Repost the Deadwax notes list PLEASE!

libertycaps

Analogue "AAA" vinyl.
Found it awhile ago while browsing, but now i can't locate it again! :tears:
Any help out there, good people? It was quite long and quite a Deadwax script resource worth printing and filing by the record collection!!!!
 
Found it awhile ago while browsing, but now i can't locate it again! :tears:
Any help out there, good people? It was quite long and quite a Deadwax script resource worth printing and filing by the record collection!!!!

Ooohh That sounds cool never ran across it, I would love to have it myself.
 
Dunno if this is what you're looking for, but here goes:

Deadwax mastering info

G.S.V.) -> Greg Vaughn
(spiral sign) @ D+M -> Robert Henke ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
*-J.T.S.-* -> JTS Studio, London
@cul -> Moritz von Oswald
@t GP -> George Piros
“Soundmaster” Lionel @ Translab, Paris -> Lionel Nicod
7AP -> Augustus Pablo
A 1ST FOR KEV – TOWNHOUSE -> Kevin Metcalfe ( Townhouse Studios, London )
A Porky ‘Oh yes’ Prime cut -> George Peckham
A Porky Prime Cut -> George Peckham
A PORKY PRIME CUT -> George Peckham
A Porky Prime Er-Er-Er Goldfish I Think -> George Peckham
A Porky Prime sniff sniff cut -> George Peckham
A PORKY PRIME TANGO -> George Peckham
Allen Zentz -> Allen Zentz
AM -> Andy Mellwig ( The “A” looks like triangle; Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
an “A with M” sign -> Andy Mellwig ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
andreas at schnittstelle -> Andreas Kauffelt
andreas@schnittstelle -> Andreas Kauffelt
ARUN -> Arun Chakraverty
AT-GP -> George Piros
Audiodisc YYMMDD -> Pressed at Audiodisc AB
Az -> Allen Zentz ( note the lower case Z )
AZ -> Allen Zentz Mastering Company
AZ (with birds/flower) -> Brian Gardner ( Allen Zentz Mastering Company )
AZ CB -> Chris Bellman ( Allen Zentz Mastering Company )
B.E C.R -> Björn Engelmann ( Cutting Room, Stockholm )
B.E-C.R -> Björn Engelmann ( Cutting Room, Stockholm )
B.G. -> Bernie Grundman
BA -> Björn Almstedt
BA•CR -> Björn Almstedt ( Cutting Room, Stockholm )
BA-CR -> Björn Almstedt ( Cutting Room, Stockholm )
BA-EF -> Björn Almstedt
BA-GP -> Björn Almstedt
BA-T∞ -> Björn Almstedt
Beau -> Beau Thomas
BEAU -> Beau Thomas
beau -> Beau Thomas
Bell Sound -> Bell Sound Studios
Bell Sound sf -> Sam Feldman ( Bell Sound Studios )
BH -> Bobby Hata
BilBo -> Denis Blackham ( which looks like BiBo )
Bilbo master room -> Denis Blackham
BK -> Bill Kipper
BKG -> Brian Gardner
C.R -> Cutting Room, Stockholm
C.T.S. Wembley -> C.T.S. Studios, Wembley.
CGB -> Christoph Grote-Beverborg
CGB / D+M -> Christoph Grote-Beverborg ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
CGB @ D&M -> Christoph Grote-Beverborg ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
CGB@D&M -> Christoph Grote-Beverborg ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
CHRIS P @ UNITY -> Chris Parmenidis
COPYMASTERS – Miles -> Miles Showell
CR -> Cutting Room, Stockholm
CSB ♪♪ -> Carlton Batts ( followed by two musical notes )
CURVE PUSHER. -> Curve Pusher Mastering, London
D Jay @ Masterpiece -> Danny King ( Masterpiece Mastering, London )
D&m -> Dubplates-mastering, Berlin
D. SWABY -> Dudley Swaby
D.A.S. Disc Mastering -> Digital Audio Solutions
D+M -> Moritz Von Oswald ( (note; M has a hook on the end); Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
DAMONT -> Pressed at Damont Audio Limited
DAS Disc Mastering -> Digital Audio Solutions
DB -> Denis Blackham
DCHARLES -> Dick Charles ( Handwritten signature )
DFI -> Pressed at DFI
Djay@ Masterpiece -> Danny King ( Masterpiece Mastering, London )
DK -> Dennis King
DMM -> Direct Metal Mastering
DMS C -> The Hit Factory, DMS, NYC
DMS cg -> Chris Gehringer ( The Hit Factory, DMS, NYC )
DMS cg [peace sign] -> Chris Gehringer
