Particularly Disappointing Quality

[Wntrmute2]

Just want to vent. I bought 4 Jason Isbell albums recently for a total of 7 slabs of vinyl. ALL have either needed flattening and one, Something More Than Free, has a ripple all the way coast to coast on all 4 sides and so is going back to Amazon. These have come from a variety of suppliers. Buying new vinyl is disappointing at best these days. I use my Vinyl Flat with decent results most of the time but who wants to flatten every new purchase?

 

[MrEd]

Very disappointing.

 

[Rudy]

I've had surprisingly good luck with Amazon over the past couple of years. I've had records from Craft Recordings, Blue Note, and a handful of others, and they've been double-boxed and at worst, might have had a very small "dish" warp. I've had a few third party seller purchases, but they have all been from existing large-scale dealers who themselves know how to pack records.

When they first started selling vinyl though, they had no idea what they were selling. It was not uncommon to find an LP dropped into a flat box which it would fit on the diagonal, with an other heavy item or two dumped in. I did my share of returns back then. I also had some come from Amazon in Europe and not only did I get the poorly packed records, DHL proceeded to shred the box en route. That is, when DHL even delivered--I had my share of packages from the EU in DHL's hands that arrived either a month after ordering, or never show up at all.

Heat is the #2 reason I ask all carriers to deliver to the side door--it is shaded, whereas during the month or so of summer sunlight that hits the north side of the house, it can get awfully roasty out there.

 

[RoadDawgWest]

I've had surprisingly good luck with Amazon over the past couple of years. I've had records from Craft Recordings, Blue Note, and a handful of others, and they've been double-boxed and at worst, might have had a very small "dish" warp. I've had a few third party seller purchases, but they have all been from existing large-scale dealers who themselves know how to pack records.

When they first started selling vinyl though, they had no idea what they were selling. It was not uncommon to find an LP dropped into a flat box which it would fit on the diagonal, with an other heavy item or two dumped in. I did my share of returns back then. I also had some come from Amazon in Europe and not only did I get the poorly packed records, DHL proceeded to shred the box en route. That is, when DHL even delivered--I had my share of packages from the EU in DHL's hands that arrived either a month after ordering, or never show up at all.

Heat is the #2 reason I ask all carriers to deliver to the side door--it is shaded, whereas during the month or so of summer sunlight that hits the north side of the house, it can get awfully roasty out there.

Been there.
Even asked if Amazon would like to have a conference call back in those days with the shipping department.
I even wrote up a packing description with photos for the Amazon Customer Support team. I still will not purchase box sets.

I'll refrain about the shipping challenges with Blue Note Distribution.

 

[JohnVF]

I went through a bout of bad pressings about 10 years ago and then decided to, whenever possible, buy in person. I have the luxury of a very well curated small independent record store within walking distance (and just far enough away to have to be a purposeful walk)... and they either have what I want or can order it. I like giving them business. And the one time I had a bad pressing I just took it back and they got me another.

But I hear ya. When I had that string of bad luck, I was about to swear off new pressings. For whatever reason, things got better (though I also tended to buy more jazz in the time since... the pressings were much better than the rock and indie releases I was buying before).

 

[RoadDawgWest]

Just want to vent. I bought 4 Jason Isbell albums recently for a total of 7 slabs of vinyl. ALL have either needed flattening and one, Something More Than Free, has a ripple all the way coast to coast on all 4 sides and so is going back to Amazon. These have come from a variety of suppliers. Buying new vinyl is disappointing at best these days. I use my Vinyl Flat with decent results most of the time but who wants to flatten every new purchase?

Do you think its the sellers, shippers or the manufacturing?
I've seen Amazon boxes in the front window of the deliver trucks. Always hope that vinyl records are not in those boxes.

 

[Rudy]

I'll refrain about the shipping challenges with Blue Note Distribution.

You mean these fine folks?



Look up Artist Endeavor in Ferndale MI. They are the fulfillment company Blue Note used for the orders I placed. (Looked up the address given in the bluenote.com email.) Took a month, to the day, for my order to ship (and this was after refunding it--I posted it elsewhere here). The real irony being that they are probably 15-20 minutes from my house, depending on traffic.

