Roots Archives Forum

Jay Money wrote:Pressed at United by chance?

How does one tell?

The deadwax doesn't seem to indicate, and the LP sleeve says Man/dist. via Tad's in JA. There's got to be something I'm missing...?

Look at the matrix numbers/info in the deadwax. If you see a tiny "U" with a circle around it somewhere there, it means it pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville. It's the biggest pressing plant in the U.S., but has never had a reputation for outstanding quality. Back in the day, a lot of punk/hardcore labels had stuff done there because United was cheap. Right now, they have a terrible track record with defective/warped LPs. It's bad enough that I won't buy anything pressed at United right now. If something was pressed there, 2,3,4+ years ago, it might be okay, but anything that seems to have come out of there in the last year or so has a good chance of being warped or having issues with non-fill.

From what I have heard (from very reliable sources), they are slammed with orders so they are cutting corners, including not waiting for the records to fully cool before inserting them into jackets. This is a common way that a brand new LP ends up warped, and the problem isn't necessarily limited to United either.

cvac wrote:Look at the matrix numbers/info in the deadwax. If you see a tiny "U" with a circle around it somewhere there, it means it pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville. It's the biggest pressing plant in the U.S., but has never had a reputation for outstanding quality. Back in the day, a lot of punk/hardcore labels had stuff done there because United was cheap. Right now, they have a terrible track record with defective/warped LPs. It's bad enough that I won't buy anything pressed at United right now. If something was pressed there, 2,3,4+ years ago, it might be okay, but anything that seems to have come out of there in the last year or so has a good chance of being warped or having issues with non-fill.

Ok, just checked. No tiny "U" in a circle. However, it does read "Miami Tape 0X-DX-0 Tad's Records Gregory Isaacs Night Nurse A" (and then B for the corresponding side).

Also, the "0X" thing, those could be a D or the letter O just as they could be a zero (0), so I'm not sure. Whoever made it probably did just as you described - sealed it up too hot. It should be a crime to do that to this record.