Tuesday, April 13, 2021

LP Pressing Rings And The Mystery Of The Deep Groove (11/2023 Update)

NB: November 12, 2023 Update.  A big refresh with lots of new plants, updates, and corrections.  As always, this is a work in progress.  Corrections or additions are gratefully accepted.

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In my December, 2016 post, I wrote about how to decipher some of the information in the dead wax in order to figure out such things as which version of an album you have, who cut the lacquer, where it was mastered, and which company pressed the LP. I mentioned that the size of the pressing ring can also be a good way to help determine which company pressed an album. With a number of new pressing plants coming online and a big increase in the number of albums being pressed in Europe, I thought it might be useful to look a little deeper at what the pressing rings can tell us.


Click on the photo to see it larger.
Above are three different pressings of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 1970 hit record Deja Vu. Atlantic Records is a great place to start because they always list the pressing plant on the label. As opposed to many of the other big labels, Atlantic didn't own their own pressing plants. So, they had to contract out for all their releases. At the bottom of every Atlantic label is a number, in the case above, ST-A-701829 [not to be confused with the LP's catalog number, at the top of the label, which is SD 7200.] Atlantic's numbering system is pretty straightforward. In the example above, ST = stereo, A = Atlantic, 70 = the year, and 1829 is the tape master number used to cut the lacquer. After the tape master number is a two letter code that indicates the pressing plant for that particular copy. Here is Atlantic's list of pressing plants:

AR = Allied Records, Los Angeles, CA (after about 1978-79)
CS = Columbia Records Santa Maria, CA  [very infrequently]
CP = Columbia Records, Pitman, NJ
CT = Columbia Records, Terre Haute, IN
LY = Shelly Products, Huntington Station, NY
MG = MGM Record Mfg. Division in Bloomfield, NJ [only for a brief period in late 1968]
MO = Monarch Records Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, CA
PL = Plastic Products, Memphis, TN [mainly 45’s]
PR = Presswell Records, Ancora, NJ
RI = Philips Recording Corp., Richmond, IN
SO = Southern Plastics, Nashville, TN
SP = Specialty Records Corp., Olyphant, PA

Pressed by Philips Record Corp., Richmond, IN
If you click on the photo above to enlarge it, you can clearly see that the codes on the three copies of Deja Vu from left to right are MO, PR, and RI. That indicates that the three albums were pressed by: Monarch Records, Los Angeles; Presswell Records, Ancora, NJ; and Philips Recording Corp., Richmond, IN. However, even if they didn't put the code on the label, we could probably figure out the pressing plant anyway, either by looking for MR, PR, or PRC in the dead wax, or by checking the size of the pressing ring -- as long as you know that the pressing rings for Monarch, Presswell, and Philips are 73mm, 32/70mm, and 70mm, respectively. 

When record presses squeeze a biscuit of vinyl, they create a pressing ring (or rings) on each side of the label. The size of the rings depends on the size of the die that the pressing plant used to hold its stampers in place.  Luckily for us, many of the major record manufacturers have different sized rings, which often allows us to figure out where a record was manufactured even if there is no indication in the dead wax.  

In the heyday of LPs - the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the vast majority of US releases were pressed by plants owned by the major labels such as Columbia, Capitol, and RCA, or by the major independent manufacturers such as Specialty, Rainbo, Monarch, and Presswell. In order to cut down on shipping costs, most major labels had pressing plants in different parts of the country -- typically on the East Coast, in the Midwest, and on the West Coast. Columbia Records, for example, had pressing plants in Pitman, NJ, Terre Haute, IN, and Santa Maria, CA. I live on the east coast, so most of my Columbia albums are from Pitman. [Columbia also had earlier plants that closed in the 60s in Bridgeport, CT and Hollywood, CA, as well as a plant that opened in 1981 in Carrollton, GA.] And just by the way, LondonJazzCollector has a terrific post about the history of the Columbia label.

RCA had three plants in Rockaway, NJ, Indianapolis, and Hollywood, CA, (although Rockaway and Hollywood both closed in the 70s). Other labels had more or fewer plants. Capitol had four plants in Scranton, PA, Winchester, VA, Jacksonville, IL, and Hollywood, CA. MCA and United Artists had two plants each.

Like Atlantic, Warner Brothers did not press their own records. From 1958-1963, most Warner albums were pressed by RCA at their Rockaway and Indianapolis plants. From 1963-1975, Columbia pressed all Warner albums. Then, beginning in late 1975 - early 1976, Warner moved their pressing to Capitol. Little Feat's The Last Record Album came out in November, 1975, and was released with a Columbia pressing (top) and a Capitol pressing (below). Even if you didn't know that, you could tell by looking at the pressing rings. Columbia's ring is 69mm, while Capitol's is 39mm. 


Columbia's 69mm pressing ring runs through the bottom of the WB logo at the top of the label. 

Capitol's 39mm pressing ring is easy to see.

Over the years I have made a list of record manufacturers and the diameter of their pressing rings. The list is nowhere near exhaustive. Many of the manufacturers on the list are no longer in business.  However, there are also a number of new pressing plants that have opened in the U.S. and abroad, responding to the growing demand for LPs worldwide.  

I use a digital caliper and a ruler (with millimeter markings) to check the ring diameters. And while I try to be precise, I am certain there are errors in my notes.  Likewise, some of my deadwax markings may be wrong.  If you spot any errors or have any additions, I would be happy to add them.  Even though the pressing rings for many U.S. manufacturers are commonly listed in inches, I use millimeters because it's much more precise. Even with a ruler I find it hard to be sure that the ring on a modern Columbia release is exactly 2.71654 inches,
whereas I can easily tell if it's 69mm. (NB: As W.B. mentions in his comment below, a Columbia pressing ring is actually closer to 68.5mm, or 2.69685 inches.  However, for purposes of identification, 69mm is close enough.)

Note that the letters, numbers, words, or symbols in parentheses after the pressing plant name in the left column are plant markings that are commonly found in the dead wax which can help positively identify a plant.  This is particularly important because Columbia's pressing plants in Pitman, Terre Haute, and Santa Maria all had a 69mm pressing ring.  But you can often tell which is which by looking for the letter P, T, or a backwards S in the dead wax. After the diameter size on the right I have included dates that the plant operated (if they only ever had one pressing ring diameter), or dates for a particular pressing ring if the plant had more than one, letters and/or numbers that indicate the pattern of the catalog number used by a particular pressing plant, and a list of labels the plant regularly pressed for
 
REV: November 12, 2023

Pressing Ring Diameters By Size -- Small to Large

Pressing Plant (identifying marks in runout)            Pressing Ring Size (x-x = deep groove, x/x = two rings)

Sun Plastics, East Newark, NJ                                                                                                        11/70mm (outer very faint) 1946-2009 (presses sold to Gotta Groove)
MPO Moulages et Plastiques de l’Ouest, Averton, France [MPO, MP]                                15/32mm or 15/24/32mm or 32mm (1957-present)
MPO Moulages et Plastiques de l’Ouest, Averton, France [MPO, MP]                                15/24/32mm or 15/32mm or 32mm (1957-present)
[Early Keel?] Hauppauge, LI, NY                                                                                                    19/72mm [1959 Bravo, Pickwick]
Polydor France, Paris (label, not sure of pressing plant)                                                        19mm (bare vinyl with no label on top)
Shelley Products, Huntington Station, LI, NY [X, LY, 54, SH, S, Ƨ]                                         19mm (1947-1985) styrene; 70mm (1969-85) vinyl; label diameter: 98mm
Shelley Products, Huntington Station, LI, NY [X, LY, 54, SH, S, Ƨ]                                          19/69-72/88mm (1959); 19mm (1947-1985) styrene; 70mm (1969-85) vinyl
Decca Records, New Maiden, UK [ZAL, EAL, ARL)                                                                      19/69-72mm (1958-68); 33mm (1959-80); 69-72mm (1959-68); 25mm (1952-58); 19/95-97mm (1957-59)
Deutsche Grammophon, Phonodisc GmbH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                19/70mm (1971-72); 30mm, (1951-66); 28-30mm (1961-72) [DG, Philips, Polydor]
Phonodisc GmbH (Philips/DG merger), Hannover, Germany [320]                                        19/70mm (1973-78) [Philips, DG, Polydor, Verve, Atlantic]
Polygram Record Service GMBH, Hannover, Germany                                                              19/70mm [1978-85; 1991-92] [Philips, DG, Polydor, Verve, Atlantic]
Decca Records, New Maiden, UK [ZAL, EAL, ARL)                                                                       19/95-97mm (1957-59); 19/69-72mm (1958-68); 33mm (1959-80); 69-72mm (1959-68); 25mm (1952-58)

Hannover, Germany Plant [320]
Deutsche Grammophon, Phonodisc GmbH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                20mm or 19/70mm (1971-72) 30mm, (1951-66); 28-30mm (1961-72)
Phonodisc GmbH (Philips/DG merger), Hannover, Germany [320]                                        20mm or 19/70mm (1973-78) [Philips, DG, Polydor, Verve, Atlantic]
PRS (Polygram Record Service) GMBH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                        20mm (1978-82); 19/70mm (1980-85; 19/70mm (1991-92) [Philips, DG, Polydor]
PDO (Philips/Dupont Optical), GmbH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                         20mm (1986-91); 19/70mm 86-89); 19/70mm 1986-87) [DG, Philips, Polydor]

Abbey Record Manufacturing Comp. East Newark, NJ [AB MO-YR, (A)]                               21mm (side b) /68-72mm (1955-63) 70mm [1962-70] [Prestige, Roulette, Impulse]
P.R. Records Ltd., Harrogate (CD, CED, P, CT, D, E, G, M, P, R, T, PAG)                                   22/33mm (1979-96); 32mm (1980-2001); 35/65mm (1990-92) (Jasmine, Rhapsody)
Synthetic Plastics Company, Newark, NJ [S.P.C.]                                                                         22-26/70mm or 24/70mm (outer faint) [NB: 3 5/8" label] (1949-77)
KM Records, Burbank, CA (KM-#####) (KM+, + +)                                                                    23/70mm (1977-1992) [Impulse, Nautilus]
Philips Records, LTD, London, UK [▽420]                                                                                     21-23/93mm (1959-71) [Prestige, Philips, RCA, Fontana, Mercury]

Philips Holland
Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI), Baarn, Holland [670]                                                  22-24mm (1954-1962), also 22-24/99mm, 24mm, 24/99mm
Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI), Baarn, Holland [670]                                                  22-24/99mm (1954-1962), also 22-24mm, 24mm, 24/99mm
Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI), Baarn, Holland [670]                                                  24mm, 24/99mm (1954-62) also 22-24mm, 22-24mm, 22-24/99mm,
Phonodisc B.V., Baarn, The Netherlands [670]                                                                              22-24mm (1962-66), 30/88mm (1966-1980)
Phonodisc B.V., Baarn, The Netherlands [670]                                                                              30/88mm (1966-1980), 22-24mm (1962-66)
PRS Baarn, The Netherlands [670]                                                                                                    30/88mm, 29/86mm (1980-1993) [SteepleChase]

CBS/Sony Inc. Tokyo, Japan                                                                                                                25mm [1968-89] [Including Epic/Sony 1978-88]
Decca Records, New Maiden, UK [ZAL, EAL, ARL)                                                                         25mm (1952-58); 19/69-72mm (1958-68); 33mm (1959-80); 69-72mm (1959-68); 19/95-97mm (1957-59)
 
Decca Records
Decca Records Pressing Plant, Gloversville, NY [◉, 1]                                                                 25mm [1953-66] 1 in runout, ◉ on side 2 label matrix [Decca East]
Decca Records Pressing Plant, Pinckneyville, Ill [◆, 2]                                                               25mm [1956-66] 2 in runout, ◆ on side 2 of label [Decca West]
Decca Records Pressing Plant, Richmond, IN [◈ 3]                                                                      25mm [1939-56] 3 in runout 1939-52, ◈ side 2 of label (1952-56)
Decca Records Pressing Plant, Bridgeport, CT [4]                                                                         25mm [1938-53] 4 in runout
Decca Records Pressing Plant, Los Angeles, CA [★ 5]                                                                  25mm [1946-54] 5 in runout 1946-49, ★ side 2 of label 1949-54

MCA Records
MCA Records, Gloversville, NY (I, 1, 回-G-回)                                                                                 25mm [1966-2005] (Decca East until 1966) (1966-73, I or 1 in runouts)
MCA Records, Pinckneyville, IL (2, ◈-P-◈)                                                                                     25mm [1966-2007] (Decca West until 1966) (1966-73, ② or 2 in runouts)
MCA Records Canada, Cornwall, ONT ◎-C-◎                                                                                 25mm [1964-1976] (prior to 1970 The Compo Company Ltd.)

MCA Records: some 25/70mm rings seen.

RCA Records
RCA Records, Hollywood, CA (H)                                                                                                        26mm 1968/70-1976, 69-70.5mm DG 1941-1970
RCA Records, Indianapolis, IN (I)                                                                                                        26mm 1968/70-1987, 69-70.5mm DG 1939-1969/70
RCA Records, Rockaway, NJ (R)                                                                                                           26mm 1968/70-1973, 69-70.5mm DG 1954-1969/70
RCA Records, Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada (ACR, AcR)                                                               26mm [1954-1979] (also 70mm) [GT = Mastered RCA Toronto]

Allied Record Company, Los Angeles, CA (AR, EAST, B-#####, 22)                                       26mm (1975-81); 35/70mm (1982-89). Rare: 35mm (1976-83); 73mm (1971-75)
NB: Check carefully for "E A S T" around the center hole (after 1979) = Pressed by Specialty Record Comp. from plates originally made for Allied. Specialty’s 35/70mm outer is more pronounced. A lone "A" embossed in the label area indicates it was pressed at Allied.

