Acetate

[Stephen Houghton]

Can anyone tell me about acetates ,as I have one don't know where I got it from  GYSPY BY DRYWELL. Are they boots and how did they come about ,any info would be OK 

[Mal C]

I remember seeing an acetate of this cut recently for sale, I've no idea whether yours is that copy? but the existence of more than one maybe suspicious, in that they are normally single items that turn up ad hoc...

Don't remember anything about the acetate other than I do need another copy of that 45, mines fooked... got releases on Lauren records didn't it...

[Stephen Houghton]

I've msg you malc

[Dim]

I have one acetate in my collection. 

The Formations. "At The Top Of The Stairs".

They were used primarily as promotional discs. This is  a Chappell acetate and, a doff of the cap to Karl White here, I had no idea who they were until he pointed me in the right direction. My point here is that there is an overused tendency to define things as acetates, when in actual fact they're just carvers. 

I wish you luck with your enquiries Stephen. 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Dim

[Amsterdam Russ]

Acetates/lacquers/dubs - serving various purposes, such as

• in-house recordings to determine what might or might not get released
• in-house recordings to be listened to by production staff/producers/executives to determine if the track should even go that far
• in-house recordings to be listened to by production staff/producers/executives to determine if a recorded track is of sufficient quality - production-wise or musically
• in-house demos, using bare instruments - such as piano, drum and vocals - to get a feel for a song to see if it had potential for recording by an artist or band
• demos cut by promoters/labels/bands/groups/artists - which could be touted around to labels/owners/producers (etc) as a portable/mailable means of enabling potential buyers of songs to hear new material
• studio cuts of a track that producers/managers/label owners could listen to at their leisure to determine if the current take of a track was working or needed reworking
• vanity recordings at studios where you and your band could go and record a tune at yoyr own expense and then come away with a disc.

There are plenty of other uses for acetates, which I hope people will add to.

Based on most of the criteria above, here's a selection from my own small collection of acetates that broadly fits in to those categories.

 

[Pga1]

Hiya Mal, the boot acetate is probably worth more than the original. Obviously more interest from psych rock fans than soul. Can't remember where (orange label) for about a tenner. File under rock for purchase price, cheers

 

 

[Amsterdam Russ]

36 minutes ago, Pga1 said:

Hiya Mal, the boot acetate is probably worth more than the original. Obviously more interest from psych rock fans than soul. Can't remember where (orange label) for about a tenner.

Absolutely true - if the boot acetate is valued at more that 300 quid. 

9 hours ago, Stephen Houghton said:

Can anyone tell me about acetates ,as I have one don't know where I got it from  GYSPY BY DRYWELL. Are they boots and how did they come about ,any info would be OK 

I'm curious - can you post up a scan or a pic of the label? 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Amsterdam Russ

[Stephen Houghton]

Yep as pic

[Pga1]

Must say after commenting, which was a little tongue in cheek,  I'm stunned by the price that people are asking. Probably thinking of another record ??, Cheers

 

[Solidsoul]

Back in the 1970's you could send away for most of the monster tracks of the time, and they would come back cut onto a EMI disc.

These were metal discs covered in plastic with a plain white label and emi-disc printed across the top.

Are these acetates?

I had a one back then with 3 tracks on each side.

I'll Always Need You - Len Barry(Alt version).   Send Him Back - Pointer Sisters.  Wash & Wear Love - Lynn Vernado.

Fickled Finger Of Fate - Bernard Purdie.  You Don't Know Where etc - Dana Valery.  The Stride - The Strides.

 

 

[Sheep]

16 hours ago, Stephen Houghton said:

Can anyone tell me about acetates ,as I have one don't know where I got it from  GYSPY BY DRYWELL. Are they boots and how did they come about ,any info would be OK 

Without seeing it....yesxa boot....a cut ...done to meet demand in the 70s....was the norm back then....I cut a few from my original to sell on ..

[Billywhizz]

gyspy  drywell   thats my old copy 

[Stephen Houghton]

What value would you put on it .

[Amsterdam Russ]

1 hour ago, D9 Ktf said:

Back in the 1970's you could send away for most of the monster tracks of the time, and they would come back cut onto a EMI disc.

These were metal discs covered in plastic with a plain white label and emi-disc printed across the top.

Are these acetates?

Yes, acetate describes the chemical substance used to coat (lacquer) the metal disc.

[Amsterdam Russ]

5 minutes ago, Stephen Houghton said:

What value would you put on it .

Maybe a tenner. Having said that, there are people out there who collect these kind of acetates and boots, some of which, so I believe, are considered rare in their own right.

[Julianb]

2 hours ago, D9 Ktf said:

Back in the 1970's you could send away for most of the monster tracks of the time, and they would come back cut onto a EMI disc.

These were metal discs covered in plastic with a plain white label and emi-disc printed across the top.

Are these acetates?

I had a one back then with 3 tracks on each side.

I'll Always Need You - Len Barry(Alt version).   Send Him Back - Pointer Sisters.  Wash & Wear Love - Lynn Vernado.

Fickled Finger Of Fate - Bernard Purdie.  You Don't Know Where etc - Dana Valery.  The Stride - The Strides.

 

 

I used to own an emidisc machine. Twink (Ian Bottomley) would go to Wigan and come back with orders which we cut and he then sold them the following week. I can't remember what we charged, it may have been based on rarity value but I can't remember.  The blanks cost 50p when 45s cost 38p.

Happy days

[Sheep]

1 hour ago, Stephen Houghton said:

What value would you put on it .

Definitely a carver .... most likely from the 70s.

Not a lot £20 with a good wind..

[Mrmick]

14 hours ago, Stephen Houghton said:

Yep as pic

I have one like this. Got it from Keb. Got the royal esquires one one side and the delco's on the flip. Although I have the originals of both I like to keep it as keb used to play it .

I'll try to find it later 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Greedy Mick
Bad spelling lol

[Chalky]

It's clearly a fake/home made acetate.  Capitol Magnetics Winchester plant wasn't opened until 1974, the recording is from 1970.

[Amsterdam Russ]

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

…the recording is from 1970.

Late 68 or - more likely - early 69.

[Chalky]

11 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Late 68 or - more likely - early 69.

 I was going by the date when I checked on Discogs

[Winsford Soul]

I aquired a emi disc in 1975 / 76  from Wigan with Pointer sisters.  Send him back and Lou Pride  I'm coming home  on the other side Think one of them was still covered up or had just been uncovered when I got it. Vaguely remember having East Coast Connection  Summer in the park emi disc too 

Eventually got a Pointer Sisters red and white Atlantic demo and a Summer in the parks issue but never got near a original Lou Pride on Suemi 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Winsford Soul

[Frankie Crocker]

You must have been a real keeno at Wigan. Summer In The Parks has been easy to find. Pointer Sisters a tough one, but a Demo clinches it. Lou Pride, nigh impossible...like yourself, still waiting but I do have the Wigan boot in the meantime waiting for an upgrade.

[Amsterdam Russ]

2 hours ago, Chalky said:

 I was going by the date when I checked on Discogs

I was going by the date told to me by a band member.