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Nashville Matrix?

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Hi,

We can see sometime a Nashville Matrix stamp on the run-out/dead wax.

Are they a mastering company or pressing company?

I know there are customers' numbers on the run-out/dead wax together with the Nashville Matrix stamp, such as 10 for American Records Pressing (ARP), 5 for Southern Plastic Co. (SO), etc., so I guess the Nashville Matrix must be a mastering company and they were giving pressing contracts to various pressing companies.

I tried to search the articles (including their history, actual company name, etc.) of the Nashville Matrix on the internet but could not find.

Appreciate if anybody here can tell me what the Nashville matrix actually is.

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  • Alan T
    Alan T

    Andy, they can be accessed and downloaded online. I have over 1100 as pdf (searchable) on my computer. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/  

  • Guest
    Guest

    The regular Nashville Matrix flow is: 1. Nashiville Matrix would receive an acetate from the client. 2. They would then make the metal parts required to press up a vinyl recor

  • Sebastian
    Sebastian

    While I'm at it... ARCHER (in Detroit):

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Has anyone ever seen a stamp where the last word is readable? - Always seems to fade out after "Nashville Ma..." - I once read that the word was actually "Nashville Mains", although I don't know if there was anything in that.

Cheers

Mick

Has anyone ever seen a stamp where the last word is readable? - Always seems to fade out after "Nashville Ma..." - I once read that the word was actually "Nashville Mains", although I don't know if there was anything in that.

Cheers

Mick

hi mick

i have seen a good example on the garry haines .......... keep on going. these are scratcheded into the mother plate and pressed in to the vinyl not individually scratched in. mains in a script form

Strictly speaking they were neither a mastering company or a pressing operation. They manufactured the largely metal parts which took a master to a stamper.

It helps to think of mastering (producing the definitive finally mixed and balanced version of a recording and producing a master lacquer) as something which typically takes place in a studio and plating to a stamper as something which takes place in a lab. In mastering a trained sound engineer will operate the cutting lathe and can adjust a number of factors to affect what's on the tape. The staff at the next stages have virtually no artistic impact on the sound of the finished record.

  • Author

Strictly speaking they were neither a mastering company or a pressing operation. They manufactured the largely metal parts which took a master to a stamper.

It helps to think of mastering (producing the definitive finally mixed and balanced version of a recording and producing a master lacquer) as something which typically takes place in a studio and plating to a stamper as something which takes place in a lab. In mastering a trained sound engineer will operate the cutting lathe and can adjust a number of factors to affect what's on the tape. The staff at the next stages have virtually no artistic impact on the sound of the finished record.

Thank you for your posting. It is interesting to me. So, they are NOT a mastering or pressing company. But, if they are a metal manufacturing company, then can we call them as a pressing company? Sorry to say but I am not sure about it.

Do you know what their actual company name is? Is it Nashville Matrix company?

And which company scratches the client's number on the run-out/dead wax, are they scratched by them too?

We know they weren't a pressing company because you see records with their stamp from several different pressing plants from a large geographical area. Each one of those plants had a unique numerical code which was their client number in the Nashville ordering system. Certain big independent labels (Motown being probably the biggest) had a customer number in their own right too, so you'll typically see the Nashville stamp, a numerical code and then the master number which would have been scratched or stamped on the lacquer by the cutting engineer.

  • Author

Sort of related, bit here about Southern Plastics/United and a cool video as well.

https://www.urpressing.com/history.php

Thank you for your posting. i think I have read that article before (because I still remember the Motown Suite), but I didn't realize the URP is the company who stamps the Nashville Matrix.

So, the Nashville Matrix was stamped by the URP (changed from the name of Southern Plastics in 1971) which is their real company name.

It sorted all my questions.

Again, thank you for your posting.

  • Author

We know they weren't a pressing company because you see records with their stamp from several different pressing plants from a large geographical area. Each one of those plants had a unique numerical code which was their client number in the Nashville ordering system. Certain big independent labels (Motown being probably the biggest) had a customer number in their own right too, so you'll typically see the Nashville stamp, a numerical code and then the master number which would have been scratched or stamped on the lacquer by the cutting engineer.

Thank you for your posting again.

Now I understood that those numbers (client code and master (matrix) number) were done by them during the process by the cutting engineer.

  • Author

I am still investigating on the Nashville Matrix.

Some records show a Nashville Matrix stamp and also an ARP (American Record Pressing) stamp on the deadwax. Or, show a Nashville Matrix stamp and a RCA's matrix number on the deadwax.

