"We're very sorry to hear that there seems to be a defect with some copies of Bryan Ferry's 'Jazz Age' 12" LP. A few fans in the USA have complained of distortion on Side Two of the record, specifically on 'I thought'.
We have tested samples extensively and can confirm that though the vast majority are of excellent quality, a small, isolated batch of records are not up to the standard we would normally require of ourselves. Testing has shown this to be the result of a scratch on the stampers, which would have been picked up during a changeover to fresh ones towards the end of the run.
If you believe your record to be at fault, please send your copy to:
The Vinyl Factory
120 Blyth Road
Hayes, Middlesex. UB3 1SY. UK.
...and we will happily test and send a replacement copy in the post.
Please make sure you include a return address within your package."
While of course I sympathize with buyers of defective pressings of this record, one has to also sympathize with the producers and all involved in the manufacturing of the record. Anyone who has purchased this knows that it was done with great care including superb packaging and for most buyers, an excellent pressing. This kind of problem can never happen with a digital download and is also unlikely with a CD pressing, which makes pressing and releasing vinyl in 2013 so much less attractive to many (not us of course!).
I hope everyone considers this offer fair and equitable under the circumstances.
I had to send mine back too.
COMMENTS
>>This kind of problem can never happen with a digital download and is also unlikely with a CD pressing, which makes pressing and releasing vinyl in 2013 so much less attractive to many (not us of course!).
Oh, no. The music industry has to work harder to get our dollars? Please forgive the lack of tears on this end.
Now that the likes of Pallas, QRP, and other have raised the bar, plus the fact that most vinyl enthusiasts' sytems are better, disc quality is becoming more of an issue. Glad the company is taking care of it.
The reality is that there are few bad discs being pressed today and back in the 1970's when I first got into the hobby I don't recall even worrying about quality although I probably should. I did find the quality of the new Beatle's Box Set of LPs very interesting. At the price of lps today, quality must be high. It genreally is.
No one today would put out a bad disc knowingly I would think as they will be found out pretty quickly. Mickey and others to the rescue.
Their pressings are normally pretty good.
From their website:
"All our vinyl is created using the classic EMI 1400 Press at the original EMI vinyl pressing plant at Hayes, Middlesex, a century-old landmark in British manufacturing. Our paper stocks are individually sourced and hand-chosen, while our print techniques combine tradition with modernity to create beautifully-produced collectors items."
I have "In the Court Of the Crimson King" from 2010 and it's superb pressing, although did not like mastering, too compressed.
I, too, have had some problems with pressings over the last several years, though generally not with high quality pressings. I've been buying records since the 1960s, and don't remember this ever being a problem before. It seems I have the most problems with major label 180 gram reissues.
Most recently, I purchased a new copy of the Clash's London Calling, 25th Aniversary edition, which had some schmutz pressed into the vinyl. But of course, some dust or particle can fly up into the pressing plate, and otherwise, the sound was quite decent.
But more typical are pops and crunching sounds, bubbles, or just plain indifferent masterings.
Who is absorbing the cost to ship to the UK? We're probably looking at $20-25 dollars, not including insurance! Is that on us??
I have mailed a lot of records to the UK from the US using the USPS and it runs about $12 without insurance. Email the label before you mail the record just to be safe.
I bought The Jazz Age today in Pasadena, CA. An early birthday present for my wife who was a big Roxy/Ferry fan. We both think it's an extraordinarily well conceived and well executed project. The arrangements are rich and vivid. The quaility of the cover and the inner sleeve; the materials and the graphics are exquisite. Sadly, as we listened to side 2, I heard the hint of distortion on track 2. And then, as we got into the silent band between tracks 2 and 3, it wasn't silent at all. Sounds like a scrape as you lead into the track itself which is distorted without question. Not subtle at all. It sounds bad. And then scraping through the band out of track 3 and into track 4 and everything is back to normal. I'll email Vinyl Factory and see what they have to say.
But I'm definitely with the other fans of this record. 13 tracks and not a dud among them. What a treat.
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