I have two copies of this record, in the runout grooves one has X20 and the other has X20X.

Does anybody know what the significance / difference between the two?

Anybody?

One has an extra X.......

;o)

One has an extra X.......

;o)

Okay everybody, problem solved. How did I not not spot that myself?

Seriously though, why the extra X?

Sorry, I was of course taking the piss....the real difference is that one copy has one less X than the other.

;o)

Sorry, I was of course taking the piss....the real difference is that one copy has one less X than the other.

;o)

Very true. But is there a reason?

Dunno, have you played and compared them?

Presume time / flips / label design are all identical?

If so then it's just an extra X.....or one less....depending on wether your glass is half empty of half full!

Edited April 14, 201411 yr by Mace

Dunno, have you played and compared them?

Presume time / flips / label design are all identical?

If so then it's just an extra X.....or one less....depending on wether your glass is half empty of half full!

My glass 'was' half full but is 'now' half empty, time for a top up. Oh, and the records both sound the same, look the same, are the same . . . . . except for that extra / one less X.

 

Having taken a closer look at the labels, I've noticed a subtle difference or two that lead me to believe that the copy with the extra X is in fact an official repress / reissue by Savoy. I could be wrong but I'll need convincing otherwise.

Having taken a closer look at the labels, I've noticed a subtle difference or two that lead me to believe that the copy with the extra X is in fact an official repress / reissue by Savoy. I could be wrong but I'll need convincing otherwise.

Post a scan of the label.  I have a large collection of Savoy 45s.  I may be able to tell by the label font and design if it is a later pressing.

Post a scan of the label.  I have a large collection of Savoy 45s.  I may be able to tell by the label font and design if it is a later pressing.

Will do Rob (by PM) but I'm already convinced, from what I'm looking at here, that the one with the extra X is a later pressing.

I have most, if not all of the Nappy Brown 45s on Savoy (a whole boatload by Mr. prolific), often with 2 different pressings.  I'll be able to tell if it's just a variation due to individual pressing plants, or if it's a re-pressing on a later Savoy label design/font style.

I have most, if not all of the Nappy Brown 45s on Savoy (a whole boatload by Mr. prolific), often with 2 different pressings.  I'll be able to tell if it's just a variation due to individual pressing plants, or if it's a re-pressing on a later Savoy label design/font style.

I see. Well I'll get them to you asap.

Originally I thought the The X20 code changed to X20X, when the label colour changed from maroon to red, and the labels lost the circular lines of writing "Not licensed for radio broadcast".   I looked at all my Savoy records.  I have most of the issues from 1128-1197.  All my later, bright red issues have "X20X" on them.  The earlier maroon issues, which also had the text, invariably had just "X20" as the code.  But, I also have a maroon, older looking issue of Savoy 1138 - Wilbert Harrison's "Don't Drop It", which has X20X.  So, the colour change wasn't coincidental with the code change.  I also have a couple with "X20CA" - apparently a press run from California. 

 

Edited April 16, 201411 yr by RobbK

So, what's your conclusion Robb?

 

Also noticed that the X20X's have two parallel horizontal lines, at least mine do, where the X20's only have the one.
Looking closer at the label, the X20X's don't have the same 'quality' of style and manufacture as the X20's either. There's something different that's hard to describe about the X20X's

It's tough to figure out what the "X" code was used for.  Unfortunately, because I didn't buy most of my Savoys new, but found them in thrift stores and junk stores and oldies bargain bins (albeit during the '50s, but a lot later than their issue), I can't place them accurately chronologically, due to mixing in of the additional factor of there being other differences stemming from pressing plants using different label paper, colouring, label design and fonts.  But, it seems that they went to a new code from X20 to X20X in about 1957.  The double stripes are probably a pressing plant difference, seeming to be an East-Coast feature (but, they only ran a 3-4 year stretch, so there could be a chronological component/factor, as well). 

 

It's a New York label, so my knowledge of it (as mine of all East Coast and Southern US labels is much less than that of Midwest and California labels, as i had lived in Chicago and L.A, for many years, and picked up a lot more records from those areas(Chicago/Detroit and L.A.), met a lot more knowledgeable collectors from those areas, and met some music industry people in those areas.

 

We need a New York '50s label expert on this one.   Any of you frequent any R&B/Doo Wop forums?