In those cases, which one originally pressed the record?

For example, in the article of the URP kindly posted above by chalky, it is stated that the URP is the one who pressed the Beatles' first single in the US for Vee Jay records but there is another story that the ARP is the one who pressed their first single in the US for Vee Jay. See the like below.

https://www.sdl.lib.mi.us/history/ARP.html

I do not have the beatles single but guess that the single has both a Nashville Matrix stamp and an ARP stamp on the deadwax as same as the other records I stated above. In the ARP article, it is also stated that about 80% of their business was for Motown, and the URP's big clients are Vee Jay and Motown stated in their article. I am confusing which pressing company actually received orders from Motown and why there are both Nashville Matrix and ARP stamps on the same deadwax?

Anybody can help me?

Some records show a Nashville Matrix stamp and also an ARP (American Record Pressing) stamp on the deadwax. Or, show a Nashville Matrix stamp and a RCA's matrix number on the deadwax.

The regular Nashville Matrix flow is:

1. Nashiville Matrix would receive an acetate from the client.

2. They would then make the metal parts required to press up a vinyl record -i.e. create mother discs from the acetate and subsequent stampers.

3. They would add their 'Nashville Matrix' italic name - they did not press up the actual records.

4. The stampers would then be sent to the record maufacturer, who would then press up the vinyl.

5. As the stampers wear out the stamped in matrix names become shallower and start to become unreadable - 'Audio Matrix' is nearly always faded due to worn stampers or the intital name not being stamped in deep enough.

Nashville Matrix made the stamper...ARP used the stampers adding their own identity as well seems to be the logical flow.

*************

As for the Nashville Matrix and RCA matrix number...would mean Nashville Matrix supplied the stampers to RCA to manufacture from. The bit I'm not 100% sure on is at what stage the RCA code was stamped in...was it added to the fragile stamper after they received it and before it was put to use, or was it stamped into the freshly pressed disc before it cooled? (if RCA had manufactured/pressed it themselves it would also have a stamped in 'R', 'I' OR 'H', to indicate an RCA factory where it would have been manufactred...if its got that and a Nashville Matrix I'd be surprised!)

*************

Here's a side-track to ponder:

I have an ARP vinyl test press in front of me with machine stamped ARP and RCA code - the code begins UR4M.

U = the year 1967

R = 12" 33 1/3 (odd considering it is a 7" at 45 rpm - maybe that was the size/speed of the acetate - anyone know?!)

4 = RCA re-recorded it from the customers tape/acetate, and RCA would then cut an acetate/lacquer.

M = mono recording

...and as the 4 falls after the letter 'R' it means it was mastered between July and December sometime.

as there are no markings to indicate it was manufactured by an RCA pressing plant (an 'R' and 'I' or an 'H' stamped into the deadwax), then it looks like the flow was that the RCA manufactured lacetate/lacquer >>> sent to ARP >>> who then pressed up the records. All makes sense...apart from the letter R is the code denoting the speed/size in this case!!

*****************

Hope that helps...feel free to PM me if you want to know more...and then you can help me try to figure out the Japanese machine matrix markings!

:dash2:

Edited by Flynny

That sounds like a track from an LP subsequently released as a single Dave. The master designation would still be the same as its original incarnation, unless it was remixed and then remastered.

  • Author

The regular Nashville Matrix flow is:

1. Nashiville Matrix would receive an acetate from the client.

2. They would then make the metal parts required to press up a vinyl record -i.e. create mother discs from the acetate and subsequent stampers.

3. They would add their 'Nashville Matrix' italic name - they did not press up the actual records.

4. The stampers would then be sent to the record maufacturer, who would then press up the vinyl.

5. As the stampers wear out the stamped in matrix names become shallower and start to become unreadable - 'Audio Matrix' is nearly always faded due to worn stampers or the intital name not being stamped in deep enough.

Nashville Matrix made the stamper...ARP used the stampers adding their own identity as well seems to be the logical flow.

*************

As for the Nashville Matrix and RCA matrix number...would mean Nashville Matrix supplied the stampers to RCA to manufacture from. The bit I'm not 100% sure on is at what stage the RCA code was stamped in...was it added to the fragile stamper after they received it and before it was put to use, or was it stamped into the freshly pressed disc before it cooled? (if RCA had manufactured/pressed it themselves it would also have a stamped in 'R', 'I' OR 'H', to indicate an RCA factory where it would have been manufactred...if its got that and a Nashville Matrix I'd be surprised!)

