BEATLES, Introducing The Beatles Vee-Jay Mono Genuine USA Griginal Oval/Insert
Mastered AtCustomatrix. Labels: Black with rainbow band, OVAL VEE-JAY LOGO. Does not have Longplaying or Microgroove on label. Back cover: includes "Please, Please Me" (with comma) and "Ask Me Why" Catalog number on label / back cover : VJLP 1062 Catalog number on front cover: LP 1062 USA MONO ORIGINAL PRESSING VINYL ALBUM ON OVAL LOGO RAINBOW RIM LABEL WITH ORIGINAL WHITE INNER SLEEVE. This is the Columbia pressing variant. Title and artist NOT separated on the label by the spindle hole. [Counterfeits are]. Label is black with rainbow color band. [Counterfeits are black/silver usually]. The runout etchings match the Customatrix Columbia genuine pressing. George casts a shadow to the right on front of sleeve [Counterfeits have no shadow]. Background contains gradient and firm colors [Counterfeits do not]. Cover has no brown border [Counterfeits do]. Front cover wraps around completely underneath the back cover slick [Counterfeits do not]. Back cover print is sharp and true [Counterfeits are not]. No printer marks (colored dots) are visible on the top of the back cover [Counterfeits have these]. The ''H'' and "E" of ''Honey'' in "A TASTE OF HONEY" on the back cover is correct [Counterfeits have a printing defect]. Title and artist NOT separated on the label by the spindle hole [Counterfeits are]. Label is not textured [Counterfeits are]. All black labels on glossy paper are counterfeits. No significant loss of color in the rainbow on the label (especially green) [which affects counterfeits]. There are 37 variations of the genuine pressing currently known, this is the Columbia Customatrix pressing. MATRIX: SIDE A:o 63-3402-3 I T / SIDE B:o 63-3403-3 D BJ. TheD is merged somewhat, the BJ is very faint and etched with the B above the J. DISC:VERY GOOD+. HEAVY, THICK VINYL PRESSING WITH NO SCRATCHES. THERE ARE SOME LIGHT PLAY SCUFFS AND HAIRLINES, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE CLEANEST ORIGINAL COPIES WE HAVE SEEN FOR DECADES. IT PLAYS AND SOUNDS AMAZING, WITH THE ODD POP OR TICK BUT NO SKIPS OR JUMPS. THESE ORIGINAL MONO 'INTRODUCING...' PRESSINGS ARE SECOND ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL UK PARLOPHONES, AS THEY WERE PRESSED FROM THE EXACT SAME ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES, A COPY OF WHICH WAS SENT TO VEE-JAY BY EMI BEFORE THE BEATLES' RECORDS WERE ISSUED ON CAPITOL. IT SOUNDS AS FRESH, LOUD AND EXCITING AS IT EVER COULD BE. CLEAN LABELS WITH SOME MINOR SPINDLE WEAR. THIS COPY HAS BEEN WELL LOOKED AFTER FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND NOT PLAYED ALL THAT MUCH BY THE LOOKS OF IT. Why buy a first or early pressing and not a re-issue or a re-mastered vinyl album? First and early pressings are pressed from the first generation lacquers and stampers. They usually sound vastly superior to later issues/re-issues (which, in recent times, are often pressed from whatever 'best' tapes or digital sources are currently available) - many so-called 'audiophile' new 180g pressings are cut from hi-res digital sourcesessentially an expensive CD pressed on vinyl. Why experience the worse elements of both formats? These are just High Maintenance CDs, with mid-ranges so cloaked with a veil as to sound smeared. They are nearly always compressed with murky transients and a general lifelessness in the overall sound. There are exceptions where re-masters/re-presses outshine the original issues, but they are exceptions and not the norm. First or early pressings nearly always have more immediacy, presence and dynamics. The sound staging is wider. Subtle instrument nuances are better placed with more spacious textures. Balances are firmer in the bottom end with a far-tighter bass. Upper-mid ranges shine without harshness, and the overall depth is more immersive. Inner details are clearer. On first and early pressings, the music tends to sound more alive and vibrant. The physics of sound energy is hard to clarify and write about from a listening perspective, but the best we can describe it is to say that you can 'hear' what the mixing and mastering engineers wanted you to hear when they first recorded the music.