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Decca master test pressings   


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  27th Jan 2019, 9:09 PM#1  REPORT  
mister_tmg

Also on 78rpm
Member since Apr 2012
1118 Points
I've been adding these records to the site, and made a list of them here.

A record dealer has been selling a collection of the discs for the last few years. He says he's happy for me to use the information and pictures from his listings. I only began following his auctions about a year ago and some do go for high prices but I've picked up some of the cheaper ones. Here's an example listing archived at Roots Vinyl Guide, where I found a great many of the auction details saved.
VERA LYNN + CHARLIE KUNZ’ CASANI CLUB ORCH - SAILING HOME ON THE TIDE’ ISSUE: 1-Sided Vinyl REX Master Test Pressing of Matrix F1598CONDITION: E+ We have acquired a large quantity of British Decca/Rex Test Pressings, including many Unissued and even Unidentified items. These were pressed on heavy vinyl in the 1960s and 1970s by Decca in consideration for reissue. Some of the pressings show staining from the metal parts which usually doesn’t sound, and some have swishing. This is noted in the grading. Note that the label example illustrated is generic unless the one being sold has writing on the label.

What makes these 78s special is that I imagine many are the only surviving master sources for the recordings. It's said that Phonogram disposed of all their metal masters in the late 1970s - mostly from the British Decca label and its related imprints, such as Rex, Crown and Panachord. Some of the test pressings are also of material which was licensed to British Decca from America, such as masters by Elvis Presley and Duke Ellington. The sound quality is naturally very good on these vinyl pressings. I feel it's worth listing what does survive on a master, even as a secondary source disc dub. Who knows what Universal Music have from the Decca 78rpm period on metal masters, if anything. I imagine if they've re-issued anything, it would have to come from commercial 78s. Let's be thankful that some people did make and keep these 'test pressings'.

According to the dealer, "they are all 78 rpm pressings taken off Decca's metal stampers. They did this to evaluate what they had on file and to ascertain what was of suitably high quality to consider for LP reissue in the late 60s and early 1970s, when there was a boom in nostalgia reissues".

Edited by mister_tmg on 28th Jan 2019, 10:38 PM

  28th Jan 2019, 6:39 AM#2  REPORT  
TheJudge

In-house specialist in drive-by moddings.
Member since Dec 2012
3715 Points
Moderator
It's not a question of keeping them or not; they're here to stay.

What we're trying to fathom out between us is where we put them. Discussions are, as they say, 'ongoing'.


  28th Jan 2019, 8:58 PM#3  REPORT  
mister_tmg

Also on 78rpm
Member since Apr 2012
1118 Points
I was referring to collectors keeping copies, but I'm glad they're staying on the site.

I think 'unreleased' generally refers to the unicorn and a record which wasn't actually pressed. Neither are these promos, so I'm just adding them as 10" 78s. The only numbers present are matrix numbers, which I don't feel should be added in the 'catalogue number' field. So I'm just leaving that box empty.

Also, I did link a couple to their commercial 78s, but I'm not sure they should be linked. Are linked records only those with both sides the same? Or can they be linked?


  28th Jan 2019, 11:05 PM#4  REPORT  
xiphophilos

Member since Dec 2013
3351 Points
Moderator
Usually, we link only two records that are the same on both sides.

In the particular case of these test pressings, though, I personally think it would be instructive to see them linked to the released records.

In any case, thanks for adding all these test pressings to a List. That made it a lot easier to go through them and remove their BLANK sides.

By the way, I wouldn't call them promos. Promos would be sent out to radio stations and maybe dealers to promote a newly released record. These test pressing were clearly only made for internal use within the company.

Finally, I understand why the 45worlds team is wondering what to do with these pressings. Since they have no catalog numbers, they don't quite fit into the regular catalog. Rare as they are, most people will never come across them in real life, and it might be frustrating when someone is trying to get an overview what a company actually released, and then has to wade through dozens of these unreleased test pressings from long after the actual shellac time.

Maybe it would make sense to create a separate Heading "Test Pressings", such as we have Export Issues, which would then appear as an appendix at the end of a label's listings.




  29th Jan 2019, 12:52 AM#5  REPORT  
mister_tmg

Also on 78rpm
Member since Apr 2012
1118 Points
I agree that test pressings as these could or should be linked to the released versions. I'm glad the list format was useful.

Edited by moderator on 29th Jan 2019, 7:35 PM

  15th Feb 2019, 8:25 PM#6  REPORT  
Railmaster London

Member since Feb 2019
68 Points
What was Decca's actual intention- To press at 78 for use internally and then needle drop tape to 33rpm LPs? Come mid 1960s at 50 years most (but not all?) would be in copyright to Decca.


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