*************

Here's a side-track to ponder:

I have an ARP vinyl test press in front of me with machine stamped ARP and RCA code - the code begins UR4M.

U = the year 1967

R = 12" 33 1/3 (odd considering it is a 7" at 45 rpm - maybe that was the size/speed of the acetate - anyone know?!)

4 = RCA re-recorded it from the customers tape/acetate, and RCA would then cut an acetate/lacquer.

M = mono recording

...and as the 4 falls after the letter 'R' it means it was mastered between July and December sometime.

as there are no markings to indicate it was manufactured by an RCA pressing plant (an 'R' and 'I' or an 'H' stamped into the deadwax), then it looks like the flow was that the RCA manufactured lacetate/lacquer >>> sent to ARP >>> who then pressed up the records. All makes sense...apart from the letter R is the code denoting the speed/size in this case!!

*****************

Hope that helps...feel free to PM me if you want to know more...and then you can help me try to figure out the Japanese machine matrix markings!

:dash2:

Thank you for posting, Flanny.

So in case of the Beatles' first single in the US, did the URP receive an acetate from ARP or Vee Jay and made a mother disc with their Nashville matrix stamp and sent the mother disc to ARP in order for them to press the record, and then ARP stamped their ARP stamp on it during the process of pressing the records?

I have already known how to read the RCA matrix numbers but again thank you for your posting.

Unfortunately, I have not yet started my investigating on the Japanese machine markings. :)

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Hi Flynny,

Thank you for your info. But it makes me confused because the article posted by chalky states that they were originally called as Southern Plastics and then changed their name to United Records Press, LLC (URP) in 1971.

And the URP was a metal parts manufacturing company and the acetate you introduced is coated by vinyl on the metal disk that means I think that they were NOT only a metal parts manufacturing company but also a pressing company.

I am really confused....

I asked George who owns NRP what he knew of Nashville Matrix, he said

Nashville Phono Matrix Was A Plating Company Only Got My Start In The Biz There In 1966. They Did Plates For Southern Plastics, Archer And Many Others.

When United Was Formed In 1972 They Started There Own Plating Shop.

On the same street (Chestnut) as URP is a plating and polishing company called Matrix Of Nashville, coincidence? Might be worth looking them up and dropping them an email.

  • Author

Hi chalky,

Thank you so much for getting touch with George of the NRP to clarify

As you recommended, it is better for me to send them an email if I have further questions on the URP or NRP.

At last it seems we're getting closer to finally finding out exactly who used the infamous matrix stamp!

This is the address and phone number of Matrix of Nashville....

Matrix Of Nashville

457 Chestnut St

Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4846

(615) 259-3149

Ok, so we have:

453 Chestnut St. = URP

457 Chestnut St. = Matrix Of Nashville

469 Chestnut St. = NRP

My love for Google maps made me go dig this up:

URP

post-1392-0-05846600-1351672608_thumb.jp

NRP

post-1392-0-21015900-1351672615_thumb.jp

That URP building is BEAUTIFUL! :thumbsup:

Can't find anything at "457 Chestnut St", it should be right next to URP but there's just a parking lot. URP is a big building though.

Edited by Sebastian

The Matrix of Nashville, plating and polishing company might no longer be in existence Seb, I didn't follow e google search up as dont have the time. They could be old searches or entries etc.

The Matrix of Nashville, plating and polishing company MIT no longer be in existence

Probably.

I have no idea really, it's just guesswork. But I enjoy looking up things like these on Google Maps. :)

Just had a butchers, supposed to be opposite URP. Can't see what the name is of the factory next to the vacant lot on the iPad either.

I have emailed URP to see what light they can shed on this.

Just had a butchers, supposed to be opposite URP. Can't see what the name is of the factory next to the vacant lot on the iPad either.

Can't be a coincident that there's a (seemingly abandoned) trailer truck with "Citiplate" printed on it parked on the vacant lot opposite URP then!

post-1392-0-71886000-1351685630_thumb.jp

Edited by Sebastian

post-1392-0-05846600-1351672608_thumb.jp

That URP building is BEAUTIFUL! :thumbsup:

Loving it here too...fabulous vintage sign! :thumbup:

Can't be a coincident that there's a (seemingly abandoned) trailer truck with "Citiplate" printed on it parked on the vacant lot opposite URP then!