1971-75        73mm (only a handful)
1975-81        26mm (after 1981, only test pressings)
1976-83        35mm
1982-89        35/70mm

Cinram, Scarborough, ON, Canada [(CR), CR, CI, 230]                                                                    26/77mm or 29-69mm muffin. 1969-1981
Europadisk, NYC [(EDP), Europadisk DMM]                                                                                      28mm (1985-2004); 35/52mm (1981-83); 35mm (1981-2004)
KM Records, Burbank, CA (KM-#####) (KM+)                                                                                28mm or 28/70mm (1977-90) Teldec vinyl [MHS, Nautilus, Impulse/MCA]
Allied Records, Ltd., London [(ALI)]                                                                                                     28-30mm or 29-32mm (1961-77); 32mm (1959-72; 32/70mm (1962-82)
Deutsche Grammophon, Phonodisc GmbH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                      28-30mm (1961-72); 30mm, (1951-66); 19/80mm (1971-72) [DG, Philips, Polydor]
Unknown German pressing plant (1968)                                                                                            28-31mm deep groove (Reprise, Warner Bros)
Precision Records, Ontario, Canada                                                                                                    28/38/70mm [1961-?] pressed for ARC, ARC Sound
KM Records, Burbank, CA (KM-#####) (KM+)                                                                                28/70mm or 28mm (1977-90) Teldec vinyl [Nautilus, Impulse/MCA, PAJ]
Dixie Record Pressing, Nashville, TN [DRP-XXXX]                                                                            28.5mm (1981-86, rare); 28.5/70mm (1972-99) [Sold presses to United, 2000]
Mid-South Record Pressing, Nashville, TN [MS]                                                                                28.5mm (1965-68); (sold to GRT in 1969)   
GRT Corporation, Nashville, TN (GRT)                                                                                                 28.5mm (1969-77); 28.5/70mm (1974-79);
[formerly Mid-South]
Dixie Record Pressing, Nashville, TN [DRP-XXXX]                                                                            28.5/70mm (1972-99); 28.5mm (1981-86, rare) [Sold presses to United, 2000]
GRT Corporation, Nashville, TN (GRT)                                                                                                 28.5/70mm (1974-79); 28.5mm (1969-77); [formerly Mid-South]
QCA Custom Pressing, Cincinatti, OH (QCA) (1966-92)                                                                   29mm (1969-87); 73mm (1966-72); 29/70mm (1977-90); 29/88mm (1984-92)
Record Industry, Haarlem, The Netherlands (XXXXX 1A)                                                               29mm, also 29/70mm, 29/83mm (1998-present) [Sony, EMI, Music on Vinyl]
Vinyl Record Pressing LLC, Jacksonville, FL [VRP]                                                                           29mm [2016-present]
Electrecord, Bucharest, Romania                                                                                                         29-31mm deep groove; 30mm [1932-present]
Allied Records, Ltd., London [(ALI)]                                                                                                     29-32mm or 28-30mm (1961-77); 32mm (1959-72; 32/70mm (1962-82)
His Master's Voice Limited, Wellington, NZ                                                                                      29-32mm (1954-1972); 32mm (1962-73)
Teldec-Press GmbH, Nortorf, Germany [Manufactured in Germany]                                           29-32mm (1951-65); 29-32/70mm (1960-89); 32/70mm (1977-89)
Teldec-Press GmbH, Nortorf, Germany [Manufactured in Germany]                                           29-32/70mm (1960-89); 29-32mm (1951-65); 32/70mm (1977-89)
Cinram, Scarborough, ON (Canada) [(CR), CR, CI, 230]                                                                   29-69mm or 26/77mm muffin. 1969-1981
Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire, AL)                                                                        29-70mm (1976-91); 73mm (1974-77); 31.7mm (1978-79) [Pablo]
CBS/Columbia Internacional, S.A., Mexico City                                                                                 29/70mm (faint muffin top) [1968 - ?]
CBS, Haarlem, The Netherlands (XX-XXXXX-XX)                                                                                29/70mm (1971-1990) [CBS, SteepleChase 08) became Sony/CBS in 1991
Diskmakers [Philadelphia, NYC, Chicago] [DM, TV ◅ Æ©, á—¡á•’]                                                      29/70mm (1979-88); 68-74mm (1961-62); 70mm (1961-74); 29mm (1975-77)
Memphis Record Pressing, Memphis, TN (MRP, [MRP-XXXXX)                                                     29/70mm (2015-17); 32mm (2017-present); 32/70mm (2018-20)
PRC West, Compton, CA [PRC-C, PRC-W, 26]                                                                                      29/70mm (muffin top) [1975-1984]
Precision Record Pressing, Inc., Nashville, TN [PRP-XXXX]                                                            29/70mm [1961-76] limited-run, local pressings
QCA Custom Pressing, Cincinatti, OH (QCA)                                                                                     29/70mm (1977-90); 73mm (1966-72); 29mm (1969-87); 29/88mm (1984-92)
Record Industry, Haarlem, The Netherlands (XXXXX 1A)                                                               29/70mm or 29mm; (1998-present). [Sony, EMI, Music on Vinyl]
Sony/CBS, Haarlem, The Netherlands (XX-XXXXX-XX)                                                                     29/70mm (1991-1998) bought by Record Industry in 1998
Third Man Pressing, Detroit, MI [TMP, concentric circles in label]                                              29/70mm (2017-18), 32mm (2018-present) [2017-present]
United Record Pressing, Nashville, TN (u) (U)                                                                                    29/70mm or 33/70mm (1972-present)
QCA Custom Pressing, Cincinatti, OH (QCA) (1966-92)                                                                    29/88mm (1984-92); 29/70mm (1977-90); 73mm (1966-72); 29mm (1969-87)
 
Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire, AL)                                                                        30mm or 31.7mm, some w/ 88mm chamfered edge, (1990 only) (concentric rings)
Capitol Records-EMI Of Canada Limited, Ontario, CA                                                                     30mm [stamped Capitol logo] (1947-present)
Deutsche Grammophon, Phonodisc GmbH, Hannover, Germany [320]                                       30mm, (1951-66); 28-30mm (1961-72); 19/80mm (1971-72) [DG, Philips, Polydor]
Electrecord, Bucharest, Romania                                                                                                          30mm [1932-present] some 29-31mm deep groove
Furnace Recording Pressing, Alexandria, VA                                                                                      30mm (2012-present)
Musikkindustri A/S, Oslo, Norway [710, F, FE, EE, IHJ, TA, SS, P YR]                                            30mm (w/ 5mm raised outer ridge) (1967-83) [CBS, PolyGram, EMI, Steeplechase]
Phonodisc Ltd, London, UK [// x ▽420, 1 1 1]                                                                                    30mm (1969-79); 33mm (1970-3); 30/88mm (1970-73) [Polydor, ATCO, MGM]
Polydor K.K., Japan                                                                                                                                  30mm (40mm shadow ring; 80mm chamfered edge) (1971-99) [Japanese Verve]
Polydor Ltd. UK                                                                                                                                          30mm
Unknown French pressing (Barclay 1972)                                                                                            30/34/86mm triple ring
Fonobras, Distribuidora Fonografica Brasileira LTDA, Brazil                                                         30/39/85mm (EMI/Polygram) [1985-present]
Gotta Groove Records, Cleveland, OH                                                                                                   30/72mm (2009-present, presses bought from Sun Plastics)
C.I.D.I.S. Louviers, France (Philips) [380]                                                                                             30/88mm (1969-1978) (Sister plant in Antony, France 1972-78)
COFASA, Madrid, Spain (850)                                                                                                                  30/88mm [1970-1983] before see Fonogram, after see Polydor
Eurogram, S.A., Madrid, Spain (850)                                                                                                     30/88 [1988-?] before see Fonogram, Cofasa, Polygram
Fonogram, S.A., Madrid Spain (850)                                                                                                      30/88 (1962-70] after see Cofasa, Polygram, Eurogram
Musikkindustri A/S, Oslo, Norway [710, F, FE, EE, IHJ, TA, SS, P YR]                                             30/88mm (5mm raised outer ridge) (1967-83) [CBS, PolyGram, EMI, Steeplechase]
Phonodisc B.V., Baarn, The Netherlands [670]                                                                                   30/88mm (1966-1980), 22-24mm (1962-66) (EMI, PolyGram, CBS, Steeplechase]
PolyGram Servicios, S.A., Madrid, Spain (850)                                                                                    30/88 (07/1983-1988) before see Cofasa and Fonogram
PolyGram Records, LTD, Wellington, New Zealand                                                                            30/88 [Philips, PhonoGram, Universal Music] 1970-1999
PRS Baarn, The Netherlands [670]                                                                                                          30/88mm (1980-1993)
PhonoComp, Tribiano, Italy (520 in runout)                                                                                        30/89mm (1985-99) (Phonoster '56-'80) (Polygram 80-85)
Phonoster, Tribiano, Italy (520 in runout)                                                                                            30/89mm (1956-'80) (Polygram 80-85) (PhonoComp 85-'99)
Polygram, Tribiano, Italy (520 in runout)                                                                                              30/89mm (1980-'85) (Phonoster '56-'80) (PhonoComp 85-'99)

Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire)                                                                                31/68mm muffin top (?), [closed in the 90s] (Pablo)
Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire)                                                                                31/88mm w/con. rings [88 ring is smooth] Pablo [closed 90s]
Presswell Records, Ancora, NJ (PR) (1958-90)                                                                                      31/70mm or 32/70mm (1960-1973); 35/70mm (1968-84); (last LP pressed - 1984)
PolyGram Record Services Ltd., London [▽ 420]                                                                                31/82mm [2/79 to mid 1988] [Philips]

Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire, AL)                                                                          31.7mm (1978-79); 29-70mm (1976-91); 73mm (1974-77) [Pablo]
Rainbo Records, Santa Monica, CA [S-XXXX]                                                                                        31.7mm (1976-2006) [often with 11mm inner ring on one or both sides]
Rainbo Records, Santa Monica, CA [S-XXXXX]                                                                                      31.7/70mm (1979-2006) [muffin often with 11mm inner ring on one or both sides]
Rainbo Records, Canoga Park, CA [S-XXXXX]                                                                                        31.7/70mm (2006-2019) [muffin often with 11mm inner ring on one or both sides]
Rainbo Records, Santa Monica, CA [S-XXXXX]                                                                                      72mm (1966-76) generally for budget, one-color labels

Record Technology Incorporated, Camarillo, CA [XXXXX.1(3)]                                                        31.7mm or 31.7/70mm (1977-present) [Concord]
H.V. Waddell, Burbank, CA [W, WC]                                                                                                        31.7mm 1976-1984 (see Waddell below) [Verve, MGM, London, Derem, Arista]
 
Rainbo or RTI or Waddell?  From 1976/77 to 1984, all three plants pressed with a 31.7mm ring.  Other than the known W or WC plant markings for Waddell or S-XXXXX matrix codes on Rainbo and XXXXX.1(3) on RTI, Rainbos often have an 11mm inner ring on one or both sides.  Rainbo pressing rings tend to be sloppier, less crisp than RTI or Waddell.  RTI tend to have light concentric rings in the label. Waddell mainly pressed only for its big clients, Verve, MGM, Arista, London, and subsidiaries.

Rainbo or RTI? From about 1979-2020, Rainbo and RTI both used a 31.7/70mm pressing ring.  A sure way to tell them apart is the matrix code:  Rainbo’s matrix is S-XXXXX, while RTI uses an XXXXX.1(3) matrix.  However, they are not always present.  If there is no matrix code some indicators are:  In general, Rainbo’s 31.7mm ring is less clean.  Rainbos often have an 11mm inner ring on one or both sides.  RTI muffin top is slightly more pronounced. Rainbo tended to press for more popularly-priced and smaller labels.  Since about 2010, RTI has catered more to high end, audiophile 180-gram pressings.  In general, RTI tends to press audiophile labels with 31.7mm and larger runs with 31.7/70mm.  