DMS Coin -> The Hit Factory, DMS, NYC
Doug -> Doug Sax
DUDLEY SWABY -> Dudley "Manzie" Swaby
EURODISC -> Eurodisk Manufacturing
EUROPADISK -> Pressed at Europadisk, NYC.
EXCHANGE 2000 – SIMON. -> Simon Davey
F.A. -> Frank Arkwright
F.A. Metropolis -> Frank Arkwright ( Metropolis Studios, London )
F/W -> Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC.
F/W J -> Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC.
Finnvox MJ -> Mika Jussila
FOON MASTERING -> Foon Mastering Center
Frankford/Wayne -> Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC.
Frankford/Wayne Mastering by Michael -> Michael Sarsfield ( Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC. )
FST @ D+M -> Frederic Stader ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
FST D+M -> Frederic Stader ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
FST>D+M -> Frederic Stader ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
FTS -> Federal Recording Studios, Kingston / Total Sounds
G.K. -> Gilbert Kong
GC -> Greg Calbi ( Sterling )
Gene -> Gene Thompson
GEORGE – COPYMASTERS -> George Peckham
GK -> Gilbert Kong
Gordon at the Townhouse -> Gordon Vickary
GP -> Grammoplast, Sweden
Graeme -> Graeme Durham
GRAEME – SOUND CLINIC -> Graeme Durham
GRAZ – The Exchange -> Graeme Durham
Graz@The Exchange -> Graeme Durham
greyham the exchange -> Graeme Durham
GSV -> Greg Vaughn ( or “G5V“ )
GUY’S – THE EXCHANGE -> Guy Davie
HEM cg -> Chris Gehringer
Herb :^) -> Herb Powers Jr.
Herbie :^) -> Herb Powers Jr.
Herbie Jr :^) -> Herb Powers Jr.
Herve @ Translab -> Hervé Bordes
HFM ´[number] -> The Hit Factory, DMS, NYC
HFM cg -> Chris Gehringer ( The Hit Factory, DMS, NYC )
HP -> Herb Powers Jr.
HTM -> Harry Moss
HuB -> Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC. ( ? )
HW -> Howie Weinberg
J.Y. -> Joe Yannece
JA Tape One -> Jack Adams
Jacko – Tape One -> Jack Adams
JC Masterroom -> Jeremy Cooper
JD -> John Dent
JD-ASH -> John Dent and Ashley Burchett ( ? )
John D -> John Davis
JON2 -> John Dent
Jonz -> John Dent
Jonz @ Loud Mastering -> John Dent ( Loud Mastering )
K -> Andreas Kauffelt
K.P. -> Ken Perry
KDISC -> K Disc Mastering
Kendun -> Kent Duncan
LAWRIE @ CURVE PUSHER -> Lawrie Immersion
LB -> Larry Boden
LH -> Lee Hulko
Lionel & Hervé @ Translab -> Lionel Nicod & Hervé Bordes
Loop-0 at D&M -> Loop-o ( Dubplates-mastering, Berlin )
Lupo -> Loop-o
M.M.M.J.R. -> Mark Richardson (3) ( Metropolis Mastering, Chicago )
MANDY @ THE EXCHANGE -> Mandy Parnell
MARTIN @ C.T.S. -> Martin Giles
MASTERDED BY CAPITOL -> Capitol Studio & Mastering , Hollywood
MASTERDISK -> Masterdisk, NYC
MASTERDISK G.K. -> Gilbert Kong
MASTERDISK TD -> Tony Dawsey ( Masterdisk, NYC )
Mastered at Abbey Rd -> Abbey Road Studios, London
mastered at 'Abbey Road' -> Abbey Road Studios, London
MASTERED AT ALLEN ZENTZ L.A., CALIF. -> Allen Zentz Mastering Company
MASTERED BY CAPITOL Wally -> Wally Traugott ( Capitol Studio & Mastering , Hollywood )
Mastered by NIMBUS, England -> Nimbus
Mastered MIAMI TAPE -> Miami Tape, Hialeah ( (“MIAMI TAPE” is stamped) )
MATT OPTIMUM -> Matt Colton
MCR -> Master Cutting Room, NYC.
Metropolis Mastering Chicago M.J.R. -> Mark Richardson (3)
MIKE @ THE EXCHANGE -> Mike Marsh
Mike @ The Exchange -> Mike Marsh
Mike’s™ -> Mike Marsh
MILES -> Miles Showell
MJFX -> Mika Jussila
MMMJR -> Mark Richardson (3) ( Metropolis Mastering, Chicago )
MPO -> Moulages et Plastiques de l’Ouest, Averton.
MR -> Mark Regan
Neil – Masterpiece -> Neil Devine
Neil Masterpiece -> Neil Devine
Nick -> Nick Webb Abbey Road Studios, London )[/i]
Nick's cut! -> Nick Webb Abbey Road Studios, London )[/i]
NILZ – THE EXCHANGE -> Nilesh Patel
NIX MIX TOWNHOUSE -> Larry Nix
Noel @ Transfermation -> Noel Summerville
NOMIS -> Simon Davey ( “Simon” backwards )