It is probably safe to say that the company that made the Nashville Matrix metal blanks was Matrix of Nashville and it was a small plating company opposite URP. I've done loads of searches and nothing else shows up. Just waiting for a couple of replies to emails as well which might confirm or throw something else up.

  • Author

Thank you, guys. I am really interesting to see your postings and hope chalky can get more interesting info from them.

By the way, in my investigating on Nashville Matrix stamped 45s, I found a "Music City" stamp on the deadwax of the following 45s.

(Reginald 1403) Virgil Griffin : Matrix # NRC654A, Nashville Matrix Customer #7

(Stone 110) Flinstones: Matrix #110-1, Nashville Matrix Customer #25

(Mor. Soul 001/002) James Chapman: Matrix #N/A, Nashville Matrix Customer #75

(Diamond Jim 8787) E.J. & The Echoes: Matrix #DR-8787, Customer #95

I think that people call Nashville as the "Music City" but no confidence. Does Anyone know if this "Music City" is also one of pressing company in Nashville?

Not about Nashville Matrix but a related subject .... this took place in 1973 when the vinyl & related products shortage was in full swing following the oil crisis that year ...

... seems that US firms made 'masters' for clients in at least 78 overseas countries !?!?! .....

post-22122-0-30590000-1351781017_thumb.j

Some more info for you....

Apparently the address on Chestnut Street (457) was the Plating Shop for URP.

Nashville Matrix was 310 Chestnut Street. They were a small engineering/plating shop that only made pressing parts, stampers for instance.

Some more info for you....

Apparently the address on Chestnut Street (457) was the Plating Shop for URP.

Nashville Matrix was 310 Chestnut Street. They were a small engineering/plating shop that only made pressing parts, stampers for instance.

Great stuff Chalky. There nowadays seems to be a vacant lot on 310 Chestnut Street and an abandoned house next to it.

Great stuff Chalky. There nowadays seems to be a vacant lot on 310 Chestnut Street and an abandoned house next to it.

Think it is safe to say that Nashville Matrix is no more :) I wonder when they ceased to be no more? What is the latest date anyone has seen NM used on a 45? 1972 URP started making their own so I guess the might have been the beginning of their demise????

  • Author

I asked George who owns NRP what he knew of Nashville Matrix, he said

Nashville Phono Matrix Was A Plating Company Only Got My Start In The Biz There In 1966. They Did Plates For Southern Plastics, Archer And Many Others.

When United Was Formed In 1972 They Started There Own Plating Shop.

If our Nashville Matrix was stamped by the Matrix of Nashville, what about the story of "Motown Suite" in the URP? I read all postings here and guess like this.

1. Motown, etc. ordered the URP for plating works.

2. The URP sub-contracted with the Matrix of Nashville for the work from making mother disks to plating works, because the URP had not own plating company or shop.

3. The Matrix of Nashville made mother disks with "our" Nashville Matrix stamp.

4. Then, the Matrix of Nashville plated the disks by using mother disks and scratched the customer # on the deadwax as per the URP's instructions.

5. In 1972, the URP started their own plating shop and no longer placed their order to the Matrix of Nashville.

6. In 1973, the Matrix of Nashville stopped their operation due to the oil crisis.

Does the above work?

Edited by picky

If our Nashville Matrix was stamped by the Matrix of Nashville, what about the story of "Motown Suite" in the URP? I read all postings here and guess like this.

1. Motown, etc. ordered the URP for plating works.

2. The URP sub-contracted with the Matrix of Nashville for the work from making mother disks to plating works, because the URP had not own plating company or shop.

3. The Matrix of Nashville made mother disks with "our" Nashville Matrix stamp.

4. Then, the Matrix of Nashville plated the disks by using mother disks and scratched the customer # on the deadwax as per the URP's instructions.

5. In 1972, the URP started their own plating shop and no longer placed their order to the Matrix of Nashville.

6. In 1973, the Matrix of Nashville stopped their operation due to the oil crisis.

Does the above work?

As Nashville Matrix wasn't involved in the vinyl would the oil crisis have an effect? Vinyl was still being produced, their customers weren't just local (URP for example).

  • Author

As Nashville Matrix wasn't involved in the vinyl would the oil crisis have an effect? Vinyl was still being produced, their customers weren't just local (URP for example).

