Proof That 1A, 1B and 1C Columbia Records Are All "First Pressings"

This order sheet sent by Sundazed's Bob Irwin 14 years ago when the label was reissuing mono Byrds albums proves that 1A, 1B and 1C pressings are all "first pressings".

As you can see, the 1A lacquer went to Columbia's Terre-Haute, Indiana pressing plant, the 1B went to the Pitman, New Jersey plant and the 1C went to Columbia's Santa Maria, California pressing plant. So, clearly 1A, 1B and 1C are all "first pressings"!

How some records have "A" and "B" sides is probably the result of stampers being shipped between plants. Are 1D, 1E and 1F pressings all "2nd pressings", with 1D going to Indiana, (etc.)? Can't be sure but it's a good bet!

COMMENTS
mraudio's picture

I wonder, back then, how the hell they kept track of everything? I bet someday someone is going to find a plethora of "lost" items like in a broom closet or storage room.

AnalogJ's picture

It's also interesting to consider if different plants produced better pressings than others. Some seem to think so. Above my pay grade at the moment, but for Elektra, the Monarch plant pressings seem to be the most desirable.

dial's picture

Ah the Byrdylans ! Did their mono releases sound different ?!

timorous's picture

I seem to recall some sort of mandate invoked in about mid-1967, that forced all North American record companies to cease issuing LP's in mono by the beginning of September that year.

Many albums were still being mixed in mono of course, but these were not readily available by late '67. This is about the same time as Notorious Byrd Brothers was recorded. So I don't think it was ever released in mono. The stereo mix is quite fine.

I also recall the infamous Schwann catalog choosing to exclude mono LP's from their regular issue, and shunted them off to a secondary issue that also included spoken word, International and other stuff.

I suspect this was the impetus to that awful practice of "Re-channeled for Stereo", just to keep mono recordings in the catalog.

JJCalvillo's picture

I'd guess 1D, E, F pressings would be first pressings sent to other plants for whatever reason. An expected platinum record that required more records or simply for distribution reasons. Notice they spread the plants out so they where shipping books from east & west coasts as well as the midwest.
Wouldn't you want a second pressing to be #2? Would just make everything a lot simpler.

DaveB's picture

...this is for US pressings only? Canadian copies used 1A, B C etc but are etched rather than the block letters used for the American pressings.

Jenn's picture

...a Costco.

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