RL Led Zeppelin II Question

I believe I found a copy; however, I need verification. In the dead wax, there is a large S, and within each opening there is the letter R and the letter L. I take it this means Sterling. Is this the Holy Grail? Thanks.

 

Should be one of them.

I'll take a look at a few of mine and see how the stamps are arranged in the deadwax.

 

Thanks much. Not bad for a mint copy, $10. I also picked up the RL Houses of the Holy; however, I must admit that the Classic Records version sounds a bit better to these ears. Is it possible that this is simply a less than audiophile recording--and I'm being polite.

 

there should be two s's (for serling sound) and the run-out groove area on side two should be much narrower than on side one.

later, chris

 

Hmmm...Are you sure the L isn't actually a C? If what you are describing looks like the design in my avatar's helmet, then it has nothing to do with the mastering. It just means that your copy was pressed by Specialty Records Corp. in Olyphant, PA. Unless of course, I'm misunderstanding your description.

 

My copy has RL scratched by hand, rather deeply, followed by SS with a much lighter touch, and like Chris said, the runnout on side two is narrower than side one.

 

The RL will be quite clearly written in the wax, not part of an S or inside any other letters.

 

or it could have a LMNOP (ok not really) but the RL 's I have seen just had RL and nothing more.

 

Here is the shot I could get on my copy...

 

Those are Robert Ludwig's initials.

 

Copy #1-(Monarch)

Side 1-ST-A-691671-MO-BB LW-A13933 AT RL ss W

Side 2: ST-A-691672-MO-CC LW RL ss A13933-X AT

Copy #2(Monarch)-Identical to copy #1 on both sides.

Copy #3-Presswell(PR)
Side 1-ST-A-691671-A WLP w AT RL

Side 2-ST-A-691672-A WLP AT RL ss w(*very narrow deadwax*)

 

No - thats a later 1970's Specialty pressing. If you look closely you'll see the 'L' is actually a 'C'. Its probably cut by George Piros. Look for 'AT@GP' in cursive in the dead wax. Most all the GP's I've listened too are very nice sounding, just not quite up to the original RL.

 

Yeah, hang on to your @TGP! I've got one and I love it. I'm still on the lookout for an RL just to see what the fuss is about, but I'd never give up my Piros cut.

 

With the help of a forum member, I found one! My question is that side 2 dead wax is narrower than side 1, but not *much* narrower. My matrix numbers are:

ST-A-691671-B LW AT RL SS W
ST-A-691772-C LW RL SS W AT

Any thoughts on this pressing?

 

These are what you're looking for:

 

Hi,
I got lucky and found a cheap German 1972 pressing with RL on side 1.

This one (credit to who wrote this, I copied the text and can't find the link again):
"There is a later RL-on-one-side-only GERMAN pressing, which looks basically identical to the original RL German pressing described immediately above, but which differs in the label and the cat. no. on the front of the cover. Everything is basically the same, except that the label has a "ATL 40 037" at the bottom of the label and the front bottom left corner of the laminated, G/F cover (right above the SD 8236 cat. no.). Also, the bottom of the label looks similar to a TRACK or POLYDOR label of the early 70's with "33" inside a triangle. These were made in or around 1972, as indicated by the publishing credit inside the G/F cover."

Does this mean that only side 1 was cut by Ludwig?

Thanks

 

Did RL also do the UK version? If so, is K 40037 the correct catalog number? It has K 40037-A1 / K 40037-B3 in the deadwax.

 

Side one only - yes. Good score!

 

RL did not do any UK version of LZII, sorry.

 

Thanks. I had bid on some RL pressings but gave up due to the price. Thought I would just get a nm 70's pressing and was very happy to see RL in the run-out groove. The seller had only listed it as a German pressing, no mention of the RL. Sounds really good.

 

Oh, great. You just dashed my hopes. Now you owe me a RL copy to soothe my aching soul.

 

After I die (52 and don't take care of myself :laugh):...you can buy mine from my son, forum member Chrys. He'll be fair.

 

My wife will be selling mine when I pass away. She has been carefully instructed to sell off my collection here.

 

I've had some German copies as well as owning an original USA double RL.
The thing I noticed immediately was that there was some kind of reverb/echo added to side 2, which isn't on the USA RL. That spoilt it for me. I didn't care for it at all. But it's a good way of getting a decent Side 1.

In contrast, I believe that a 1 sided USA pressing means RL cut both sides.

 

I told my record dealer friend about these and now he sees them all the time. I think he had 3-4 in the last 10k plus record collection. I found one of them while going through the boxes with him. None have been better than VG though, if he ever does find a really nice copy I want to do a 24 bit 96khz needledrop of it before he sells it. I am not a fan enough to want something like that and I would always be tempted to sell it to buy more cheaper records on my want list that I am more likely to listen to. Same goes for Beatles Butcher cover, he has had 3 this year, and just got his third the other day. Some of these things just aren't as rare as people think.