Allied Records, Ltd., London [(ALI)]                                                                                                        32mm (1959-72; 28-30mm or 29-32mm (1961-77); 32/70mm (1962-82)
Aprelevsky Order of Lenin Record Plant, USSR                                                                                    32mm [Melodya]
AREACEM. Tourouvre, France [a AREACEM]                                                                                          32mm (inward sloping ring) (1971-80) Name changed to SNA Sept. 1980.
Ariola Eurodisc GmbH, Munich Germany                                                                                               32mm
Century Record Mfg. Co. [V-#####, FV-#####, FPV-#####, FP V-#####]                          32mm (1973-90); 68-72mm (1952-61); 73mm (1961-69)
Dublin Vinyl, Dublin, Ireland [DV]                                                                                                           32mm (2017-present]
Dureco Fabriek (Dutch Record Company), Naarden, NL                                                                    32mm (1952-1998)
EMI ITALIANA S.p.A., Varese, Italy (DA-MO-YR)                                                                                    32mm (1967-present)
EMI Music France (Paris, France)                                                                                                             32mm (1990-2013) [formerly Pathé Marconi EMI]
Hand Drawn Pressing. Addison, TX [HDP ####]                                                                                32mm (2017-present)
His Master's Voice Limited, Wellington, NZ                                                                                         32mm (1962-73); 29-32mm (1954-1972)
Interpress, Hamburg, Germany [IP, I.P.]                                                                                                32mm (1976-95) [some with 40mm shadow ring] Owned by Bellaphon.
Les Industries Musicales Et Electriques Pathé Marconi                                                                    32mm (1964-1972) [renamed Pathé Marconi, 1972]
EMI (New Zealand) Limited, Auckland, NZ                                                                                            32mm (1972-present), previously His Master’s Voice (1954-1972)
Gold Rush Vinyl Llc, Austin, TX [GRV]                                                                                                      32mm (2019-present)
gzvinyl.com, Lodenice, Czech Republic [before 2014]                                                                         32mm (2000-2013) [E1/A and E2/B in matrix]
GZ Media, Lodenice, Czech Republic [starting 2014)                                                                          32mm (2014-present) [E1/A and E2/B in matrix]
Memphis Record Pressing, Memphis, TN (MRP, [MRP-XXXXX)                                                        32mm (2017-present); 29/70mm (2015-17); 32/70mm (2018-present)
MGM Records Bloomfield, NJ ["S" ankh, sailor's cap, arrow]                                                           32mm (1959-71); 70-74mm deep groove (1950-61); [MGM, Verve]
MPO Moulages et Plastiques de l’Ouest, Averton, France [MPO]                                                   32mm or 15/32mm or 15/24/32mm [concentric rings]
Optimal Media GmbH, Robel/Muritz, Germany                                                                                   32mm [BY XXXXX, B=LP, Y = the year A=2010, F=2015, K=2020) (1, +, >)
Palomino Records, Shepherdsville, KY                                                                                                   32mm [2012-present]
Pathé Marconi EMI (Paris, France)                                                                                                          32mm (1972-1990) [renamed EMI Music France 1990-2013]
P.R. Records Ltd., Harrogate (CD, CED, P, CT, D, E, G, M, P, R, T, PAG)                                            32mm (1980-2001); 22/33mm (1979-96); 35/65mm (1990-92) (Jasmine, Rhapsody)
Precision Record Pressing, Burlington, Ontario [10-XXXXX]                                                            32mm (2017-present) joint venture with GZ Vinyl, “Made in Canada” sticker   
SNA, Tourouvre, France [SNA stamp or etch]                                                                                        32mm; 32/70mm (inward sloping ring) [1980-2018] Bought by GZ Media in 2018.   
Standard Vinyl, Victoria, BC, Canada [Standard, SV, V-#######]                                                32mm (2014-present)       
The Vinyl Factory, London, UK                                                                                                                  32mm (2001-present) Specializes in limited-edition runs
Third Man Pressing, Detroit, MI [TMP, concentric circles in label]                                                 32mm (2018-present); 29/70mm (2017-18); [2017-present]
Victor Company Of Japan, Ltd. Yokohama [111, 112, 132, 311, 312]                                               32mm or 32/44mm or 32/44/90mm or 32/90mm [1927-present] [RCA, early MFSL]
Warner Music Mfg. Europe GmbH, Alsdorf, Germany                                                                        32mm (1990-2003] (Before 1990 - Record Service GmbH)
Victor Company Of Japan, Ltd. Yokohama [111, 112, 132, 311, 312]                                               32/44mm or 32mm or 32/90mm [1927-present] [RCA, East Wind, early MFSL]
Unknown Japanese plant                                                                                                                            32/45mm [Verve 23MJ 3394, 1984]
CBS Pressing Plant, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, UK                                                                 32/63mm (1964-1980)
Brooklyn Phono, Brooklyn, NY (brooklynphono)                                                                                 32/64mm [opened in 2003]
Allied Records, Ltd., London [(ALI)]                                                                                                         32/70mm (1962-82); 28-30mm or 29-32mm (1961-77); 32mm (1959-72)
Memphis Record Pressing, Memphis, TN (MRP, [MRP-XXXXX)                                                         32/70mm (2018-20); 32mm (2017-present); 29/70mm (2015-17)
Presswell Records, Ancora, NJ (PR) (1958-90)                                                                                        32/70mm or 31/70mm (1960-1973); 35/70mm (1968-84); (last LP pressed - 1984)
SNA, Tourouvre, France [SNA stamp or etch]                                                                                          32/70mm; 32mm (inward sloping ring) [1980-present] Bought by GZ Media in 2018
Teldec-Press GmbH, Nortorf, Germany [Manufactured in Germany]                                                32/70mm (1977-89); 29-32/70mm (1960-89); 29-32mm (1951-65)
Sonopress, Gütersloh, Germany                                                                                                                 32/73mm [1957-present] (###### A-1/YR S) (Made in Germany)
Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire)                                                                                    32mm w/ 88mm chamfered edge, (1975-1999) [Pablo]
Victor Company Of Japan, Ltd. Yokohama [111, 112, 132, 311, 312]                                                32/90mm or 32mm or 32/44mm [1927-present] [RCA, East Wind, early MFSL]
Adrenalin Records, Ltd., Slough, UK (Adrenalin)                                                                                   33mm [1986-1998]
Celebrate Records GmbH, Stolberg, Germany                                                                                        33mm [2002-present] [XXXXXXX A1 KM (later is masterer initials)]
Columbia (pressed by EMI Italiana S.p.A. (Milan, Italy)                                                                      33mm
Decca Records, New Maiden, UK [ZAL, EAL, ARL)                                                                          33mm (1959-80); 69-72mm (1959-68); 19/69-72mm (1958-68); 25mm (1952-58)
; 19/95-97mm (1957-59)

RCA Record Factory, Rome, Italy                                                                                                               33mm [a few seen, but mostly 26mm]
Hungaroton (Hungary)                                                                                                                                33mm
Independent Record Pressing, Bordentown, NJ [IRP]                                                                          33mm [IRP] [2015 - present]
Melodya Records, USSR                                                                                                                                33mm
MY45, Tiefenbach, Germany [MY45, XX@MY45 xx=masterer]                                                           33mm (2006-present) First LPs in 2017 (Stockfisch, in-akustic)
New Orleans Record Pressing, New Orleans, LA                                                                                    33mm (2018-present)
(Pallas) Schallplattenfabrik Pallas GmbH, Diepholz, Germany                                                          33mm; 33/60mm; 33/60/80mm; [concentric rings in label) -XXXXX-
Pathé Marconi EMI, France (EMI France)                                                                                                 33mm [Blue Note 1983-87]
Phonogram Records Pty. Ltd. Australia                                                                                                    33mm [Polygram]
Quality Record Pressings, Salina, KS                                                                                                        33mm; 33/70mm [2011-present] faint concentric rings
TELDEC Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf, Germany                                                                                 33mm (1988-98) [Alsdorf bought by Teldec in 1988]
Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (tulip stamp, WM-XXXXX)                                                  33mm (1964-74); 33/70mm (1980-89); 73mm (1963-64)
Memphis Record Pressing, Memphis, TN (MRP) (2014-present)                                                        33/70mm, 32mm [MRP-XXXXX] (bought by gzvinyl in 2015)
TELDEC [Telefunken-Decca] Schallplatten GmbH, Hamberg, Germany                                            33/70mm 1950-1983 [renamed TELDEC Schallplatten GmbH in 1983]
RCA Schallplatten GmbH, Hamburg, Germany                                                                                        33/70mm
 
Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (tulip stamp, W over M stamp) (1963-89)                     33mm; 34/63mm; 33/70mm; 33/72mm; 33/84mm pudding top
1963-64         73mm
1964-74         33mm [outside edge has satin look]
1980-1989     33/70mm muffin top with large slope. 43mm or 46mm "shadow" ring around inner ring

Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (WM stamp, tulip stamp)                                                    33.3/70mm (some 98mm chamfer) or 70mm [#####-A] (1980-89) [Blue Note]
Memphis Record Pressing, Memphis, TN (MRP)                                                                                     33/70 [MRP-XXXXX] (2014-presesnt) (bought by gzvinyl in 2015)
Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf, Germany (R/S)                                                                                        33/70mm [1975-1988] [bought by TELDEC in 1988]
Quality Record Pressings, Salinas, KS                                                                                                        33/70mm; 33mm [2011-present] faint concentric rings
Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (tulip stamp, WM-XXXXX, Mo#2)                                      33/70mm (1980-89); 73mm (1963-64); 33mm (1964-74)
Iberofon, S.A., Madrid, Spain [#N#]                                                                                                          33/88mm [#N# or #N#DM/DMI/DMM] (1959-2014)
Allied Record Company, Los Angeles, CA (AR, EAST, B-#####, 22)                                                    35mm (1976-83, rare); 26mm (1975-81); 35/70mm (1982-89); 73mm (1971-75)
ElectroSound Group Midwest, Shelbyville, IN (EMW, B, 016)                                                               35mm (1978-87); 35/75mm (1980-88); 35/70mm (1980-88); 35/73mm (1978-91)
Europadisk, NYC [(EDP), Europadisk DMM]                                                                                            35mm (1981-2004) 35/52mm (1981-83); 28mm (1985-2004)
King Record Co., Tokyo, Japan                                                                                                                    35mm (45mm shadow ring) [East World]
Toshiba EMI LTD Tokyo, Japan                                                                                                                    35mm [1973-94] [45mm slight muffin]
King Record Company, LTD. (Tokyo, Japan)                                                                                            35/40mm, 34/44mm [1951- ] (Blue Note, A&M, CTI)
Turicaphon AG, Zurich, Switzerland [TU, Ⓣ]                                                                                            33/50mm (or 33/65mm) [1931-1992] GRP, EMI, Polydor, Ex Libris
Europadisk, NYC [(EDP), Europadisk DMM]                                                                                            35/52mm (1981-83); 28mm (1985-2004); 35mm (1981-2004)
Damont Audio, Hays, Middlesex, UK (DAMONT)                                                                                    35/58mm or 35/61mm (shadow ring at 45mm)

Allied Record Company, Los Angeles, CA (AR, EAST, B-#####, 22)                                            35/70mm (1982-89); 26mm (1975-81). Rare: 35mm (1976-83), 73mm (1971-75)
NB: Check carefully for "E A S T" around the spindle hole (after 1979) = Pressed by Specialty Record Comp. from plates originally made for Allied. A lone "A" embossed in the label area indicates it was pressed at Allied. From 1982-89, Specialty has the same 35/70mm ring, but the outer is more pronounced.

Cascade Record Pressing, Milwaukie, OR [CP## - ####]                                                                    35/70mm muffin [2014-present]
Hauppauge Record Mfg, (HRM, double arrow, pennant with dot)                                                    35/70mm [1981-1989] [<1981 was named Keel] [Hauppauge, LI, NY]
Hub - Servall Record Mfg. Corp., Cranbury, NJ (HUB, HuB)                                                                35/70mm [muffin top, 10mm inner ring side 1] (1975-2007)
Keel Mfg, Hauppauge, NY [K, pennant, union jack, 53, notched edge]                                            35/70mm 1979-81; 70mm 1961-79 [11mm inner]; sold to Hauppauge ‘81
Mercury Record Manufacturing Co., Richmond, IN                                                                                35/70mm [after 1977]
Monarch Record Mfg. Co., LA [MO, (MR), △ XXXXX]                                                                            35/70mm from 1976-85 [before, 70 or 73mm]
PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC-R, PH)                                                        35-70mm or 35/73mm (1975-90); 70mm 1972-77, overlap from (1975-77)
Plastic Products Company, Memphis, TN [PP]                                                                                        29/70mm (70mm) 1949-1978 [Atlantic, Sun, MGM, Chess, ABC, Scepter]
P.R. Records Ltd., Harrogate (CD, CED, P, CT, D, E, G, M, P, R, T, PAG)                                                35/65mm (1990-92) 22/33mm (1979-96); 32mm (1980-2001); (Jasmine, Rhapsody)
Presswell Records, Ancora, NJ (PR) (1958-90)                                                                                            35/70mm (1968-84); 32/70mm (1960-1973); (last LP pressed - 1984)
Sound Makers Records Mfg. Co. Westville, NJ [SMK, SMI, 60, ✩]                                                        35/70mm [muffin, 10mm inner ring side 1] (1977-86) [Applause]

Specialty Record Corporation, Olyphant, PA (SP, SRC, E A S T, 49)                                                 35/70mm 1970-98; 69-71mm 1959-62 (rare); 70mm 1963-74; 38mm 1968-69
 "E A S T" around the center hole beginning in 1979 = Pressed by SRC from metal parts that were originally made for Allied Record Company. Los Angeles (SRC’s sister company (bought by Warners) in 1979).  A lone "A" embossed in the label area would indicate it was pressed at Allied Record Company. Specialty pressed LPs from approximately 1959-98. Before 1968, mostly small-time job lots.  First big contract was Atlantic in 1968, then Elektra in 1970, and Reprise in 1973.  Vast majority of Specialty pressings are 35/70mm.

Superior Record Pressing Corp., Somerdale, NJ [SRPC around spindle]                                            35/70mm (1972-85); 70mm 1968-72
Superior Record Pressing Corp., Tempe, Arizona [SRPCW]                                                                    35/70mm [1979-1991]
 
ElectroSound Group Midwest, Shelbyville, IN (EMW, B, 016)                                                                35/70mm (1980-88); 35/73mm (1978-91); 35/75mm (1980-88); 35mm (1978-87)
ElectroSound Group Midwest, Shelbyville, IN (EMW, B, 016)                                                                35/73mm (1978-91); 35/70mm (1980-88); 35/75mm (1980-88); 35mm (1978-87)
ElectroSound Group Midwest, Shelbyville, IN (EMW, B, 016)                                                                35/75mm (1980-88); 35/70mm (1980-88); 35/73mm (1978-91); 35mm (1978-87)
 
PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC, PH)                                                               35-70mm or 35/73mm (1974-1990) (1972-1974 ring was 70mm)
Burlington Record Plant, Burlington, VT [BRP XXX YEAR]                                                                     37/70mm muffin top; (2015-present) [low volume, boutique press]
Specialty Record Corporation, Olyphant, PA (SP, SRC, E A S T, 49)                                                        38mm 1968-69; 35/70mm 1970-98; 70mm 1963-70; 69-71mm 1959-62 (rare)

Capitol Records
Capitol Records, Jacksonville, IL [JW ,0]                                                                                                    38mm 1965-87
Capitol Records, Los Angeles (LW, ☆, ✲, *)                                                                                              39.5mm 1947-88 (some w/ 13mm inner ring on side 2)
Capitol Records, Scranton, PA [anvil, IAM in triangle]                                                                            39mm 1946-73 [anvil stamp until 1964, then IAM in triangle until ‘73]
Capitol Records, Winchester, VA [WW, ----<]                                                                                               35mm or 39mm [13mm inner ring on side 2] 1968-86
 
Capitol Notes:  On a white background, Jacksonville LPs have a slightly burnt beige tint to them. Whites are “whiter” on L.A. and Winchester labels.  By 1975, all Capitol lacquers were cut in Los Angeles at Capitol Mastering and sent out to the various plants. So “JW" or “WW” isn't a guarantee they were pressed in Jacksonville or Winchester; it just means the lacquers were sent there originally.  Where they ended up might be somewhere different (which is why you see Winchester pressings with -LW lacquers, Jacksonville pressings with WW lacquers, etc.]
 
