How Old Is My Quadrophenia Vinyl Album?

November 24, 2011 8:23 AM

How can I tell if my copy of Quadrophenia is an original pressing?

I bought some random records on ebay, and in amongst them was Quadrophenia, double album, gatefold with booklet still attached. I googled and followed someones suggestion of www.discogs.com and searched, which lead me to this page : Quadrophenia Pressings.

So, checking the Cat# on my copy: 2657 013, which means it is either an original 1973 UK pressing, or a 2007 (3rd from bottom of list) US pressing. How can I tell which it it?

posted by marienbad to grab bag (8 answers total)

Looking at that list, I think the 2007 pressing would almost certainly include a label for Classic Records. Like this one.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:30 AM on November 24, 2011

I don't know if it is true for Quadrophenia, but most LPs have a code scratched into the vinyl in the ring surrounding the label.

check this out http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-120082.html
posted by Gungho at 9:12 AM on November 24, 2011

One way to tell the difference between a Classic reissue and the original pressing is the weight. A 200 gram Classic re-press will weigh almost twice as much as your average piece of 1970s vinyl. Most of their covers are quite convincing (I think the label shown above is usually on the shrink wrap rather than the cover itself) but there should be a small Made in USA/Classic records on the label. An original pressing would look something like this and the Classic like this. My Classic pressings of Hendrix all use that same monochrome Track label.
posted by Lorin at 11:32 AM on November 24, 2011

Sorry, that is the first US pressing shown above, not the first UK pressing. I blame a lack of coffee.
posted by Lorin at 12:03 PM on November 24, 2011

gatefold with booklet still attached

I no longer have my original copy, but I bought Quadrophenia when it first came out and the booklet was NOT attached to the gatefold then.
posted by Rash at 1:49 PM on November 24, 2011

I bought my copy in the US.
posted by Rash at 1:50 PM on November 24, 2011

If none of the other techniques work, you should be able to tell from the matrix codes (etched into the vinyl between the runout grooves). From the photos on Discogs it looks like the recent reissue has handwritten matrix codes, while the ones on the original pressing shown are stamped. I doubt the reissue has a big enough pressing that you'd see many variations. But the guys on the Hoffman forums would be able to tell you what you have regardless.
posted by Lazlo at 7:55 PM on November 24, 2011

Thanks Lorin, its a repress. Damn!
posted by marienbad at 8:29 AM on November 26, 2011