Is there a site anywhere that gives tells you how to tell an original from a pressing?

Failing that, can anyone tell me

a) Was Tony Galla In love ever pressed? I have a copy that I am convinced is a pressing (only paid a fiver for it from someone who seemed to know whats what). Thing is it looks exactly like the one in Manships rare record price guide but I would have expected the label to say "and the rising sons" on the original.

b) I have what I suspect is the pressing of Johnny Hampton Not My Girl, but as I've never seen an original I have no idea. How can you tell the difference?

I'm asking more in hope than expectation

Tony Galla original is in 3 designs Black/white dj, black issues with silver lettering and yellow with blue lettering. Boots are yellow with black letting.

Johnny Hampton has Nashville Matrix stamp yellow label.

Chalky

Cheers mate.

So Mr. Manship has a picture of a bootleg in his rare record price guide! Makes me wonder how accurate his bootleg guide is. Guess I'll find out when it arrives. Needless to say mine's yellow with black lettering :-(

My Johnny Hampton is also yellow but has D-345-B hand written into the dead wax. As I suspected, a bootleg.

Ah well, back to work tomorrow

johnny hampton was actually booted twice - one version whic is ceap looking says Dottys from Detroit or words to that effect and usually the label is 'bubbling'. the other boot is almost identical to the original, a darker yellow than the other boot and looks the real thing, however the stamp is scribbled on the vinyl.

Tony Galla was definetely booted around the same time as things like Johnny Honicutt, Doug Banks, George Kirby and Tommy Navarro - if my fading memory serves me right!!

Sounds about the right time. I bought it maybe a bit earlier than that though (I think). Tommy Navarro was a big record at the time and the Doug Banks was just starting to get plays.

All of which is dependent upon my fading memory of course.

I'm pretty sure I got it at Morecambe Pier though, which does concide with the sort of time you're talking about - nearly 20 years ago :-(

For some people, the early '70s bootlegs can be quite confusing, more so if they're pressed on US styrene. Some of them are so damn good, they're quite convincing to the naked eye!! A few good examples of such lookalike bootlegs are George Blackwell on Smoke, Lou Pride on Suemi, The Flirtations on Festival demo, Mel Britt on FIP, Joey Dee on Caneil......seems the list is endless!!

Here's a good tip if you have a styrene boot from the '70s, and want to be able to tell the difference between that and the original, and this works most of the time. Hold the record up to the light. If the vinyl turns a see-through red, chances are it's a bootleg. A lot of styrene used from the early '70s onwards seem to have this feature. Obviously, if the record is a '60s recording and yet still goes red, then you've every good reason to be suspicious.

However, original Dore, Beltone/Lescay and Diamond pressings from the early to mid-60s DO turn a mottled yellow when held up to the light. This is nothing to worry about, as these labels used this type of vinyl during the '60s.

Hope this is all of help.

Best,

Gene

In addition, here's an interesting piece of trivia. The Tony Galla bootlegs were pressed in 1990. At the same time, the following were all pressed: Johnny Hunicutt (Tri-Ode), The Four Tracks (Mandingo), Terri Goodnight (Phelectron), The Martells (A La Carte), Norma Jenkins & The Dolls (Maltese), Bobby Mac (Vended) and Jock Mitchell (Impact). They must have come from the same source, as they were all the first batch of boots with bevelled edges.

The Tommy Navarro bootlegs on De Jac date from 1985, and were pressed along with "Angelina Oh Angelina" by Stewart Ames (J and V). These two boots are most distinctive, as they look like UK pressings with the four-pronged centre pushed out. Also, the Stewart Ames boots have "Angelina" on both sides, so you'd have been disappointed if you expected to hear "Queen For A Day" on the flip! The George Kirby boots on Cadet, I think, date back to the late '70s (possibly even 1980-81).

Must admit, I wasn't aware of Doug Banks being booted but, hey, we live and learn......!!

Gene Robertson

Gene-R wrote:

For some people, the early '70s bootlegs can be quite confusing, more so if they're pressed on US styrene.  Some of them are so damn good, they're quite convincing to the naked eye!!

Absolutely! I'm still uncertain about my Johnny Hampton. According to John Manship there are 3 bootlegs:

1) an off-white label

2) yellow dj no 1001 with the same thing on both sides

3) Styrene with yellow label

Of the three, mine can only be the third - it has a yellow label and Don't lead me on on the B-side.

I suppose the question really is how do I tell styrene from vinyl? I thought styrene was less pressed-on-bin-liner-like than vinyl (i.e. hardly bendy at all) with labels that look as though they could be picked off.

My Johnny Hampton has neither of these features nor does it have the redness described further down your post. It remains resolutely opaque no matter how bright the light. Taken together these would suggest it is an original.

However, it doesn't have the "nashville matrix" stamp (whatever that is). Does this single fact confirm that it is a bootleg?

Hi again,

Here are some more details re; Johnny Hampton to help you identify whether yours is original or a boot. With due respect, I must correct John Manship's guide with the following information about the latter two boots, but I have to admit I've never seen an off-white label boot yet, though I'm sure they do exist:

a) Styrene pressing, with "Dotty's from Detroit" in block letters/straight line. Same track both sides, but the credits are "Not My Girl BY John Hampton". Grooves tightly squeezed in, resulting in poor sound quality (note the mis-credit to JOHN Hampton).

b) Vinyl lookalike pressing with Dotty's credit in a semi-circle. Backed with "Don't Lead Me On". A good lookalike in every detail, but no Nashville Matrix.

Hope this helps you further in identifying your copy. However, from what you describe, it sounds like pressing (b) detailed in my list above.

To add further, the best way to differentiate styrene from vinyl is the light weight, and (as you rightly state) hardly bendy at all. If flicked at the edge, will result in a hollow tap noise.

Gene Robertson

Thanks Gene. I've now rearrived at the same comclusion that I arrived at before - its a bootleg. Your option b describes it perfectly.

It is remarkably similar to the original in appearance. I've held it next to a picture of the original and I can't see any difference at all. Amazing how much difference a stamp in the dead wax makes

No problem mate......happy to be of help!!

Gene