North American Musical Industries, Pittsburgh, PA [anvil stamp]                                     39mm (from Nov. 1973-80 bought Capitol Scranton in '73
H.V. Waddell Co. - Burbank, CA (W or WC)                                                                             68-70mm [1959-68] (Blue Note/Liberty, MGM, Verve west coast)
Plastylite, North Planfield, NJ (cursive "P" stamp)                                                               68-70mm (1949-66) [also 69-71, 70-72] (all Blue Note up to 1966)
Plastic Products Company, Memphis, TN [PL, PP] (1959-1979)                                            68-70.5mm deep groove from [1959-61 only]; (29/70mm or 70mm 1960-79)
Abbey Record Manufacturing Comp. East Newark, NJ [AB MO-YR, (A)]                              68-72mm [some w/ 21mm inner side B] (1955-63) 70mm [1962-70] [Prestige]
Century Record Mfg. Co. [V-#####, FV-#####, FPV, FP V]                                                      68-72mm (1952-61); 73mm (1961-69); 32mm (1973-90)
CBS Records Canada, Ltd. Don Mills, Toronto [DM, HZ, HDZ, CRC]                                      69mm [1971-88] Trademark owner is Epic

Columbia Records had a 69-71 deep groove on all pressings until CL 1645 (plus or minus) in 1961. All plants were changed over to the 69mm normal or “ledge” groove in summer/fall of 1961. There are no deep groove pressings from Santa Maria or Carrollton, and only a small number from Pitman.  Columbia's NYC mastering studio used a ☆ in the matrix (just like Capitol's) from 1956-57, found on Bridgeport and Hollywood pressings only.
 
Columbia Pressing Plant, Bridgeport, CT (CLB, BP, --, ☆, . .)                                                69-71mm 1923-1961; 69mm 1961-64 [extra leading in album and track titles]
Columbia Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA [G1]                                                                        69mm [with a faint 11mm inner ring] 1981-91; no deep grooves
Columbia Pressing Plant, Hollywood, CA (H, ☆)                                                                   69-71mm 1935-1961 (CL 1645); 69mm 1961-64
Columbia Pressing Plant, Pitman, NJ (P, CP, 54)                                                                    69mm [1960-1988] limited deep grooves (opened 10/60)
Columbia Pressing Plant, Santa Maria, CA (S, Ƨ, CSM)                                                          69mm [1963-1981 no deep grooves; slight concave/convex cupping at spindle
Columbia Pressing Plant, Terre Haute, IN (CT, CTH, T)                                                          69-71mm DG [1953-61 (CL 1646) 69mm 1961-82

Columbia Indicators:
 
BP, CLB = Pressed by Bridgeport
G1 = Pressed by Carrollton
H = Pressed by Hollywood
P or CP or CRP = Pressed by Pitman
S or S1 or S2 or Ƨ or CSM = Pressed by Santa Maria
T or T1 or T2 or CT or CTH = Pressed by Terre Haute
PN = (very rare) Mastered At Pitman, Pressed By NAMI (a non-Columbia plant in Scranton)
PXS = Plated by Pitman and Pressed by Santa Maria.
SX = Plated and pressed by Santa Maria
SXT = Plated at Santa Maria and pressed by Terre Haute
SXP or SX(P) = Plated at Santa Maria and pressed by Pitman
TX = Plated and pressed by Terre Haute
TXG = Plated at Terre Haute and pressed by Carrollton
 
CBS – Discos Naucalpan, Mexico                                                                                            69mm [1963-68]
Hispavox S.A., Madrid, Spain                                                                                                   69mm deep groove [1953-1985]
WEA Records Pty. Limited, Sidney, Australia                                                                         69mm (light 88mm muffin] MX1-XXXXX (1970-present)

 
Specialty Record Corporation, Olyphant, PA (SP, SRC, E A S T, 49)                                       69-71mm 1959-62 (rare); 70mm 1963-70; 38mm 1968-69; 35/70mm 1970-98
RCA Records, Hollywood, CA (H)                                                                                             69-70.5mm DG 1941-1968/70 [26mm 1968/70-76]
RCA Records, Indianapolis, IN (I)                                                                                            69-70.5mm DG 1939-1969/70 [26mm 1968/70-87]
RCA Records, Rockaway, NJ (R)                                                                                                69-70.5mm DG 1954-1969/70 [26mm 1968/70-73]
Decca Records, New Maiden, UK [ZAL, EAL, ARL)                                                                          69-72mm (1959-68); 33mm (1959-80); 19/69-72mm (1958-68); 25mm (1952-58); 19/95-97mm (1957-59)
American Record Pressing, Owosso, MI [ARP]                                                                        69-71mm deep groove (1959-69); 70mm 1968-1972; [Buddah, Vee-Jay]
 
Richmond, IN (All the same plant, check dates for ownership)
Decca Records, Richmond, IN [3, ★, ◈]                                                                                  69-71mm DG (some 71-73mm seen) deep groove [1939-57]
National Record Pressing, Inc., Richmond, IN                                                                        70-74mm DG [05/1958-09/1961]
Richmond Record Pressing, Inc., Richmond, IN (R, RR, MR, RFR)                                          69-71mm DG [09/1961-66] (owned by Mercury)
Mercury Record Manufacturing Co., Richmond, IN (MR, RR)                                                 70mm [1966-69] 69-71mm DG 1966-1967
Philips Recording Company (PRC), Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC, PH)                                70mm [1970-72]
PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC-R, PH)                                            70mm [1972-77]; 35/70mm [1973-90] (some 35/73mm seen)
PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC, PRC-R, PH)                                    35/70mm [1973-90]; 70mm [1972-77] (some 35/73mm seen)

Abbey Record Manufacturing Comp. East Newark, NJ [AB MO-YR, (A)]                                70mm (1961-70); 68-72mm [some w/ 21mm inner side B] (1955-62) [Prestige]
ABC - True Sound Manufacturing Corp. Hauppauge, NY (TSM, TƧM)                                    70mm (ABC's east coast plant) est. 1965 (ABC, Impulse)
All Disc Records (Liberty/UA East Coast) Roselle, NJ                                                            70mm [1960-1981] [22, 33, 44, 66, 77, 85, 114, AD, ALL DISC, N-47]
Allentown Record Co. Inc., Allentown, NJ [ARC, AL, ALT]                                                        70mm [1947-1984] [AL w/date xx-xx-xx] [Kapp, Elektra, VOX]
American Record Pressing, Owosso, MI [ARP]                                                                       
70mm (1968-1972); 69-71mm deep groove (1959-69); [Buddah, Vee-Jay]
Audio Manufacturing Record Co. [Lakewood, NJ] [AL]                                                           70mm (1967-1975); [London, Phase 4]
Bestway Products, Mountainside, NJ (B, Bestway, BG, BW, B/W)                                         70mm (1950-1986)
Connoisseur Record Corp., Kearny, New Jersey                                                                     70mm [pressed Roulette Records and subsidiaries]
Diskmakers [Philadelphia, NYC, Chicago] [DM, TV ◅ Æ©, á—¡á•’]                                                70mm (1961-74); 29/70mm (1979-88); 68-74mm (1961-62); 29mm (1975-77)
Keel Mfg, Hauppauge, NY [K, pennant, union jack, 53, notched edge]                                70mm (1961-79); 35/70mm [11mm inner]; sold to Hauppauge ‘81
Monarch Pressing Plant, LA, CA (MO, MR, △ XXXXX)                                                              70mm or 73mm 1955-1978 [35/70mm from 1976-85]
Plastic Products Company, Memphis, TN [PP] (1959-79)                                                        70mm (1962-80); (68-70.5mm DG 1959-61) [ABC, Atlantic, Sun, MGM, Chess,)
Premier Custom Pressing, Clifton, NJ [☆]                                                                               70mm [five-pointed star 1962 - ca. 1972]
RCA Records, Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada (ACR, AcR, GT)                                                  70mm [1954-1979] (also 26mm) GT = Mastered RCA Toronto
Goldisc Recording Products, Inc. Holbrook, Long Island, NY (GOL)                                     70mm 1975-83 [From 1960-1975, called Sonic Recording Products]
Philips Recording Company (PRC), Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC, PH)                                70mm [1970-72]
PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (RI, 72, PR, PRC-R, PH)                                            70mm (1972-77) changed to 35-70mm starting in 1975 (overlap 1975-77)
Shelley Products, Huntington Station, LI, NY [X, LY, 54, SH, S, Ƨ]                                          70mm (1969-85) vinyl; 19mm (1947-1985) styrene; label diameter: 98mm
Sonic Recording Products, Holbrook, NY [SON, sonic, K-XXXX]                                            70mm 1960-75 [From 1975-1983, renamed Goldisc Recording Products]
True Sound Manufacturing Corp. Hauppauge, NY (TSM, TƧM)                                              70mm (ABC's east coast plant) est. 1965 (ABC, Impulse)
Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (WM stamp, tulip stamp)                                        70mm [Flying Fish]
Southern Plastics, Memphis, TN (SO-XXXX)                                                                            70mm [Became United Record Pressing in 1971] [Atco]
Specialty Record Corporation, Olyphant, PA (SP, SRC, E A S T, 49)                                        70mm 1963-74; 35/70mm 1970-98; 38mm 1968-69; 69-71mm 1959-62 (rare)
Superior Record Pressing Corp., Somerdale, NJ [SRPC around spindle]                              70mm 1968-72; 35/70mm (1972-85)
UA/Liberty East Coast [All Disc Records, Roselle, NJ]                                                            70mm [22, 33, 44, 66, 77, 114, AD, ALL DISC, N-47]
True Sound Manufacturing Corp. (ABC) [TSM]                                                                        70mm [Hauppauge, Long Island, NY]
H.V. Waddell Co. – Burbank, CA (W or WC)                                                                               70-72mm [1967-1977] [west coast MGM, Verve]
MGM Records Bloomfield, NJ ["S" ankh, sailor's cap, arrow]                                                 70-74mm deep groove (1950-61); 32mm (1959-71) [MGM, Verve]
National Record Pressing, Richmond, IN [see Richmond above]                                          70-74mm deep groove (1958-61); [owned by Mercury Records]
Columbia Pressing Plant, Bridgeport, CT (CLB or BP or --)                                                    71mm [1923-1964]
Rainbo Records, Santa Monica, CA [S-XXXX]                                                                            72mm (1966-76) [generally one-color, budget pressings]; 31.7mm
Allied Record Company, Los Angeles, CA (AR, EAST, B-#####, 22)                                          73mm (1971-75, rare); 26mm (1975-81); 35/70mm (1982-89); 35mm (1976-83)
Alshire Custom Products, Burbank, CA (Alshire, AL)                                                                73mm (1974-77); 29-70mm (1976-91); 31.7mm (1978-79) [Pablo]
Apex Record Corporation Hollywood, CA                                                                                 73mm (1961-66) [SM sig in runout] (Charlie Parker Records)
Century Record Mfg. Co. [V-#####, FV-#####, FPV, FP V]                                                          73mm (1961-69); 68-72mm (1952-61); 32mm (1973-90)
Fidelatone, Hawthorne, CA [ƒį, FT, FI, F, Ⓕ]                                                                               73mm (1970-81) [Atlantic label = FT]
H.V. Waddell Co. – Burbank, CA (W or WC)                                                                                73mm [1967-1977]; 31.7mm (1977-82); 68-74 (1956-59); 68-70mm (1959-68)
H.V. Waddell Co. - Burbank, CA (W or WC)                                                                                 72/92mm [1967-1970]
Custom Fidelity Records, Hollywood, CA                                                                                   73mm [Concord Jazz]
Custom Record Manufacturing, Los Angeles, CA                                                                      73mm [Crown, Modern, Kent, RPM [NB: Custom had 3.5" label]
Monarch Record Mfg. Co., LA [MO, (MR), △ XXXXX]                                                                   73mm or 70 1955-1978 [35/70mm 1976-85]
QCA Custom Pressing, Cincinatti, OH (QCA) (1966-92)                                                              73mm (1966-72); 29mm (1969-87); 29/70mm (1977-90); 29/88mm (1984-92)
Rainbo Records for Capitol Records                                                                                           73mm
Research Craft (UA/Liberty West Coast, Los Angeles, CA] [R, Re,]                                           73mm [1945-1981] [Liberty-1965-71; UA-1971-78; Capitol-1978-81]
Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, AZ (SJW-xxxx)                                                                    73mm (1963-64); 33mm (1964-74); 33/70mm (1980-89)

H.V. Waddell Co., Burbank, CA [W, WC, WAD]
1956-1959       68-74 deep groove that varied by a mm or two in either direction
1959-1968   68-70mm deep groove.  (Exact size of groove varies slightly, but is smaller than earlier groove)
1967-1977        During this period, Waddell had at least four different grooves: 68-70mm; 72/92mm; 73mm; 31.7mm Sometimes two on the same LP.
1977-1982        31.7mm (only a handful of examples after 1982)
 
 
I have seen a number of records where the pressing ring and the manufacturer's mark in the dead wax don't correspond. Especially with hit records that sold in the millions, labels contracted with lots of manufacturers to get albums in the stores as quickly as possible. Stampers that were made for one plant had a way of getting sent to other plants, so you will occasionally run across a manufacturer's stamp in the dead wax with a pressing ring that is clearly from somewhere else. In that case, you can assume it was actually pressed somewhere else.  Pressing rings don't lie.

