How to Identify Vinyl Pressings and Record Variations

Buy Vinyl:

Buy Merch:

Email:

Follow us on Instagram:

Facebook:

Check out our Podcast: “Vinyl Biography”


For email inquiries:

Contact by mail:
11500 E Independence Blvd
Unit F
Matthews, NC 28105

[ObeseJohn]

Man that Japanese la woman with the obi strip is a holy grail! I found the doors a few years after my grandpa passing and found out it was his favorite band too, and every time I spin a the doors record it feels like he's here with me

[johnwilliams]

One thing to look out for is when the inner paper sleeve has advertisements for other records. If you've picked an album that was released in, for example, 1972 and the inner sleeve is advertising records that were released in 1980, its unlikely to be an original. Seems obvious but was something that I fell for a number of times when I first started collecting. All part of the learning experience though. Great video, keep up the good work!

[Hvymetallife]

The major reason I subbed your channel was the fact that you did videos like this to educate the newbies. Thanks bud

[laurilahtinen]

I HAVE A PROBLEM! Ive collected vinyl for like 2 weeks and i have already put 300€ into records. Is there an AA group for this...

[Pkilla]

I just started at 43 years old. Discogs is a great resource however it also prevents you from ever finding a good deal on ebay or record stores bc everyone thinks their records are worth the max. My first buy was Abby Road from 1969. Cant believe how nice it looks. I think garage sales or estate sales might be the only real way to get a deal. Any record can be bought on discogs its just the prices are super high.

[TLA]

So helpful! I’ve been collecting for 12 years and still don’t always get it right. This is one of your more important videos, Dillon. Thank you!!! ❤️🎶❤️

[neilpenny]

Thank you very much. Getting back into records 40 years after I first jumped in. This is such a great help to me determining the provenance of a record.

[l.t.w]

I've been wanting to know this information for so long. When other YouTubers talk about vinyl records I think they assume we know what all this means first second pressing and where to find it. Thank you Dylan

[vinylEarthlink]

A couple of points;
1. Various people have different ideas of what a first pressing is. Are you looking for the first stamper from the first mother from the first lacquer? Or does it just have to be in the year and the country of release?
2. There are many clues that allow experienced collectors to say when a record was pressed. In Decca/London, the ink color changed gradually during the 70s - the silver got duller, and the maroon became more and more washed-out.

It is true that many sellers don't know much. An eBay seller once sold me the Speakers Corner reissue of the Zubin Mehta performance of Holst's Planets, thinking it was a Decca original. They don't put any identifiers on the reissues, and it was an exact replica. Even the deadwax was a replica, because Speakers Corner had hired Tony Hawkins, the original Decca mastering engineer, to master the lacquer, so stamped in his Decca engineer code of 'K'.

[stephwheeler]

Thank you so much for your videos! I just bought my first record player this week and have been in search of my favorite albums. Found an original Canadian pressing of Dreamboat Annie from Heart in my local record store and used what I learned from your video (and Discogs) to ensure it was what I was looking for. Super helpful for this newbie to the vinyl world!

[LordStarscream-]

Very interesting video

It can be a complicated process sometimes determining what pressing is what but is very rewarding.

I remember when I bought an Australian copy of "Beatles No.1" and "Twist and Shout" I found out these particular copies weren't actually on Discogs, I actually had to add them onto Discogs which shows that not every pressing of a record has been catalogued, even for very popular bands, let alone more obscure records.

[speedythecat]

Listen up young bucks (and record lovin’ ladies), because this guy drops pearls of wisdom! The internet makes us all experts, but seriously this guy knows what he’s talking about. See lots of vids from others who don’t, but I’ve been around records off and on since about 5 years old, and I’ve learned a lotta new tricks from him. Thanks for the knowledge brother and keep ‘em coming!

[GooseRider]

Wow, thanks for the info. Literally new to collecting records. Only Got 4 records for the first time ever and I was able to use your information and knowledge to figure out 3 of them are original pressings and one is a reissue. Glad I stumbled across your video cause now I know what to look for when I go to check out records.

[onlygonstreet]

I've been able to find some records that I probably wouldn't have at all cared for if it wasn't for discogs. Recently picked up a copy of Strange Days by The Doors for $20, it was a bit more than I wanted to pay but it was in great shape and I was getting records for quite cheap that whole day so I went for it. Next day I was putting all of my finds that day into discogs and I got to Strange Days. I'd put in what I was able to make out from the matrix, and there was about 5-6 results. I went through all of the first ones and none of them matched, I got to the last one and it finally matched up. I ended up getting a near mint first pressing worth around $100 for $20.

[NYUMusicGuru]

Super helpful! Wish I knew these tricks before I started buying. One more I've found useful: sometimes there are Club editions which have a specific code on the jacket somewhere like CRC

[musicfan]

I’m going to need to watch this again. This is something I definitely struggle with. I have used discogs to look up albums, but often, especially with older records, I can never find an exact match. 🤷🏻‍♀️. I do appreciate the tutorial and will keep trying.

[michellet]

Super Helpful. My Late Hubs was an ON air DJ and I am finally tackling his library to catalog and sell so this gives me a realistic idea of what I have (45, 33, 78, CDs. Cassettes, plus his component system and speakers. YIKES But time to reclaim the extra bedroom.

[jeffrytrefry]

Wow, your knowledge is vast and your best asset is your incredible articulation with no dead air or confusion. Been a collector for 57 years, and will tell you that the greatest album is not "Kind of Blue, Pepper, or Pet Sounds, or the album behind you, "Love Forever Changes!". It is a "greatest hits" album propelled by the greatest bassist that ever lived

[douglasscott]

I just love your posts / videos dude. I have been collecting vinyl for over 30 years and I am still learning stuff. I did not know about the history of barcodes. I must have been hiding under a rock all of these years.

[TylerKingNuReview]

One of the earliest albums with a barcode is Duty Now For The Future by DEVO from 1979, to the point where they put the barcode in the album artwork itself