook.

That's what happened back then.

Doug

Bet about everyone in the south gulf thinks BP when ya say that. That is what occurs when we decide the to deregulate everything, and think business will chose to be responsible. They chose maximum profit over human needs anyday. Capitalism only works when given guidelines we all need to adhere to. Else we cut each other to death, one way or another.

 

[MidiMagic]

Actually, the shortage was caused by these things:

1. The Arab oil embargo to anyone who supported Israel in the 6-day war.

2. Government price controls intended to keep gasoline prices low, so poor people could afford to drive to work.

3. Inflation caused by massive government spending.

When it cost more to buy gasoline from the refinery than the station was allowed to sell it for, there was no gasoline to be had.

The crisis ended the moment the price controls were repealed.