Most manufacturers standardized the size of their pressing dies, so pressings from a given pressing plant normally have the same size ring.  However, there are a few plants that had three or more different sized pressing rings, perhaps because they had record presses built by different manufacturers.  H.V. Waddell, for example, had four different pressing rings in use at the same time.  A given plant's pressing ring might change from time to time as the plant bought new presses or retooled existing machines.  Most big labels standardized their pressing rings so the same stampers could be used at any plant: Beginning in 1962, all Columbia pressings have a 69mm pressing ring, regardless of which Columbia plant pressed them.  RCA switched over to a standard 26mm pressing ring beginning in 1970.  

Fun fact: Since standard LP labels are exactly four inches (or 101mm) across (with some minimal shrinkage from the heat of the presses - once again, thanks to "W.B." for his comment below), you can check pressing ring diameters just by looking at a photo of a label on your computer. There are tens of thousands of them on Discogs. Save the image to your computer and open it with a photo editing program. Increase or decrease the size of the photo so that the label is exactly four inches (or 101mm), and then you can measure the pressing rings by holding a ruler up to the screen.
Original Blue Note deep groove

Finally, it's not really a mystery, but the term "deep groove" has nothing to do with the record groove. It simply refers to the pressing ring on some early LPs which was deeper and more pronounced than on most modern records. Typically, deep grooves are about 1.25-2.0mm wide. Deep groove pressings disappeared in the 1960s as LP manufacturers changed over their presses.  Columbia changed all its presses from deep groove to regular beginning in late 1961.  RCA did the same in late 1969.  

Collectors are mad for "deep groove" pressings, especially Blue Notes (right), and will pay a huge premium for these early releases.  And while a "deep groove" LP can be a good indication that the album is an early or original pressing, that's not always the case.  In fact, Classic Records worked with manufacturer RTI to create a replica deep groove for their Blue Note reissue series in the early 2000s.


Enjoy the music!

75 comments:

  1. Record label sizes on vinyl usually shrink by an average of 0.5%-0.6% when pressed onto the record. A 4" LP record label usually goes down to ~3.976" on the record itself. Some companies accounted for this shrinkage by die-cutting their labels 4.015625" rather than 4". (Having seen label sheet proofs and measuring key points on label designs, and comparing them to the same designs pressed onto the record, I can attest to this.)

    For "deep grooves," going by mm's, the two main plants that used them (with inner diameter as {I} and outer diameter as {O}), were:
    - Columbia: 68mm(I), 70.5mm(O)
    - RCA: 69mm(I), 71.5mm(O)
    (average radius thickness 1.25mm)
    I've seen the Columbia deep groove contours also on 1950's MGM and '60's Waddell pressings, and the RCA DG's also on Mercury pressings from 1958 to 1969.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's Ancora, you have it as Ancona wrong spelling

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  3. Great collection, I use it a lot. Thank you!
    I measured a few Hungaroton records today and I got 32 mm.
    One addition: Most of my Jugoton pressings also have 32 mm. Some of my Jugotons have a wide ring: 31.5 mm - 38 mm.

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    1. Zoli79,

      Thanks for your note. I checked a couple of my Hungaroton labels, and you are right! I've changed that to 32mm. I don't have any Jugotons, but pulled up a few online and measured. I came up with 33mm. Can you check again? If you have the actual LPs, then your measure is probably more accurate.

      Delete
  4. This is an awesome resource. My thanks! I am wondering about the two entries for Capitol Records, Los Angeles:

    1. Capitol Records, Los Angeles: 39mm (1947-88)
    2. Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Los Angeles: 69mm (1947-88)

    Question: Do both entries refer to the same plant? If yes, did it really produce different size pressing rings during the years 1947-1988? (I’m trying to solve a mystery regarding a 1965 release of Nat King Cole's Unforgettable. Both sides have a five-pointed star in the deadwax and 69mm rings, which is unlike most, if not all, similar releases on Discogs.)

    Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for your note and for finding my mistake! The 2nd listing for Capitol is an error (which I've deleted).

    Capitol's LA pressing plant operated from 1947 until 1988. All 12" LPs produced by that plant had a 39mm pressing ring. So your copy was not pressed by Capitol.

    The five-pointed star ☆ was used by Capitol LA until the early 1950s. After that, they changed to a large six-pointed asterisk ✲. They switched again to a smaller asterisk * about 1965. Since Discogs doesn't show a 1965 release for Unforgettable, how did you date your copy? Is it on the black Capitol Starline label?

    The vast majority of records with a 69mm pressing ring were pressed by Columbia. "Unforgettable" was a popular album, and it probably was licensed and sold by Columbia's Record Club. If so, there should be a "CRC" or "Columbia Record Club" notation printed somewhere on the bottom of the label and/or back of the jacket. There isn't a CRC issue listed in Discogs, but you could still have one.

    However, none of this explains the five-pointed star. If your date is correct, then the only explanation I can think of is that your copy was pressed by Premier Custom Pressing of Clifton, NJ. They used a five-pointed star from the early 1960s until about 1971. However, Premier's pressing ring was 70mm. Double check the size. If it's closer to 70, then maybe it's a Premier pressing.

    The big labels like Capitol and Columbia very rarely contracted out to press their records. However, Capitol's Starline label was run as a subsidiary, and maybe they did use outside contractors.

    Just by the by, one of Columbia's mastering facilities in NYC used a five-pointed star from 1956-57. However, those are only found on Columbia six-eye, deep groove pressings.

    Regards, Tom

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  6. Hello again! Thanks for the quick reply. I measured a bit more carefully and the rings are 70mm. The labels are black with the Capitol Records mark inside a star and “THE STAR LINE” underneath. I didn’t find any indications that it was a CRC release.

    As for how I dated my copy, I offer no hard evidence, just some thinking on my part. Which is usually when things get odd:

    1) My copy doesn’t fit well with the 1966 releases listed in Discogs.
    2) There seems to be very little to back up 1966. (None of those on Discogs have a ℗ or © mention, or a date of any kind. Neither does mine.)
    3) Other discographies/sites offer very little info about releases other than 1952 and 1954; one that did spoke of a 1965 release
    4) Mr. Cole died in February 1965. Ten+ months seems like an awfully long time to wait for Capitol to release one of the first posthumous compilations of one of its biggest stars.

    Take those four realizations, engage in some serious violating of Occam’s razor, and bam! 1965. Eh, what do I know? I spent the late 70s/early 80s diving off stages and slam dancing across punk-rock L.A. (I’ll probably leave it blank in the Discogs database.)

    Your theory of Premier Custom Pressing gives me another area to research. The mystery stars are small, super faint, and not fully stamped, but easily visible. Runouts are fairly standard though there are marks on either side of the stars that are unfamiliar to me, including etched, underlined Ws. The adventure continues…

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  7. First off I would like to say thanks for taking the time to put this resource together.

    I am currently staring at the deadwax of an Alice Cooper record, hoping that someone can help me to be less confused.

    The runout has the SRC logo stamped, and on the opposite side an etched PR, and a stamped TML-S. Also next to the PR is a very very faint etched SP. My main confusion is about which of these plants/companies did what, since I know Specialty Records Corp and The Mastering Lab deal with laquers, but also SRC and Presswell both deal with pressing records...

    If anyone can help me understand which of these companies did what, that would be incredible.

    Thanks everyone!

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    Replies
    1. I feel your pain. It's often hard to figure out who did what when it comes to plating and pressing, especially when there are multiple stamps in the runout. Without knowing the label and date of your album, I can only make a few guesses. First of all, the SPC stamp and SP etching are the same thing -- they both refer to Specialty Record Company in Olyphant, PA. The PR is either Presswell Records in Ancora, NJ, or Philips/PRC Recording Company in Richmond, IN. Both used an etched PR. All three of these companies were record manufacturers. To make things more difficult, Specialty, Presswell, and PRC all used a 35-70mm dual pressing ring. So, without an expert like WB in the Discogs forums who might tell based on the fonts on the label, there is no way to know which of the three pressed your record. However, since there is a stamped SRC on one side and an etched SP on the other, my money is on Specialty.

      You probably know that the TML stamp was used by The Mastering Lab in Hollywood. TML was run by the great Doug Sax and almost certainly cut the lacquer for your LP.

      Hope this helps. Regards, Tom

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the speedy reply!

    Is it possible the lacquers for each side were cut by different companies? The handwriting of the etched matrix# on the SRC logo side is completely different than the handwriting on the TML side. Just curious

    Thanks so much again for the info and pointers
    -Ilan

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    Replies
    1. They could absolutely be cut by different companies. If the album was a big seller, the label would have been contracting with lots of different manufacturers and mastering labs in order to get records in the stores as fast as they could. I've got lots of albums with sides cut by different labs.

      Delete
  9. Capitol's plant was in Jacksonville, Illinois, not Jacksonville, Indiana.

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  10. Hi, Kimisan,

    Thanks for catching that. I've corrected the text. Cheers, Tom

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  11. Thank you, Tom. As you know, I've found this an invaluable resource. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to update your list. I won't have a chance to delve into this until the week of April 19, and I'm looking forward to it!
    Roger from Athens, GA

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  12. Roger,

    Thanks for your note. I'm gratified that you and many others have found the list to be useful. I'll try to keep updating it from time to time. Once you have a change to take a look, please let me know if you see any mistakes!

    Regards, Tom

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  13. Great resource! Last year I found an RCA Colgems LP with a TV etched in the run out which I believe is from the Tracy Val Corp. but the pressing rings are the 32/70mm which I thought at first was MGM, but your site has them as Presswell. This week I found another Colgems with an R for Rockaway in the run out but again the pressing rings are 32/70mm. Was it normal for Presswell to use stampers from other plants?

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    Replies
    1. Hi JD,

      Thanks for your note. Any chance the albums you found were Monkees LPs? I have six Monkees albums on the Colgems label, and while all of them have a Rockaway "R" on the runout, only two of them were actually pressed by RCA. Two of them have stampers made at Tracy Val, and one of them has a 32/70mm Presswell ring.

      I did a quick look at some of my other Presswell pressings, and many of them have stampers made elsewhere. Especially in the case of huge selling albums like the Monkees, Presswell would have gone through a ton of stampers. They may have made some of their own stampers and gotten stampers from other places, but since Tracy Val was only about 15 miles up the road from Presswell, it makes a lot of sense that they would also use TV for rush jobs. Someone from Tracy Val cold hop in a car and run stampers down to Presswell in about 20 minutes.

      Regards, Tom

      Delete
  14. Hi Tom, just found this blog of yours great work. I am just wading through my ~ 150 disc coolection of vinyl that I have not even touched in 20 years, and goes back into a few monos in the late 50, early 60s. My SL23 has a Stanton 680EE with D680 stylus. I've read elsewhere this was the set used by many MEs to audition their test presses as it the C/S set was pretty hi-fi yet affordable so represented what many quality listeners had. It really does reveal strange mixing / mastering. As compared with fantastic high slew dynamic mixes like Toto IV; Kansas Leftoverture; Fixx Reach the Beach; Blondie Autoam.-Rapture; Aerosmith Toys in Attic, that sound totally killer in dynamics and sound stage. One other great sounding I found is Cat People Soundtrack (not D.Bowie let's dance album cut) of Putting out Fire... The dead wax says Mastered at Allen Zentz LA Calif. Fantastic mix and mastering! Low droning 80 hz bass with crisp and tight mids and highs. Read up on AZ and his mark is on there as well as his assistant that uses a little flower glyph. There is also another strange glyph on side I off by itself that looks like this ¤-G-¤ except the two boxes are rectangles. I have seen those on a couple of other discs which I will find again later as to which ones once I'm done cleaning the whole collection. Do you have any idea what that glyph means? Thanks. JR

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    Replies
    1. Hi JR,

      Glad to hear that you are dusting off your vinyl and getting back to spinning disks! Allen Zentz was a high-quality mastering shop based in San Clement, CA that operated from 1968-1992. If the runout has a little flower, then the lacquer was cut by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner. He cut a ton of records. After Zentz, Gardner worked at Bernie Grundman Mastering for about 30 years. As far as I know he is still active and now has his own mastering shop somewhere.

      The ⧈-G-⧈ stamp is the pressing mark for the MCA Records pressing plant in Gloversville, NY. The pressing ring is 25mm for LPs. If you look at the list above for 25mm, you can see the Gloversville stamp, as well as the stamp for MCA's other plant, in Pinckneyville, IL, that looks like this: ◈-P-◈

      Regards, Tom

      Delete
  15. Hi again Tom, thanks.
    So I spiffed up my old 1971 John Prine (debut) on Atlantic SD8296. Still sounds great, just a few crackles and 2 or 3 pops. Got out my digital calipers and the press rings are 32/69-70. Used your table here for that combo and came up with Presswell in Ancora, NJ, which conforms to printed lower label matrix and the deadwax, where on the latter the Master matrix is followed by the letter "B", on both Side 1 and 2. Do you know if this letter B indicates a 2nd Pressing Run after the worshipped "First Pressing". Or does it indicate one of a series of Sequentially lettered stampers made from the original mother, thus this actually being a bona fide First Pressing?

    Further, in the deadwax starting a quarter turn later are an inscribed initial set "AT/GP", again on both sides. Do these indicate who the persons were that actually masterd the disk, or the house that mastered it, or ??? Then opposite the master matrix # is inscribed "PR". Which I assume are for Presswell, or is that a standard location where a master recorder or house puts their mark as I see Sterling stamps opposite matrix, and PR there isn't for Presswell but coincidentally indicates something else. BTW no catalog # in deadwax at all.

    Then I see Presswell stopped pressing in 1984. Any idea where the pressing machines went. The only other one near matching PR on your table is Rainbow that ceased in 2006. Did these just get scrapped?

    I see someone has the 3 John Prine's as mine in Vg++, on Ebay from $80-$100! My collection might be worth thousands if those prices actually get sold. Or do a few crackles and 2 or 3pops means it's only a fair or good. I'm going to have to liquidate many things to get back on stable finances again after Covid.

    Thanks. JR

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    Replies
    1. JR,

      Sounds like you are getting the hang of things nicely. I don't know Presswell's numbering convention for stampers. But there would have been many, many stampers used in the first pressing. And the 10th stamper could sound better than the 1st, so, I wouldn't worry too much about what number the stamper is.

