Sold Date: December 15, 2015
Start Date: December 12, 2015
Final Price: $132.39 (USD)
Bid Count: 11
Seller Feedback: 1559
Buyer Feedback: 23

SS: Still Sealed
Label: Verve
Catalog Number: B 0004717
Jacket Condition: M/ Mint

MAKES THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT!

This auction is for a STILL SEALED, NUMBERED (1 of 1 ARCHIVE) single LP, RTI* Test Pressing from the marked A/B of the Classic Records 180gram reissue of Diana Krall's "Christmas Songs". This pressing has special significance and collectability because it comes from the Classic Records’ ARCHIVES. This is a truly one of a kind collectible of one of the most valuable and highly sought after Classic Records pressings.

These highly collectible test pressings are from the first stamper and approximately 20 to 40 copies are produced depending on the title. Test pressings reflect the closest you can get to the lacquers and hence have a special collectible value and store of value.

From the start of Classic Records in 1994, Michael Hobson, insisted on having as complete an archive as possible of all varieties and issues of Classic Records' various releases (180g, 200g, Blue Vinyl, test pressings and memorabilia from the Classic Records years as a reference of what had been done.  The Archive was one of the few things Acoustic Sounds did not acquire as part of the deal to buy Classic in 2010.  Still intact, in its entirety (with only a few holes) sits the Archive which will be offered exclusively on this shop by special arrangement with Michael Hobson.  Each piece comes with an official Classic Records Archive Sticker.  Generally, only two archive copies, most often from the first stamper, were added to the archive.  In the case of test pressings, with popular titles, there are various versions because of the use of different plants (RTI, Bill Smith, Classic Pressing Plant) which offers the possibility to have comparisons of various machines the TP's were made on - all of which sound different because of various vibrations from the different machines that are "pressed" into the vinyl.  Yes, according to Hobson, you can hear the difference is machines among the various Test Pressings and production pressings for that matter.  Further, Hobson maintains a personal archive of 5 copies of each release which we are trying to convince him to allow us to offer as well! This is not only a unique opportunity to own a piece of Classic Record's history but also the chance to have some of the best pressings (close if not the equal of Test Pressings) of Classic's various issues over time.
*RTI Pressings Background (Camarillo, CA)
From 1994 through 2005 Classic Records was Record Technology Industries' (RTI) largest customer and Classic Records exclusive pressing plant over that period. Classic initially utilized RTI's HQ 180 pressings on the in-house Southern Machine and Tool (SMT) automatic presses using a variety of different vinyl formulas Classic both experimented with and used exclusively. As part of the Classic Blue Note signature LP series in the early 2000's, Classic worked with RTI and Record Products of America (RPA) to develop a new Blue Note profile (non-groove guard) pressing die to be fitted onto a dedicated Classic SMT press at RTI devoted to "authentic deep groove no groove guard pressings". Once it was realized that these 200g "flat profile records sounded better than the conventional "concave" 180g profile, Classic moved all its pressing onto the dedicated SMT 200g Super Vinyl Profile (SVP) press at RTI. Jacket in mint condition.

Good luck!

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