60S King Label Question

[Weingarden]

I've got two copies of the excellent Little Willie John single "Don't Play With Love." Both have a slightly raised lip on the outer edge of the vinyl, unlike my other King singles from the same period. Why? I know they're not bootlegs. Are they official second pressings or something? Based on where I found them, I think they're indisputably from the 60s and very possibly original first pressings. But why the suspicious lip? (Which, mind you, isn't nearly as dicey-looking as the lip on the Specialty label reissues....) Anyone know anything?

[Soul-slider]

I've got two copies of the excellent Little Willie John single "Don't Play With Love." Both have a slightly raised lip on the outer edge of the vinyl, unlike my other King singles from the same period. Why? I know they're not bootlegs. Are they official second pressings or something? Based on where I found them, I think they're indisputably from the 60s and very possibly original first pressings. But why the suspicious lip? (Which, mind you, isn't nearly as dicey-looking as the lip on the Specialty label reissues....) Anyone know anything?

...I'm with you on this one mate, there's one or two in my collection that I thought looked like 'newer' vinyl with the raised lip (the 'Premiers' is one off the top of my head) and like yourself, bought as original 60's records. I wondered if there's a glut of 'King' 45's made more recently????

[Weingarden]

...I'm with you on this one mate, there's one or two in my collection that I thought looked like 'newer' vinyl with the raised lip (the 'Premiers' is one off the top of my head) and like yourself, bought as original 60's records. I wondered if there's a glut of 'King' 45's made more recently????

Hmmm. Oh, and the labels on these don't look new; they look identical to other labels from the period. It's just the vinyl...which doesn't look "new," really, just different from other 1963 Kings I've seen.

[Sebastian]

Hmmm. Oh, and the labels on these don't look new; they look identical to other labels from the period. It's just the vinyl...which doesn't look "new," really, just different from other 1963 Kings I've seen.

I agree, those "raised lip" King/Federal 45s are strange ones. I have no idea which pressing plant they were made at, but they are definitely original 60s pressings. I've got a whole stack of non-indemand King/Federal stuff with "raised lip" edge that wouldn't be worth bootlegging (alternatively were bought long before they were indemand), i.e. most of the King Pins 45s, most of the Johnny Guitar Watson 45s, plus many others by Expressions, James Duncan, Freddy King, Bobby King, Tab Smith, Moon Mullican, Lee Shot Williams, Tiny Topsy etc.

[Kev Connellan]

I too have some King/Federal stuff with the lip, that were bought from what I consider to be reliable sources.

[George G]

The 'rasied lip' King records are original 60s pressings. I have several King custom pressed records that have this same characteristic. King had in house pressing capabilities that ended after the sale to Starday in 1969. My theory is that one of King's record pressing machines had this raised lip feature. I don't for how long but based on the dates of the custom pressings they would be from 1966-7. I don't know if King reverted to a more conventional pressing or that was the style until 1969. Earlier King customs (pre 1966-ish) don't have this lip.

I am 100% sure about the authenticity of these, as some of the custom pressed records were country and garage records that I have verified from the artists that there was one pressing done back in the day (1966).

Because of high sales for certain hit records King would sometimes have records pressed out of house to meet demand. One of the outside places was Rite. You can tell a Rite pressed King 45 by the depressed area at the inner radius that starts at the center hole and extends out about 1.25-1.5 cm. Just like a Rite custom press.

Sorry I can't be more specific about the dates, I would have to go through the dozens of King customs I have and catalog when the pressings changed.

- George

[Weingarden]

Great info, guys!! Thanks!