NSC -> National Sound Corporation, Detroit ( used to be solely Ron Murphy (except some very early stuff), now also Heath Brunner )
Ø(Phase) -> Ashley Burchett
Ø(Phase) @ Whitfield London -> Ashley Burchett
ø@CURVE PUSHER -> Ashley Burchett
Ø[Phase] -> Ashley Burchett
Øphase -> Ashley Burchett
øPHASE -> Ashley Burchett
øPHASE @ WHITFIELD ST -> Ashley Burchett
Øphase@ Curve Pusher -> Ashley Burchett ( Curve Pusher Mastering, London )
ORLAKE -> Orlake Records, Dagenham
P.A. -> Phil Austin ( Trutone )
P.O.R.K.Y. -> George Peckham
PAUL S @ PORKY’S -> Paul Solomons
Paul S @ Porky’s -> Paul Solomons
PAUL’S @ PORKYS -> Paul Solomons
Paul’s @ Porkys -> Paul Solomons
PAUL’S THE EXCHANGE -> Paul Solomons
Pauls’ The Exchange -> Paul Solomons
PCMJR -> Mark Richardson (3) ( Prairie Cat Mastering, Belvidere )
PD -> Peter Dahl
PD-CR -> Peter Dahl ( Cutting Room, Stockholm )
PECKO -> George Peckham
PECKO DUCK -> George Peckham
Pete @ Tape To Tape -> Pete Norman
PIPO NYC -> Alberto Roges
POLAR -> Polar Mastering, Stockholm (defunct, now Masters of Audio, Stockholm)
Pole -> Pole
POM TR -> Pompon Finkelstein ( Translab, Paris )
porkeys prime cut -> George Peckham
Porky -> George Peckham
Porky Prime Cut -> George Peckham
Porky Primed -> George Peckham
Porkys -> George Peckham
Primed -> George Peckham
R @ D&M -> Rashad Becker ( Squiggly lower case ‘r’; Dubplates & Mastering ,Berlin )
Rashad -> Rashad Becker
Ray at The Exchange -> Ray Staff
RCE -> Rick Essig ( F/W )
RJ -> Ray Janos ( Sterling )
RL -> Bob Ludwig
RV -> Hervé Bordes
S.D -> Simon Davey
S.M. M.J.R. -> Mark Richardson (3) ( Session Masters, Carol Stream )
SD -> Simon Davey
Sean Abbey rd i...i -> Sean Magee ( Abbey Road Studios, London )
sf -> Sam Feldman
SH -> Steve Hall
SHANE -> Shane McEnhill
Shane – the cutteR -> Shane McEnhill ( Graffiti Style; The “h” looks more like a “t” )
Shane @ Heathman’s -> Shane McEnhill ( Graffiti Style; The “h” looks more like a “t” )
SI MASTERPIECE -> Simon Francis
SI Masterpiece -> Simon Francis
SIMON – THE EXCHANGE -> Simon Davey
SIMON „HOOVER POWER“ DAVEY -> Simon Davey
SIMON „NEW SHOOS“ DAVEY -> Simon Davey
SIMON „NIGHT NURSE“ DAVEY -> Simon Davey
simon the exchange -> Simon Davey
SIMON. -> Simon Davey
SNB -> Sabin Brunet
Sound Clinic -> The Sound Clinic, London
Sound Clinic, Graeme -> Graeme Durham ( The Sound Clinic, London )
Sound Clinic/Jonz -> John Dent ( The Sound Clinic, London )
SR -> Stan Ricker
SR/2 -> Stan Ricker
SR2 -> Stan Ricker
SRC signature -> Specialty Records Corporation ( (Stamped, Large S with the R and C in the loops) )
SST -> Schallplatten Schneid Technik, Frankfurt
STERLING -> Sterling Sound, NYC
STRAWBERRY U.K. -> Strawberry Mastering, London
STREAKY @ SOUNDMASTERS -> Streaky
Stu -> Stuart Hawkes
Stu. @ Masterpiece -> Stuart Hawkes
Tape One JA -> Jack Adams
TC -> Tom Coyne
THE EXCHANGE -> The Exchange, London
The Exchange – GD -> Guy Davie
THE EXCHANGE – NILZ -> Nilesh Patel
Tim D. -> Tim Dennen
Tim D. Masterpiece -> Tim Dennen
tim dixon masterpiece -> Tony Dixon
TIMTOM -> Tim Young
Timtom -> Tim Young
TJ -> Ted Jensen ( Sterling )
TLC -> The Lacquer Channel Mastering, Toronto
TML -> The Mastering Lab , Hollowood
TML-M -> The Mastering Lab , Hollowood ( M=Master )
TML-S -> The Mastering Lab , Hollowood ( S=Slave )
TML-X -> The Mastering Lab , Hollowood ( X=Extra )
TOWN HOUSE -> Town House Studios, London
TOWNHOUSE -> Town House Studios, London
Townhouse -> Town House Studios, London
Townhouse Max -> Max Dingel
tph@schnittstelle -> Thomas P. Heckmann
TR -> Translab Mastering, Paris
Transfermation -> Transfermation Mastering, London
TRANSITION -> Transition Mastering Studios, London
Transition -> Transition Mastering Studios, London
Truetone Mastering NYC Carl -> Carl Rowatti ( “Truetone” or “Trutone”? )
Trutone -> Trutone Inc, NYC
Trutone NY – PA -> Phil Austin
Trutone NYC Carl -> Carl Rowatti
ty -> Tim Young
 