As far as I know from my collection, the Nashville stamp are seen on the vinyl not on the styrene disk, so I guessed they were affected. I understand that their customers weren't just local but I believe that the URP received orders from the customers in other states. This is from what I read the article of the URP which you posted above. The URP had many customers (for example, the first Beatles single in the US) but I guessed the URP sub-contracted to the Matrix of Nashville for a mother disk works, etc. since they didn't have own plating shop until 1972 and then, sent the mother disk to ARP, for example.

Now I agreed with that you wrote that "it is safe to say that the company that made the Nashville Matrix metal blanks was Matrix of Nashville". So, I guessed above.

As far as I know from my collection, the Nashville stamp are seen on the vinyl not on the styrene disk, so I guessed they were affected. I understand that their customers weren't just local but I believe that the URP received orders from the customers in other states. This is from what I read the article of the URP which you posted above. The URP had many customers (for example, the first Beatles single in the US) but I guessed the URP sub-contracted to the Matrix of Nashville for a mother disk works, etc. since they didn't have own plating shop until 1972 and then, sent the mother disk to ARP, for example.

Now I agreed with that you wrote that "it is safe to say that the company that made the Nashville Matrix metal blanks was Matrix of Nashville". So, I guessed above.

The oil crisis wouldn't affect NM as they didn't produce any vinyl, they weren't a pressing plant. NM produced the metal stampers etc.

URP on the other hand would have been affected to some degree as they pressed the vinyl, vinyl would be more expensive but they did survive the crisis.

URP in 71 doing their own plating would have affected Nashville Matrix though although Nashville Matrix did have other customers.

  • Author

I see. Thank you for your posting.

So, just let me confirm.. Are you thinking that the URP never subcontracted to the MN?

I would appreciate if you would correct me in my suggestion above 1 to 6.

URP did use NM but only until 71 when they then started to do their own from what I have read. Prior to 71 (or 72) URP would have used Nashville Matrix.

  • Author

URP did use NM but only until 71 when they then started to do their own from what I have read. Prior to 71 (or 72) URP would have used Nashville Matrix.

My data of 45s with Nashville Matrix stamp shows NO 45 record in '70s but '69 which is by Paul Vann's 45 on Sound Stage 7 (#2629) which also has a monarch delta #75108. On the other hand, the last 45 pressed by Southern Plastics (SO) which I know is by Laura Adams on Bur-K label in '71 (this is NOT soul record but C&W). I am not sure if this Laura's 45 has a Nashville Matrix stamp because I don't have it.

Nashville Phono Matrix Inc. 310 Chestnut Ave ................

....... to see full sleeve see link to ebay on Cody Black -- Ram-Brock thread .........

........... item sold to Archer for their use (on behalf of Ram-Brock).

post-22122-0-73832300-1351957084_thumb.j

post-22122-0-73832300-1351957084_thumb.j

Edited by Roburt

Company Name: NASHVILLE PHONO MATRIX, INC.

Address: 1314 LEWIS ST, NASHVILLE, TN 372100000 USA

Registration Number: 000022332

Status: Inactive — Terminated

Formation Date: 1961-12-01

NASHVILLE PHONO MATRIX formed on 1961-12-01 in Tennessee.

Edited by Roburt

Info on Southern Plastics (United Record Pressing) .....

United Record Pressing, this nation's largest vinyl record pressing plant, is near downtown Nashville. It was formed in the late 1940s as Southern Plastics. In the early 1960s, when the company became United Record Pressing and began pressing records for some black-owned and managed record companies (particularly Motown and Vee Jay), the black executives and artists of those companies could not get hotel rooms or eat in restaurants here when they came in to oversee the pressing of their records, due to lingering Jim Crow attitudes.

So, United turned most of the uppermost floor of their main building into a large, comfortable apartment for its visitors, complete with a big party room. They named the apartment the "Motown Suite." It has all been preserved mostly just as it was back then, with the original 1960s blond wood paneling, chrome dinette set, Art Deco lamps, vintage furniture and TVs and large console stereos. When I toured the United plant recently, it was a very odd feeling to sit at the same kitchen table where Berry Gordy and Smoky Robinson and other Motown notables sat and had breakfast because they weren't welcome in Nashville's downtown hotels or cafes.

The pressing plant itself today is very impressive to watch in action. Making phonograph records is an incredibly complicated process and is very labor intensive. This is not an automated record plant where you push a button at one end and get widgets popping out at the other. Human beings are very involved with every step, all down the line.

Link to full article .... https://www.cmt.com/news/nashville-skyline/1646608/nashville-skyline-nashvilles-motown-suite-is-a-storied-part-of-history.jhtml

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