Roots Archives Forum

I was looking in the used records the other day and came across Prince Jammy Destroys the invaders, and Prince Hammer Bible. They looked like old records so how can I tell if they are original pressings.

Prince Hammer Bible probably is since it hasn't been reissued. Prince Jammy has recently been reissued. If you look at the cover art very closely you can see if it is the reissue since it's a bit blurry from scanning the old covers and re-printing it.

ha yeh the scaning, nowadays dey just scan it up and repress i ve seen dat plenty especially wen yu order lps from kingston straight , lord even the halfway tree by jr gong a brand new record was rescaned andrepressed, somtimes you can also see the "digital compact disc" logo on the cover..

try out a Carbon 14 test on the items..
but i'm sure the seller won't allow it!!

ras_gaks wrote:but i'm sure the seller won't allow it!!

Of course they wouldn't ... it could expose their fraud!

kalcidis wrote:author">rasgaks wrote :but i'm sure the seller won't allow it!!

Of course they wouldn't ... it could expose their fraud!

not all, but if they get fooled already they mostly wait until someone who still rate it will buy it someday, and yo even bootleg get up in price sometimes

You need to use a range of tools to check vinyl validity.

First, find out if the record has been re-issued. If it has, familiarise yourself with the label art, sleeve art etc of the repress vs the original. There is usually a difference. Most really modern cuts will have a bar code on the sleeve.

Then find out about matrix numbers, these help a lot but aren't always cut and dried as many represses get done with old stampers and thus old matrix too.

There are a thousand other signs, like where the jacket was printed, or the scanned artwork detection method mentioned above.

But this place is perhaps the best place to find out. If in doubt, ask. There's USUALLY someone here who knows!

Irie…..
Yes, concerning original presses and so on, Im just a amateur-collector,
So InI are using the easy ways to tryin to tell the originals from the re-presses.
For example, like Leggo wrote, the bar-codes…..

And the case with the shrink-wrapping of records,
I mean, I always thought that thing with plastic around the sleeve was a rather new thing, from the mid 80s.
But it goes even farther back?
Please fill me in my expert friends!

Funkyfred wrote: And the case with the shrink-wrapping of records,
I mean, I always thought that thing with plastic around the sleeve was a rather new thing, from the mid 80s.
But it goes even farther back?
Please fill me in my expert friends!

I've seen OGs from the end of 60s with plastic bag, not Ja press but UK press for sure.

Thanx for the info ton1!

Wow, late 60s!!??
Thats early!