      AT/GP in the runout indicates that the lacquer was cut by George Piros at Atlantic Studios in NYC. That is a good sign, as Piros was a legendary
      mastering engineer and his cuttings are generally top notch.

      I don't know what happened to Presswell's presses after they closed. They probably sat in a warehouse somewhere for a couple of decade until vinyl started making its comeback and then got bought up and refurbished.

      Pricing LPs can be tricky. Read the Goldmine guidelines for grading records. Then check the prices and comments for the different grades on Discogs. A record with a few crackles and pops would get a VG rating in my book, which would lower the price significantly from a VG++. Prine's first album is a classic, and I'm sure his death last year drove up prices. However, as with all things sold online, the real value is whatever someone will pay for it.


      Cheers, Tom

      Delete
  16. A Swiss record company called "Splendid Records" released this record in 1972. Catalog number: SPL 50 106. Band: After Shave. Title: "Skin Deep"
    Label matrices: LK 251072-A and LK 251072-B.
    Runout matrices: SLP 50106 A L1 and SLP 50106 B L1.
    On the label is +ML+ (Rights Society: Mechanlizenz... before SUISA).
    The mystery is... who pressed this record? The runouts suggest it was EMI Electrola GmbH. If that was the case... it should've had the Rights Society of GEMA. The other stipulating factor is, the sleeve says it was printed in France by I.D.N. Could it then be perceived that this may have been pressed in France? But, no French Pressing plant has runouts like that. For the life of me, I can't seem to find out who pressed this record. Can you point me to a different conclusion?
    Rob (aka: ferevervinyl)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Also, I forgot to add, it has a single pressing ring of 33mm. The label measures exactly 100mm across. Above those label matrices, the catalog number shows a dot in it. So, the labels show the catalog number as "SLP 50.106". The sleeve shows catalog number as "SLP 50 106". You see, it's exactly like EMI Electrola GmbH pressings. But, the GEMA?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob,

      I'm afraid I don't have a good answer for you. Since the rights group is Mechanlizenz, the first pressing plant you would think of is Turicaphon in Switzerland. They pressed a ton of records in the 70s. I only have a few of their pressings, so I can't say for sure they didn't use a 33mm ring. However, they were pretty consistent in stamping "Made In Switzerland" or the small "crossbow in a circle" logo in the runout.

      Unfortunately, Splendid Records only has a handful of releases on Discogs, so it's hard to get a sense of where they pressed. However, I note that at least one of their other releases is identified as being pressed by Turicaphon.

      "Made in France" could just mean printed in France. If it were pressed in France, you'd expect to see a SACEM rights stamp. I note that the cassette version of "Skin Deep" was made in France and has a SACEM stamp.

      I see that After Shave is back together and had been touring before the pandemic. They have a web site at http://aftershave.romulus.zsite.ch/. You could send them an email and ask if they remember who pressed their first LP.

      Good luck, Tom

      Delete
  18. I know what you mean. Those Turicaphon AG pressings are extremely consistent. No matter how many I looked at, they were all stamped. As far as the "Made In France", it's printed by I.D.N.... the sleeve that is. However, upon closer inspection of the labels, right around 3 o'clock, it says "Made In France" This pressing has to have been pressed in France.... as well as the printed sleeve.
    I've purchased the Phantastic Plastic Records version of this album. The strangest thing is, the runouts are almost the same. This copy says: SLP 50 106-A-.... and the same on the other side. It doesn't say where it was made, but the sleeve has the same markings as the original. Mind-you-now, this is a "bootleg" version, so you can take that information with a grain of salt... if ya know what I mean. Still, these runouts surely look like EMI Electrola. I put his pressing around 2001, maybe.
    I'm a vinyl nut. I have to know everything about a record. You see, it's not just the music that's on it... it's everything about it. Who pressed it? Who produced it? What's it made of? Who mastered it? How many were pressed?... I could go on. Rest assured, I will not let this go until I find out who pressed the original. And! When I do, I let "you" know... sound fair? Thanks again for your help. Right now, I'm to give After Shave a ring over the air-waves. ttfn. peace/love/music Rob

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob,

      I definitely feel your pain. It drives me nuts when I can't figure out where an LP was pressed or decipher the etchings in the runout. Good luck and please keep me posted!

      Best, Tom

      Delete
  19. Tom, I've been trying to pin down pressing plant locations for a series of classical releases done by The Franklin Mint under the title "The 100 Greatest Recordings of all time". I know that the Franklin Mint didn't do any pressing themselves but had the work contracted out both to Presswell and Europadisk in New York (for U.S. releases). While trying to pin-down where my discs were pressed I did a Google search for "Presswell" and was directed here.

    The etched runouts on my copies end with what I call a "Franklin Mint trident" which looks like the letter "M" bisected with a "T". Additionally, they have a pressing ring that measures very definite 35mm in diameter.

    In reading through your April 13th, 2021 post, you mention "...as long as you know that the pressing rings for Monarch, Presswell, and Philips are 73mm, 32/70mm, and 70mm, respectively." Could it be that the pressing ring for Presswell could also be 35mm in addition to 32mm?

    Thanks for any help you can offer.

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    Replies
    1. Biff,

      I've done some digging on the Franklin Mint collections. They produced 16 (by my count) different collections from 1977-1987. The first set was "The 100 Greatest Recordings of All Time," which began in 1977, and the last was "Grammy Awards: All-Time Winners," which ended in 1987. Along the way they released a number of large multi-volume sets (classical, country, jazz, big band), as well as several one-off, single box sets (Julie Andrews, Beverly Sills, Ethel Merman).

      The entire musical output of the Franklin Mint was remarkable for its design consistency. As far as I can tell, every LP was pressed on red vinyl, and all the boxes, booklets, and labels had a consistent design style. In addition, every LP from every set I can find on Discogs shows a single 35mm pressing ring.

      I have a couple of the Franklin Mint collections (Greatest Jazz Recordings and Greatest Recordings of the Big Band Era). They all have the same "trident" runout stamp (it's actually a stylized "F" on top of an "M" for Franklin Mint.) I can't say for sure, but it appears that all the LPs in the various sets have the same stamp. There are no marks or other indication of the pressing plant in the runout or on the label of my sets or on any of the listings for Franklin Mint LPs I could find on Discogs.

      You allude to the Billboard article from December, 1982 in which the head of Franklin Mint's recording unit, Stan Walker, says that "The Mint's U.S. Pressing facilities are Presswell in New Jersey and Europadisk in New York." I assume that's true. And since Europadisk only began pressing vinyl in 1981, I have to assume that the earlier sets (like "The 100 Greatest Recordings") were pressed at Presswell.

      However, the fact is that every commercially released Presswell LP I've ever seen has either a 32/70mm ring (1960-73) or 35/70mm ring (1968-84). I've looked at hundreds of Presswell disks, and I've never seen one with a single 35mm pressing ring. (If anyone else has, I'd be happy to be proved wrong.)

      My best guess is that Presswell set up a dedicated press for Franklin Mint that used a 35mm center die. In some of their promo material, Franklin Mint says their LPs are pressed and processed in a "clean room" using "pure virgin ruby red vinyl." So maybe Presswell set up the clean room with a dedicated press using a 35mm center die just for Franklin.

      Based on the Billboard article above, by the end of 1982, Franklin had moved at least some of its production to Europadisk. In another Billboard article from June, 1983, Walker says that the Franklin Mint's new Toscanini series will be pressed at Europadisk. (Heck, maybe Franklin owned the dedicated press and moved it from Presswell to Europadisk.) Since Presswell went out of the LP business by about 1984 (they pressed 12" singles for another few years), it seems that Europadisk pressed the later sets up until 1987.

      So here's my theory: Franklin Mint started out producing its LPs on a dedicated press with a 35mm center die in a "clean room" at Presswell in 1977. At some point, (late 1982?), they moved their dedicated press with the 35mm die to a new clean room at Europadisk, where they pressed their LPs until 1987.

      Of course that's just speculation on my part. But until someone comes up with a better answer, it's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

      Regards, Tom

      Delete
  20. Thanks for the great post on your blog, it really gives me an insight on this topic.

    Vinyl Records

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hello again Mr. Skipper,
    I've had no luck so far with that "After Shave" album. You know, about who may have pressed it. I did a little research on Mr. Kessi (guitarist for the band). He's now involved in a band for hire. It's called "The Rockdaddies". The way I read the site is, you can hire them for your next birthday party. Or maybe a banquet of the sorts. Here's their website.... in case your interested in hiring them for your next corporate event. https://www.rockdaddies.com/ NO! I'm not kiddin'!
    Anyway, without any luck trying to get a hold of the band, I started other searches. And believe it or not... this is what I came up with. OH! I did leave a pleading message, but... so far no reply. ahem.
    With that said, I have a new question. All the pressing plants that you've listed at the beginning of this site, is there any chance that I can get detailed drawings of the test pressings showing these pressing ring measurements. You know, like blueprints from the factory with the actual measurements on them. "Visuals" go a long way ya know. lol. After-all, you know what they say, "A picture says a thousand words". .....huh, band for hire... is that what's become of them? I dread the thought. ROB M.

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  22. Hi, Rob,

    If Kessi doesn't reply to your email, you could always hire him to play at your next birthday party.

    As for detailed drawings of label test pressings, I doubt they exist anywhere. However, if you go to Discogs and search for the label, you can often find photos of test pressings (although not so much with smaller labels).

    Regards, Tom

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  23. Hello Mr. Skipper,
    I figured it was a long shot, but hey some more developments in that After Shave record. Out of pure ignorance, I decided to just reach out to Turicaphon in Switzerland. I asked them to please tell me how many record pressing companies that were in Switzerland.... since the beginning of record pressing history! They actually got back to me! I couldn't believe it. You'll never guess.... well.... you probably already know this.... but you'll never guess what she told me, and I quote: "In Switzerland we were the only Vinyl Factory, there was no-one else who could press vinyl. In the 1960s and 1970s we pressed vinyl for many countries in Europe." unquote. The only one... fascinating.
    I replied to her email thanking her, then made my "pitch". Gave her everything I had on that record. So, for now, I got my fingers crossed. As for Discogs.... well, that's why I wanted that info. I put in the forum about adding pressing ring sizes to the profiles that do not have them listed. The forum told me it was okay to add them.... but. Then they gave all kinds of criteria, you'll need proof, test pressing data, oh you just name it. But, hey look, I gave it a shot... right? I'm just not gonna walk through fire and high water to be able to do this.
    And about Mr. Kessi.... don't hold your breath. I don't know if ya really got a chance to look up that website or not, but seriously..... I highly doubt it.
    Have a nice weekend, ya hear. I catch ya later. Thanks again. ROB MEEHAN

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  24. I have a Japanese copy of Cheap Trick at Budokan. The deadwax matrix matches the Japanese Epic catalog number on the jacket. The sleeve says it was manufactured at Epic/Sony in Tokyo, which makes sense. But it clearly has a 25mm pressing ring and the only Sony Japan plant I see on your list has a 69mm. Any chance Sony had a second plant or different size rings?

    BTW, your list is very helpful as I'm going through about 300 records to catalog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I looked at a bunch of Sony and Sony/Epic Japan pressings on Discogs, and they are indeed 25mm. Not sure where I got the wrong measurement, but thanks for pointing out the error. I have fixed the listings to show CBS/Sony Japan and Epic/Sony Japan at 25mm. Good catch!

      Delete
    2. Thank YOU for doing all this work. So helpful.

      Delete
  25. Hi Tom,
    No closer to finding out about that 'After Shave' record. But that's not really why I emailed you. I'm trying to update my record pressing plants list. Out of curiosity, I always know that I can check your title page here for pressing plants. The one plant I'm trying to get more info from is the U.K. plant called "Orlake".
    I know about the "OR" and "O" in runouts... but that's it. Do you know any other markers and especially the ring sizes for that company. 4evervinyl (ROB)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob,

      I don't have any Orlake pressings in my collection (that I'm aware of), so haven't paid much attention to them. They pressed a ton of records in the 60s and 70s and 80s, and there are more than 5,000 listings on Discogs. In addition to the "OR" and "O" in the runouts, I see they also used "ORLAKE" spelled out.

      I haven't done a deep dive, but taking a quick look at some labels in the 60s and 70s, I see a number with a unique 28-32mm deep groove with a separate 92mm chamfered edge. I've not seen anything like that before, so it you see that pattern, I'd be very surprised if it wasn't an Orlake pressing.

      On the other hand (and assuming the listings are correct), there are a number of other ring sizes as well, including a single 43mm ring, a 32/92mm ring, and an interesting 32-37mm deep groove with a separate 63mm ring. Very weird to have so many different rings, as it means they couldn't interchange stampers on different presses. If you have some labels you are trying to identify, I'd check some of the other listings in Discogs for the same year to see if they match up.

      Regards, Tom

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  26. Hello Tom,
    I'm glad you're still doing this. It's very interesting reading some of the emails that you get. It's actually quite helpful to tell ya the truth.
    Anyway... your profile page here lists a ton of pressing plants, but I didn't see that 'Orlake' plant listed. However, if what you say is to be believed, 'Orlake' has quite an array of pressing machines, wouldn't you say? You're right, that is weird.
    Guess I'll be doing some more research on this plant.
    As for that 'After Shave' record... I haven't given up. But, I'll tell you what... I'm pretty sure that it's "NOT" a Turicaphon pressing. With that said, I get back to that pressing every-once-in-a-while. I'm pouring over French, Belgium and U.K. companies now.
    Okay then, thanks for your time. I appreciate it. 4evervinyl (ROB).

