Roots Archives Forum

I extended my world cup experience by buying Scientist's "Wins the World Cup" LP. Is there a way to tell the 1982 press from the 2002 repress? I couldn't find any infos on the cover nor on the labels.

It shows on the labels. The original has speed on left of the spindle hole and publishing info on the right. The reissue has speed on the right and publ. info beneath tracklisting.

Isn't it a bad thing, that the record industry reissues records with exact or almost exact covers and labels, thus making it difficult to tell the original from the repress?
Of course it's nice to have such kind of a counterfeit, but at least it should sport the new release date or new reissue company on label and cover, so nobody may be fooled on the second hand market.

The original smells older )

Thanks kalcidis, your knowledge is truly amazing!
Seems like I got the repress (like expected) but why not put it somewhere on the label or sleeve? Besides that I love represses being true to the original.
Gotta think of another football related LP for the next world cup win, any ideas?

Not sure if it's an exact science, but I always look to see if there is a barcode on the back cover. I know they were being used in the 70s, but it doesn't appear to have been common practice on records until the mid 80s. (Happy to be corrected on that, of course).

For example, an original of Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter IV (1981) doesn't have one, but the reissues do.

Not sure if this works for albums too, but..

Recently reissued Greensleeves 12inches have matrices (run-out grooves) in printed characters, where the characters of the matrices of original copies look like 'handwritten'..

Which proves btw that all recently reissued 12inches where done from newly made stampers..

Does this work for lps too??

And yes; never seen a barcode on a seventies or early-eighties printed record.. Guess it started somewhere mid, or late-eighties..

Capt wrote:And yes; never seen a barcode on a seventies or early-eighties printed record.. Guess it started somewhere mid, or late-eighties..

And then the barcode disappeared again at the beginning of 2000.

Siegi wrote:And then the barcode disappeared again at the beginning of 2000.

Just checked the last "new" album I bought - King Of Limbs (2011) - and it has a barcode.
By the way, that was in the UK.

Have just dug out "Introducing Scientist The Best Dub Album In The World...." reissue from 2012 and it also has a barcode.

As I said it isn't an exact science, but if it has a barcode (and is a reggae album) it's unlikely to be from the 70s.

If it doesn't have a barcode, but you think it might be a reissue take I-Lion Tafari's advice and smell it.