Led Zeppelin II Vinyl - Which version is this?

Hi, the resurrection of the "RL Cut Led Zeppelin II" thread got me wondering what pressing I have. I also would like to know how it compares to the RL if it was in mint condition (which it isn't).

I wanted to avoid starting another thread, but I wasn't able to find the answer searching. Please feel free to point me to it if I have in fact missed it. Thanks in advance.

Here are the details of my copy that was acquired at a garage sale a few years back.


Side one:

On the label:

SD 19127 is in the top right corner
ST-A-691671-PR is just below the credits of Thank You

In the dead wax:

ST-A-691671-J
AT
(PR)
W

Side two:

On the label:

SD 19127 is in the top right corner
ST-A-691672-PR is just below the credits of Bring It On Home

In the dead wax:

ST-A-691672 W
ATGP (not sure if its a 'G') no true spaces between these letters
(PR)


ps- gorts, feel free to delete this thread if it proves redundant

edit: also feel free to edit the title to say pressing instead of version

 

The "@t gp" on the dead wax means that that side was mastered by George Piros, a great mastering engineer. As a result, your Side 2 should sound pretty good.

Unfortunately, compared to the other "usual suspects" for the best sounding pressings of this title, your US Atlantic reissue (as it is at the very best a 3rd pressing, and probably 5th pressing) will sound noticeably inferior.

At least two full classes ahead of your copy will be the Japanese Pioneer pressings, Canadian original, German 2nd pressing, German original and the UK plum/red original. At least two and one-half classes ahead would be the very first UK plum/red (with the miscredits, etc.), the Japanese original blue/white/green Nippon Gramophone, and the Mo-Fi pressings.

At least three full classes ahead would be the double-RL US originals. At least 3 1/2 classes ahead would be the double-RL (with small "ss" after the thin "RL"), 1A 1A matrix US original with the cat. no. ending with "CTH" and pressed by Columbia. Please note that this particular pressing sounds even better than a white label promo, which sounds the same as any other early double-RL, double-ss US original.

To describe the sound difference between the best pressing and your pressing, I would have to compare it to listening to a boombox vs. a well set-up $10,000 audio system.

 

Thank you Sung for the detailed answer!

 

You are welcome! May you find a nice double-RL pressing for cheap!

 

Consider the search started!

 

The pressing is obviously post-late 1970's (SD 8236 was the original catalogue number), made by Presswell.

 

Hey Sung (and others),

I've seen y'all reference this dead wax signature before:


@t gp


But what I see much more often (on Atlantic pressings) is something that looks like:


AT@P


Are those Piros cuts?

 

I would guess that @ is probably a "g" but I could be wrong.

Sorry, I can't be of more help.

 

Well thats how they look on many of mine - the 'G' kind of a curly que. Find a Crosby Stills & Nash (self titled debut) cut by Piros. You'll be in for a treat.

 

I've got a rather mysterious early pressing of LZ II.

In the dead wax:

Side 1:
ST-A691671-1 CTH (no intials)

Side 2:
ST-A691672-1A CTH (no initials)

On the label:

Side 1:
ST-A-691671 CP

Side 2:
ST-A-691672 CP

Can anybody shed some light on this one?

 

Columbia TH pressing but NOT "RL" that's about it.

 

Pressed at Columbia's Terre Haute, IN plant.

 

Thanks for the info, everybody. Quick question...why no mastering engineer's initials?

 

It's not a requirement. If you gathered all LPs ever made very few (probably less than 5%) LPs actually have cutting signatures (initials of the cutting person/engineer).

 

Just got myself a copy of the "CP"/"CTH" pressing (with "Manufactured in Canada" printed below the "ATLANTIC" lettering on the label). It unfortunately sounds overdriven/compressed (it doesn't "pump", but it gets distorted every time the band gets loud)... a far cry from the red-label Canadian edition I found a friend, a few years back. Of course, maybe I should clean the LP... as I just put my "Superstars of the '70s" set to compare "Whole Lotta Love", I know it sure ain't the stylus causing the problem.