 

[JohnVF]

You mean these fine folks?

View attachment 76151

Look up Artist Endeavor in Ferndale MI. They are the fulfillment company Blue Note used for the orders I placed. (Looked up the address given in the bluenote.com email.) Took a month, to the day, for my order to ship (and this was after refunding it--I posted it elsewhere here). The real irony being that they are probably 15-20 minutes from my house, depending on traffic.

That looks like the area that Vintage King (pro audio go-to place for pricey esoteric old recording gear) used to be in (they've since left Ferndale). They were on Hilton somewhere between 8 and 9 mile.

 

[Wntrmute2]

The packing was fine. No possibility of heat damage at our end. I think it is poor quality from the plant. As many have commented, the 180-200g pressings seem worse.

 

[MikeT.]

As many have commented, the 180-200g pressings seem worse

When purchasing an “older”, umm, a my era album, I will look for a near-mint original album or older reissue copy. Some newer heavy vinyl pressings seem to be marketed under 180g alone instead of focusing on producing a quality pressing.

 

[Sean.m.miller1]

Bummer. I usually have pretty high regard for Jason Isbell recordings. Weathervanes seemed like it had some weird screwy spots on it though... not sure what to chalk it up to. That album he put out on his label with all the songs about Georgia (Georgia Blue?) sounds particularly good.

Wavy is the worst.

 

[Rudy]

Several years ago, I had a few warped 180g LPs. Over the past few years, though, I can't think of a single one that has been warped. 🤷‍♂

Now, the RCA sound sheet Dynaflex LP I bought sealed online (part of filler for another order)...yeeesh! 🤣

The packing was fine. No possibility of heat damage at our end. I think it is poor quality from the plant.

I would be inclined to agree. For every QRP and RTI, there is a hack like GZ Media or....I was going to say Rainbo but I think they've fallen by the wayside. GZ is the only pressing plant I've received pre-scratched and -scuffed records. Beautiful sounding pressing, but I did not ask for the bowl of popcorn on the side.

I saw today that MoFi now has its own pressing plant. I wonder how long it will be before they get all the kinks worked out.

 

[Sonance'84]

The packing was fine. No possibility of heat damage at our end. I think it is poor quality from the plant.

I also suspect the different plants and their handling & storage procedures. I opened and cleaned about 10 double and triple disc albums, finding many of them "dished", some worse than others. Six were from the same record label and pressed at the same plant, those were the worst. I'm noticing more and more split seams lately as well.

And like you said, no possibility of heat damage on my end either, packing intact. It's definitely put a damper on buying any new LP's for me recently. I've had good results buying from Diggers Factory and Turntable Lab though.

 

[Wntrmute2]

Amazon delivered another copy. This time it was shipped loose in a large box with no padding. At least the other copy was in a record box within a large box and a piece of paper wadding. The new copy is a bit better than the prior copy with the wiggles all the way through one record but still not great. I hope Jeff can deliver astronauts better than he delivers records.

 

[Billet]

Can you order albums like these from Barnes & Noble? Either pick up at store or ship to home...

 

[Olson_jr]

Records, 50s technology, updated to mid-seventies quality.

I gave that shit up many years ago. \\

 

[Wntrmute2]

Can you order albums like these from Barnes & Noble? Either pick up at store or ship to home...

I'm convinced the problem is at the manufacturer. But I could try that.
Books are 1,400 technology - never updated.

 

[JohnVF]

Records, 50s technology, updated to mid-seventies quality.

You say that like it’s a bad thing.

 

[JohnVF]

Given that they all have an artist and I’m assuming label in common this has to be a pressing plant issue? They’re not all equally good. Here’s a short Reddit thread where a few others complain about his pressings. I’m not familiar with him.

 

[Rudy]

That looks like the area that Vintage King (pro audio go-to place for pricey esoteric old recording gear) used to be in (they've since left Ferndale). They were on Hilton somewhere between 8 and 9 mile.

Not too far away. Gainsboro backs up to the same rail that passes through downtown Royal Oak.