Here's another:

DATING RCA VICTOR Records
Before 1955 RCA used the first 2 characters of the 4-character master no. prefix of both company issues and custom pressings* to encode the year -- this is either the year of the actual recording, or the year the master disk was cut. The first character is a letter to indicate the decade (since 1900): C = 1930; D = 1940; E = 1950. The second character, a numeral, indicates the year within the decade. For example:
D8 = 1948
D9 = 1949
E0 = 1950
E1 = 1951
E2 = 1952
E3 = 1953
E4 = 1954

If the code indicates a date before 1949, we can be reasonably sure it refers to the original recording date.

Beginning in 1955 only the first character of the prefix was reserved for the year. Some letters were skipped, likely to avoid ambiguity. The numbering system was abandoned in 1974.
F = 1955
G = 1956
H = 1957
J = 1958
K = 1959
L = 1960
M = 1961
N = 1962
P = 1963
R = 1964
S = 1965
T = 1966
U = 1967
W = 1968
X = 1969
Z = 1970
A = 1971
B = 1972
C = 1973
D = 1974

For further details of the master no. prefix see under the heading, RCA Victor Number-Letter Codes (19501974) toward the bottom of this page: http://www.ronpenndorf.com/labelography4.html

N.B. Many early RCA Victor records from 1949-early '50s do not observe this numbering system, for example RCA Victor 48-0001, "Texarkana Baby"/"Bouquet Of Roses" by Eddy Arnold. This record's sides are numbered 48-0001-A and 48-0001-B, and do not offer a hint to the date.
 
Thanks cactuscowboy, I'd already stuck this on my desktop and will add your dating code post to it. For completeness' sake your repost cuts off at 'ty' here's the rest of your original:

TY1 -> Tim Young
Utopia -> Utopia Studios ( With vertical bar(s) in the “U” / Harp )
Village Mastering NYC CR -> Carl Rowatti
Wally -> Wally Traugott
Wally C. @ Masterpiece -> Walter Coelho
Wally C. @ Masterpiece Mastering -> Walter Coelho
Wly -> Wally Traugott
WMME Alsdorf -> Warner Music Manufacturing Europe, Alsdorf
Yann Dub @ DK -> Yann Dub"

Thanks again.
 