    ReplyDelete
  27. Good evening Tom,

    For what it's worth to ya... remember that band 'After Shave' we had talked about. They had an album called "Skin Deep" on 'Splendid Records' in 1972. I had the pleasure of actually seeing one of those. The gentleman let me look at it too. Well, I finally figured out who pressed it. It's a Turicaphon pressing from Switzerland.
    Remember, the band was from Switzerland... Splendid Records were from Switzerland, the rights society was from Switzerland. But! labels and cover sleeve said "Made in France"? Whyyyy... yesss.... the cover sleeve and labels were made (printed) in France... and "ONLY" the cover % labels.
    I had that record right in front of me and the one thing that stood out... was the 'depression' in the vinyl between the two rings. Yep... you heard me right, 'rings'. According to Discogs image this record appears to have only one pressing ring. Hold it in your hands and you can clearly see that this has two rings. Measured them out to 33 inner & 65 outer, a perfect match. Finally! ROB

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    Replies
    1. Rob,

      I admire your persistence in finally tracking down a copy of the album and being able to identify the pressing. Excellent detective work!

      Thanks for keeping me posted,

      Tom

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  28. Tom,
    The record from 'After Shave' is pressed by Turicaphon. However, I must've been a little tipsy that night. The actual measurements were 33mm inner and 50mm outer. The difference is this: from spindle hole to 33mm looks raised. From 33mm to 50mm it lowers into a depression. From 50mm to 60mm (give-or-take), the depression 'ramps up' (the thickness), to where it was at the spindle hole. I just wanted to clarify that for ya.
    I contacted Miss Josiane Moser at Turicaphon and confirmed with her about what I had found. She was pleased. Right now, I'm about to embark on a crash course in EMI records. I've recently acquired some French pressings of Pink Floyd. EMI pressings! Not Harvest the label. If I get stumped... you'll be the first to know. Wish me luck. ROB (aka: 'ferevervinyl')

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hello!
    Don't you know, what a letter V on some Atlantic UK labels mean?

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oleg,

    It's hard to say without more information about the LP and the year. One possibility is that the record was pressed by the CBS pressing plant in Ashton Clinton. The plant pressed an "A" in the runout, but it is often very faint and looks more like this: "Λ". CBS Ashton Clinton pressed lots of Atlantic UK (later WEA) records in the 60s and 70s.

    Regards, Tom

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Tom! Thanks for sharing your vinyl adventure. I guess commenting is the only way to communicate with you. I notice you listed the following:

    MGM Records Bloomfield, NJ [arrow, ankh, sailor's cap, "S"] 32mm 1959-71 (closed in 1971); 1950-61 70-73mm; [MGM, Verve]

    I'm trying to nail down when the arrow was used by MGM. I have a copy of Stan Getz 'Big Band Bossa Nova' with that symbol stamped in the deadwax and so far, in Discogs, there's no mention of it. Do you have any further details that you could provide, and/or any authoritative references? Thanks!

    BTW-you and I have quite similar tastes in music. I saw Mose Allison live twice. I was born in 1953...I'll bet we're close. ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Wayniack,

      Thanks for your note. You've got a few years on me (I was born in 1957) but if you are a Mose Allison fan, I suspect you're right that we have similar taste in music.

      As for the MGM arrow stamp. I wish I had a good answer for you. I have hundreds of Verve pressings from the 50s and 60s. However, only a handful have the arrow stamp.

      I did a quick search of my collection database for MGM stamps, and here's what I found (runout stamp/number of discs/year released):

      S 128 1954-70
      Anhk 8 1958-66
      Sailor's Cap 8 1958-66
      Arrow 5 1959-64
      Bowling Pin 1 1959
      1 or T 1 1962

      I have two original 1962 pressings of Stan Getz Big Band Bossa Nova, and neither has the arrow stamp. However, Discogs lists at least three pressings with an arrow stamp:

      https://www.discogs.com/release/1352810-Stan-Getz-Big-Band-Bossa-Nova
      https://www.discogs.com/release/20030857-Stan-Getz-Big-Band-Bossa-Nova
      https://www.discogs.com/release/21822454-Stan-Getz-Big-Band-Bossa-Nova

      It would be interesting to know if the different MGM stamps had any meaning other than just "pressed by MGM." Except for the stylized "S" stamp, all the other MGM stamps are pretty rare, so it's tempting to think that the "S" was more generic - like Capitol's Scranton anvil stamp -- while the other stamps might have had a more specific meaning - maybe indicating outside metal work or a specific masterer or plater?

      Regards, Tom

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    2. Hey...thanks, Tom! I greatly appreciate that you took the time. So what database do you use? I've been using Discogs which is very useful and mostly on point, but I'm kind of OCD and enforcing consistent, accurate and complete submissions seems to be impossible. So I probably get sucked into more rabbit holes than is necessary or a productive use of my time. LOL! At this point I've got so much invested in Discogs that even if you told me about another one that was far superior, it wouldn't make sense to switch. Just curious I guess. Thanks again!

      =^)> Wayne

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    3. Wayne,

      I've been using a program called OrangeCD for about 15 years. It's not actively supported any more, but at least for the moment still works fine. Even though it's called OrangeCD, it really shines for cataloging LPs. It's more labor intensive than just clicking on the "add to my collection" button on Discogs, but has a lot more flexibility and allows me to easily search for how many albums I have with MGM arrow stamps. Of course, that's assuming that I made a note in the LP entry that says it has an arrow stamp (speaking of OCD). :-)

      Tom

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  32. This post is an incredibly useful reference - thank you for putting the work in!

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    Replies
    1. Hi and thanks for your note. I'm glad that the list is useful for you. Considering all the pressing plants over the decades, I guess it's not surprising that I'm still finding new examples all the time.

      Regards, Tom

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  33. Hello Tom,
    I was wondering if you have ever heard about a program called "Audacity? I have four turntables. One old Yamaha I can't get parts for... at least not cheap anyway. Two Technics: a 120 and a 122. They're great for swapping parts, versatile too. The one I purchased almost 12 years ago was a Audio Technica 120 manual turntable. This one came with a USB port for your computer. For years now, I'm able to record my records and digitally save them into my computer. This was done with that program. I don't know if you know it or not, but "Audacity" is FREE. It's what you would call 'public-domain'. You can download the whole program for free. I've upgraded it several times in the last years. The program is 'sick'! If your record doesn't skip, you can filter all the hisses, pops, crackles you name it. It's actually a recording studio, if you will.

    Anyway, I was wondering why the record companies didn't try to put a stop to this, before it got started. After-all, it takes a chunk out of their 'bottom-line'.
    Have you ever heard anything about this? Or any other program like it coming under fire from the big record companies? ROB (aka: 'ferevervinyl')




    '

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Rob,

      I don't know much about the legality of ripping LPs. However, I suspect that as long as it's for personal use, nobody is going to get too upset. Audacity is a great program that I use from time to time to do A/B/C comparisons of different cartridges or different copies of the same LP. But I don't have any interest in ripping my LPs since I'd never listen to the digital files. As it is, I have a thousands of CDs that I haven't listened to in 20 years and a box full of free "digital download cards" that came with records I've bought and never bothered to download.

      Cheers, Tom

      Delete
  34. This may sound like a really odd question, but I've seen some things listed as "muffin top" and some listed as "pudding top." Can you please explain to me exactly what those terms mean? I'm new to this, so photos would be appreciated if you can find examples. Thank you so much for your blog post! I reference it almost every day as I'm going through my collection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your note. A pressing ring generally has a well-defined edge -- it's where the die (the part that holds the stamper in the record press) makes a ridge in the label. Often when there is a double ring, the outside ring will be a rounded hump where there is no actual edge -- it's the rounded edge of a larger die. Here's an example:

      https://www.discogs.com/release/13844304-Stephen-Stills-Manassas/image/SW1hZ2U6NDA5NTMyNDg=

      This is a Presswell Records pressing, with their normal 35/70mm double ring. The inner ring has a defined edge, while the outer ring is a rounded muffin top or pudding top hump.

      Hope that helps.

      Regards, Tom

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  35. I should bring up that in mm, Columbia's pressing rings would have been actually 68.5mm, not 69mm. I have one LP pressing from 1974 which ring measured 2.6953125" - which translates pretty much exactly to 68.5mm. (I can pinpoint in this way because I have measuring tools which divided into half mm's.)

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    1. W.B.

      Thanks for your note. Your expertise and professional experience are always most welcome. I've edited the text above to refer to your comment and to indicate that Columbia's ring is actually closer to 68.5mm.

      Regards, Tom

      Delete
  36. Hi Tom,
    I was checking RTI pressing rings. I measured 3 records:
    https://www.discogs.com/release/11002791-Stevie-Wonder-Hotter-Than-July
    29 mm, muffin top: 72 mm
    This has a deep groove (not too deep and wide) on one side, that is 30 mm on center.

    https://www.discogs.com/release/4676447-Man-Or-Astro-Man-Defcon-54321
    31.7 mm, muffin top: measured 72 and 73.8 mm (muffin tops aren't as exact they usually have rounded edges)

    https://www.discogs.com/release/4946970-Rush-Vapor-Trails-Remixed
    31.7 mm, couldn't find any muffin top!

    Note that the Rush and Man or Astro Man both have the same type of anti-static dust jacket, which I'm starting to believe is an RTI thing.

    All muffin tops measured at outer edge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The reason I started measuring these is that a recently purchased record looks like an RTI pressing, but I got different measurements: 33/73 mm
      This is it:
      https://www.discogs.com/release/22039648-Prince-Controversy

      Delete
    2. Thanks for your note.

      RTI has only ever had two pressing rings: a single 31.7mm ring, and a double 31.7/70mm ring. If the LP doesn't have one of those, then it wasn't pressed by RTI, even if it has an RTI matrix in the runout.

      By the way, I measure the inside of the muffin top, which is 70mm. Measuring the outer edge is a little less accurate because it's hard to say where it stops.

      To look at the examples you list:

      Stevie Wonder - Hotter Than July

      I measure the ring as 29/70mm. So it's not an RTI pressing. There are a number of plants that have a 29/70mm ring, but without other identifying marks, there is no way to know which it is. The 29mm is not a deep groove, it's just a little more pronounced. (With the exception of a few one-off historical replicas, there haven't been any deep groove pressings since the 1960s.)

      Man or Astro-Man?

      31.7/70mm ring. If it has an RTI matrix in the runout, then it's RTI. If it doesn't have a matrix number, then it could also be Rainbo.

      Rush - Vapor Trails

      31.7mm ring, RTI matrix. Pressed by RTI.

      Prince - Controversy

      33mm ring. Not pressed by RTI. Noiseland contracts out to different plants, often in Europe. There are a number of plants with a 33mm ring, so without other info, there is no way to tell who pressed.

      A good rule of thumb is that the pressing ring by itself usually can't tell you who pressed a record, but it can tell you who didn't press it.

      Hope this helps,
      Tom

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    3. Hi Tom, hope you can help me identify a symbol / letter on an album. This listing matches my runout (2nd one listed) except, instead of 2111 (at 6 o'clock), mine has 211. The symbol I am trying to figure out is 5 o'clock, directly opposite the master matrix number.

      https://www.discogs.com/release/7847770-Lucifer-Black-Mass

      Here is a picture of the symbol, which is only on Side B:


      https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/34qvivg5s8k2fexhsgbtl/20231119_112511.jpg?rlkey=98vuff3kk0zd1p5lv34hc1kba&dl=0

      I am trying to also determine where it was pressed. There is another listing that shows pressed at MCA Gloversville, citing a number 1 in the runout, but mine does not have a 1 as I've seen beforefor that pressing plant. The pressing ring is apx. an inch which puts it around 27mm which would fit an MCA pressing plant, which also fits since UNi was a division of MCA.

      If you have any thoughts on this, I would greatly appreciate it.

      Delete
  37. One thing I forgot to mention about my version is, one both sides A & B there is a p in a circle. One almost looks like an @ sign. From what I understand, this represents Patch Cord Graphic, the producer. This aligns with the Patch Cord graphic of a 1/4 audio plug with a long, squiggly cable on side B.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hello Tom,
    I've been collecting records since I was six years old. I bought my very first record (45) for a quarter at a flea market. Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen- "Hot Rod Lincoln". Still have it too. As I grew up, my tastes for music changed. For the last 40+ years, I've been a collector of rare Pink Floyd vinyl. For instance, to me, it's not enough having one pressing of "Meddle", but I want all of the pressings. The German pressing. The French pressing. The British pressing... hell, I even have an Israeli pressing. Between 45s and albums, I have over 200 Pink Floyd pressings. But, of all the Pink Floyd records out there, there's one I can not find... not even a picture of it!
    A 1968 Tower Records "stock" copy of a 45 rpm 7" record, "Tower #426". ("It Would Be So Nice / Julia Dream"). I've only ever seen the "promo" copy of this 45. Capital Records closed Tower in 1970, so this was "not" the last Pink Floyd 45 they manufactured. Also in 1968, Tower put out this 45 rpm record, #440 ("Let There Be More Light / Remember A Day"). Obviously a later pressing, but there is a "stock" copy you can see. Why are there no "stock" copies of #426... anywhere? Were they even pressed? "Pink Floyd Archives", Vernon Fitch thinks so. He has it listed, but no image. Although Mr. Fitch is very "approachable" (I've conversed with him numerous times), he could not afford an image to me. I wonder if this record even exists. Why would Tower only put out a promo copy? How would one go about getting an image of this illusive 45, let alone obtain a copy of it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your note. I don't have an explanation for why there appears to be no regular stock pressing of Tower Records 426. However, just in general, I assume that there must have been instances when a label produced a promo white label and then never did a stock run. Maybe the title bombed on the radio, or the label dropped the group, or the band pissed off one of the label execs, or there were copyright issue, or the entire run was defective. I'm not saying any of those things happened with Tower 426, but just imaging that it could happen. Otherwise, it's hard to believe there aren't at least a few copies floating about. Since you've been looking and haven't found any, it may well be that the stock record was never pressed. One of the many mysteries of vinyl!

      Regards, Tom

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  39. I have now found out that, despite the U.S. using the "imperial" system of measurements (inches, feet, etc.), record manufacturers, pressing plants and even label makers were, in terms of die-cutting labels, drilling holes onto the labels, even the make of the records themselves, using the metric system for their measurements.

