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Topic: Reissue Discussion

7th Oct 2018, 9:58 PM
	Lee Wrecker If you can't dig me, you can't dig nothin' Member since Nov 2013 2283 Points	CorporalClegg you're on to something here. Particularly when it comes to small companies in the current LP reissue game. Some bigger players such as Rhino have also had some bad patches earlier in the vinyl revival but have cleaned up their act in recent times to be one of the safest reissue companies of the modern era. Sundazed and 4 Men With Beards both from the USA are not to be trusted and can be either excellent or dismal issue by issue. No one is immune from reissue problems the USA releases (2012) of the entire Beatles catalogue were plagued with problems relating to pressing issues and these really are pot luck. I had to send a copy of "Let It Be" back due to chips in the edge of the vinyl, scuffs all over the disc and audible scratches and pops but the replacement was fine. This was also an issue with the USA 3LP Radiohead reissue of OK Computer where I believe the USA distributors resorted to importing EU made copies to stem the tide of complaints. So my copy of the album bought in the USA is an EU release which I'm glad of given the litany of complaints on the net at the time. All the recent Parlophone Bowie reissues have been excellent and yet different Low for example has a lot more bass than the original release but also has more clarity. Sundazed take the biscuit for the worst that I own with Capt. Beefheart's Safe As Milk Mono reissue which is believed to be cobbled together from unknown remnants of mixes (needledrops?) as the original mono mix was destroyed. It is OK but it is certainly not the original mono mix that Sundazed claims it is. Light In the Attic seem to masquerade as a high end specialist market reissue company but provide very little information as to the sources of the recordings and the quality of the vinyl is variable. On the other hand their covers and artwork are impeccable. In general though a good quality original release is still the most desirable release to get in my book. All the bells and whistles (Remastered, 180 gr vinyl, etc) mean nothing if you can't get a good sounding clean record in the bag. There are issues with reissues.