    Thus, Columbia is indeed 68.5 mm in terms of their pressing ring, with a secondary ring of 68.75 mm.

    Many East Coast and some Midwest plants used 70.0 and 70.25 mm. On the West Coast (i.e. Monarch, Research Craft, Century, Waddell, Custom Record Mfg.) it was 73.0 and 73.25 mm.

    At one time or another, all of Capitol's plants used pressing rings of 38 mm, 38.25 mm and 38.5 mm. But in 1970, Winchester switched to 35 and 35.25 mm, then in 1981 to between 39.5 and 39.75 mm - which L.A. began using in 1971.

    RCA's post-1968 pressing rings were also in 0.25 mm increments - 25.5 mm, 25.75 mm and 26.0 mm.

    If you have other questions, I'm still looking into it. But the label center holes, depending on the pressing plant or printer, were drilled at either 7.25 mm or 7.5 mm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. W.B.

      Wow! Thanks for your note. As always, I appreciate your expertise in these matters.

      I always assumed that U.S. pressing plants used the imperial system. When I started compiling my list of pressing rings, I decided to use the metric system because millimeters seemed more precise and were easier to measure without using specialized equipment. But I always thought that my "mm" measurements were just a close approximation of the real imperial measure. For example, I thought that a 70mm ring was actually a 2.75" ring. Or that Columbia's 69mm ring (68.5) was really 2.7". I'm fascinated to learn that the original measurements were made using the metric system. How did you find that out?

      I have also noticed for some manufacturers' pressing rings vary slightly. As you mentioned, RCA rings are often not quite 26mm. I assumed that the die were the same, but there were just slight manufacturing variances depending on the the weight of the vinyl biscuit, the heat of the press, or differences in the manufacturer of the press. Do you think that's the reason, or were they actually using dies with slightly different sizes to hold the stampers?

      Regards, Tom

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    2. I stumbled on it by accident. I wondered why, on the Elvis label sheet I have, the drilled holes lined up a bit over 0.28125", then I checked the metric side and found out why - it was 7.25 mm (0.2854"). I have since double-checked every 45 and LP as I could in my collection to verify, and am still doing so, it's an arduous process. Pressing plants, since they had so many presses, it wouldn't be a surprise if it were the dies that had variances by ±0.25 mm in their specific measurements. (Even with the old deep grooves; one 1960 pressing of a Columbia Masterworks LP had 68.0 / 70.0 mm on one side, and 68.0 / 71.0 mm on the other. By the time the last "deep grooves" were pressed in Pitman in 1973, the measurements were 68.25 / 70.75 mm. Their rings by then varied from 68.5 to 68.75 mm.)

      The label sizes, too:
      ' 4" ' labels were usually (but not exclusively) die-cut varying from 101.5 mm (3.996") to 101.75 mm (4.016") and 102.0 mm (4.026").
      ' 3.625" ' labels, likewise at 92.0 mm (3.622"), 92.25 mm (3.632") and 92.5 mm (3.642").
      ' 3.5625" ' labels (used by Monarch and Allied) were 90.5 mm (3.563"); secondary die-cutting width/height 90.75 mm (3.573").
      ' 3.5" ' labels (on styrene 45's) at 89.0 mm (3.504"), 89.25 mm (3.514"), and 89.5 mm (3.524").
      And for 1968-86 Capitol singles (with the 360 serrations embossed), the ' 3.3125" ' label cuts were 84.0 mm (3.307"), 84.25 mm (3.317") and 84.5 mm (3.327").

      The main Allied LP pressing ring, by the mid-'80's, was 34.5 mm (1.358").

      On styrene records, the specs were thus:
      - Columbia: The rim edge of the label placement area, again from manufacturing variances, usually ranged between 90.0 mm (3.543"), 90.25 mm (3.553") and 90.5 mm (3.563"). (Also: Bestway, post-1973 Shelley.)
      - Monarch: Their rim edge was usually 92.5 mm (3.642").
      - PRC, Richmond, IN: 92.0 mm (3.622").
      - Allied: 91.5 mm (3.602")
      - Shelley, pre-1973: On 45's, an inner indent of 91.5 mm (3.602") or 91.75 mm (3.612") and outer of 94.5 mm (3.720"); on 7" 33⅓ RPM records, the outer is 95 mm (3.740"), while the inner begins to raise at 92.0 mm (3.622") and reaches the absolute top at 90.0 mm (3.543").

      It was most likely from the heat, though, that the center labels, when pressed onto the vinyl, shrunk by between 0.5 and 0.7 percent - or ~0.5 mm.

      The raised area on LP labels varied too, were predominantly (from the point of the raising of the level to its reaching the top point):
      - 101 mm to 99 mm
      - 101 mm to 99.5 mm
      - 101.5 mm to 99.5 mm
      - 101.5 mm to 100 mm
      - 102 mm to 100 mm
      - 102 mm to 100.5 mm

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    3. This is great information! Thanks so much for sharing your research here - it's a goldmine. I may have to rethink some of my findings based on your notes. And I'm definitely going to be remeasuring a bunch of my records as well. Please continue to share if you come up with more useful info.

      Many thanks, Tom

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  40. Here are a few:
    - Decca/MCA's small pressing rings, depending on which side and the variances in make of the pressing dies, were either 24.5mm or 24.75mm. They seem to date to when they relocated their Gloversville, NY pressing operations to a newer building in 1963.
    - Pressing rings as exemplified by Columbia especially, were usually 0.5mm more than the inner diameter of the "deep grooves." Their last "deep groove" issues in 1973, for example, had an inner diameter of 68.25mm and an outer of 70.75mm. Their rings were usually 68.75mm. Other copies had sides where the ring was 68.5mm - following after deep grooves where the diameter was 68.0mm on the inner side and between 70.0 and 71.0mm on the outer.
    - From the late 1920's to 1944, Victor's 78 RPM pressing rings were 69.5 to 69.75mm (again, depending on the side). This explains why the inner diameter of their deep grooves was 69.0 or 69.25mm - and the outer diameters ranged from 71.0mm to 72.0mm (all in increments of 0.25mm). (When they had the ring, up to 1945-46 or so their labels were usually 75.5mm - shrunk by about 0.6% from the heat in pressing the shellac.) I am on the verge of finding out the skinny on their smaller "deep grooves" that originated from 7" small hole releases, and were found on some sides of Rockaway, NJ LP pressings post-1969 and especially in the "Dynaflex" era.
    - On 7" vinyl small-hole product, Columbia in the 1960's had a 29.0mm diameter pressing ring. This was a byproduct, again, of the 78 RPM era (dating way back to the '20's) when the inner diameter of such "deep groove" was 28.5mm and outer ranged from 31.5 to 32.0mm. (In the 1940's, besides their 68.25 / 71.0-71.25mm deep groove, some 78 pressings had a secondary ring of 28.75mm.)

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  41. Thanks once again. Please keep it coming, because I don't think there is anyone else around who can do such precise measurements. I'm copying all this info into the individual files I keep on each label and pressing plant.

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  42. I highly recommend getting a Harfington clear ruler with metric measurements defined to 1/10 millimeter, as well as a jeweler's loupe to see up close (you can get both at Amazon - I did). I will get to the pressing measurements in a bit (or in a future post). However, I have been opened to the facts about the diameters of the die-cut center holes of center labels. The predominant ones, all varying within 0.1mm, range from 7.2mm to 7.5mm. From 1967 to 1972, it seemed each of Columbia's three plants had different sizes of said label holes:
    - Pitman's was 7.2mm (0.2835")
    - Terre Haute's was 7.3mm (0.2874")
    - Santa Maria's was 7.4mm (0.2913")
    After late 1972, it was standardized to 7.4mm at all their plants.

    RCA's plants also used 7.2mm holes for their labels.

    All seemed to have varied by 0.1mm. I've seen no evidence that such holes were varied by 0.25mm.

    And I double checked PRC Richmond. Their pressing ring variances were 0.25mm - but one side would be 69.75mm while the other was 70.0mm. A few other plants, like Keel, had 70.0 / 70.25mm. More later.

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    1. Thanks, W.B. This is great information. It would never have occurred to me that the center holes would vary - especially among the same label's plants. I never even though to check! I had noticed that pressing rings from the same plant vary slightly, but I haven't been able to measure them as precisely as you. I'm going to take your advice and order a Harfington ruler!

      Tom

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    2. I now have specifics as to four of the "major" ones - Columbia, RCA Victor, Decca/MCA, and Capitol.

      Columbia's deep grooves went back to 1931, and the last pressings with same (albeit by then on one side) were issued in 1973. The ranges were all thus:
      - 68.0mm / 70.0mm
      - 68.0mm / 70.25mm
      - 68.0mm / 70.5mm
      - 68.0mm / 70.75mm
      - 68.0mm / 71.0mm
      - 68.0mm / 71.25mm
      - 68.0mm / 71.5mm
      - 68.0mm / 71.75mm (?)

      - 68.25mm / 70.25mm (?)
      - 68.25mm / 70.5mm
      - 68.25mm / 70.75mm
      - 68.25mm / 71.0mm
      - 68.25mm / 71.25mm
      - 68.25mm / 71.5mm
      - 68.25mm / 71.75mm
      - 68.25mm / 72.0mm (the last on some 1946-47 78's)

      - 68.5mm / 71.0mm
      - 68.5mm / 71.25mm
      - 68.5mm / 71.5mm

      Their pressing rings, of course, were predominantly 68.5mm or 68.75mm, though very few had a measurement of 68.25mm and even fewer measured exactly 69.0mm. Many rings' measurements were in increments of 0.1mm (i.e. 68.6, 68.7).

      In the 1920's, and on some 1930's and '40's pressings, and even with a few small hole 7" vinyls, they had a smaller deep groove whose inner diameter was 28.5mm, but which outer diameter ranged from 31.0mm to 32.0mm in 0.25mm increments. I mentioned that a second, smaller ring on 1940's 78's measured 28.75mm, and through 1970 at their Pitman plant vinyl 7" small hole releases' ring was 29.0mm.
      - - -
      Now for the RCA set. First is the "big" deep grooves; then smaller ones:
      - 69.0mm / 71.0mm
      - 69.0mm / 71.25mm
      - 69.0mm / 71.5mm
      - 69.0mm / 71.75mm
      - 69.0mm / 72.0mm (?)

      - 69.25mm / 71.0mm
      - 69.25mm / 71.25mm
      - 69.25mm / 71.5mm
      - 69.25mm / 71.75mm
      - 69.25mm / 72.0mm

      - 69.5mm / 71.75mm
      - 69.5mm / 72.0mm

      Now for the smaller deep grooves (initially on 7" small holes, then starting 1969 on one side of some Rockaway LP pressings):
      - 24.75mm / 27.5mm

      - 25.0mm / 27.0mm
      - 25.0mm / 27.25mm
      - 25.0mm / 27.5mm
      - 25.0mm / 27.75mm
      - 25.0mm / 28.0mm

      - 25.25mm / 27.75mm

      - 25.5mm / 27.75mm
      - 25.5mm / 27.75mm

      Their small rings were predominantly 25.5mm and 25.75mm, though I saw some that were as little as 25.0mm or 25.25mm, and as much as 26.0mm.
      - - -
      Before 1963, Decca had deep grooves similar to those of RCA, but a bit different:
      - 69.25mm / 72.0mm
      - 69.25mm / 72.25mm

      - 69.5mm / 72.0mm
      - 69.5mm / 72.25mm
      - 69.5mm / 72.5mm

      (78 RPM pressing rings were on the order of 70.5mm.)

      Their smaller ring - usually 24.5mm but sometimes 24.75mm - began appearing on their LP pressings after their Gloversville, NY plant moved to a more modern facility in 1963. They were descended from a series of small "deep grooves" that were on 7" pressings, thus:
      - 24.75 / 26.0
      - 24.75 / 26.25

      - 25.0 / 26.0
      - 25.0 / 26.25 (?)
      - 25.0 / 26.5 (?)
      - 25.0 / 26.75 (?)
      - - -
      Capitol, from about 1954 onwards (on the eve of EMI acquiring them), had their pressing ring in increments of 0.25mm - 38.0mm, 38.25mm and 38.5mm - at all their plants. Including, at the onset in 1969, Winchester. It was in 1970 that that plant switched to a smaller ring ranging from 35.0mm to 35.25mm to 35.5mm. There was a borderline "deep groove" ranging from 37.25mm to 37.5mm on such pressings. It was there that we saw an up to 10mm ring on Side 1 and 13.5mm on Side 2. I have to look into more to confirm, but apparently in 1981-82 was when Winchester switched to what Los Angeles had had since 1971 (and also, their Mississauga, ON plant in Canada, throughout their pressing LP's between 1977 and its 1984 closure) - 39.5mm to 39.75mm. The smaller ring dimensions per side on those were same. There was also, on L.A. pressings of the '70's, a ring of about 99.0mm near the label edge. Jacksonville remained 38.0 - 38.5mm throughout. The 38.0mm ring was also on 45 molds to indicate how the singles were to be "dinked."
      - - -
      Now it'll take me much more time to unravel other pressing plants in this manner.

      In the 78 RPM era, Capitol's pressing ring at their Scranton plant was between 69.5 and 69.75mm.

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    3. Thanks, W.B. Over the years, I had noticed some of the slight variations you showed on the deep grooves and elsewhere, but had not able to document it or measure it as precisely as you have. However, I have now received my Harfington rulers (!) and will be able to be much more accurate going forward.

      Great stuff!!

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    4. I did some unofficial record hunting in the East Village of Manhattan today, and came across a 1976 Rusty Warren album on GNP Crescendo, pressed by Allied. Their pressing ring measurement variants were 72.5mm on one side and 72.5mm on the other. There was also an early Limeliters' album on Elektra where Side 1 had two rings - at 69.75mm and 18.75mm - and Side 2 just one, 70.0mm. Slowly but surely, I'll do my own tying up loose ends.

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    5. Er . . . I meant, on the Warren album, 72.5mm on one side, 72.75mm on the other.

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