Wow, that's some impressive research! But you overlooked a major one:

RVG -> Rudy Van Gelder
VANGELDER -> Rudy Van Gelder
 
It seems "SH" can be either Steve Hall or Scott Hull, depending on where the record was pressed.
 
Clearly an impressive body of research, and one, I'm sure, that, if used wisely, can offer some means to optimizing playback (or something), but I guess that's my question:

How can I use this information?

I hate to sound ignorant, but, frankly, I am.

Thanks.
 
How can I use this information?

If you have an LP that sounds particularly good, take a look at the deadwax.

For example, if you see an "AT/GP" in the deadwax, that means Atlantic/George Piros. A plain "GP" also signifies George Piros. His pressings of Yes albums are fantastic, as is his Led Zep "Houses of the Holy" which is equal to an "RL" for "Robert Ludwig."

In other words, grabbing a "GP" from the used bin for $3.00 is a steal when you know your deadwax. A Led Zep II w/ "RL" in the deadwax is the Led Zep Holy Grail. NM LPs fetch over $200.

To paraphrase the Clash, "Know Your Wax."

Ken
 
On records mastered at Fine Recording, a P in the dead wax (ex: on 1950s/1960s stereo Mercury Living Presence or Command LPs, you'll see 'P 13' or 'P 17' or such like, the number referring IIRC to which lathe was used [correct me if the number meant which cutting head instead]) indicates George Piros did the cutting; if you see 'JJ' (often on later mono Mercury Living Presence and Command albums and some of the Command stereos as well) John Johnson did the cutting.

Initials DM looking like ∆M on Frankford-Wayne masterings: David Moyssiadis.
 
If you have an LP that sounds particularly good, take a look at the deadwax.

For example, if you see an "AT/GP" in the deadwax, that means Atlantic/George Piros. A plain "GP" also signifies George Piros. His pressings of Yes albums are fantastic, as is his Led Zep "Houses of the Holy" which is equal to an "RL" for "Robert Ludwig."

In other words, grabbing a "GP" from the used bin for $3.00 is a steal when you know your deadwax. A Led Zep II w/ "RL" in the deadwax is the Led Zep Holy Grail. NM LPs fetch over $200.

To paraphrase the Clash, "Know Your Wax."

Ken

Ahhhh... so this is particularly useful if I'm perusing the used bin and can actually look at the dead wax!!! That's what I was missing. Unless you know someone who has an LP and you can observe that content on their record, you may not necessarily know who you're getting when buying a new recording (though, I suspect in this day and age, that information may be available on the internet).

It's all coming together for me now.

This is your wax!!! (to continue the homage...)
 
The RCA Victor letter-number-letter-letter-XXXX system was instituted originally in 1942. Those retro renumberings hinted at above (e.g. A for 1910s, B for 1920s, C for 1930s) were only rarely used, for later (generally microgroove era) reissues of earlier material that most likely never went out of print.

Victor's previous matrix numbering system was instituted on 24th April 1903, when they began use of what they called the 'Victor Master Disc' (we know it as the five-step pressing process: wax original produces metal negative which yields several mother parts, each of which can make numerous stampers which can press many records). Previously, the basic matrix number and a record's catalogue number were one and the same, and the one metal part derived from a wax original cut was actually used as the stamper until it broke or wore out, at which time an artiste was called back to the studio to re-record the piece to make another metal part!

In the acoustic period, the matrix numbers had a prefix and a suffix. The prefix was a letter that indicated the size of the record: A for 7", B for 10", C for 12", D for the very short-lived 60 rpm 14" disc (1903/1904), E for the 8" record (1906--c. 1909) they thought would replace the 7" disc. But by then the 10" record was most popular and the shorter records were flops even at the 35 cent selling price. M for 16" discs was later added with the development of talkies and later electrical transcriptions.

Some recordings made in California in the 1920s added P to the prefix, so would be PB or PC, etc.

The suffix was the take digit. So a matrix number would be something like C 4317-1. (That's 'Vesti la giubba' by Enrico Caruso, recorded 17 March 1907, originally released on Victor Red Seal 88061.)

With the coming of electric recording the prefix added the letters VE: BVE 47539-3 ('I wanna be loved by you' by Helen Kane, recorded 20 September 1928, originally released on Victor 21684). Records made with Western Electric equipment show the letters VE inside an oval in the dead wax.*

Starting in 1931, introduction of RCA or RCA-modified equipment gave rise to other prefixes such as S or SHQ (BS 80149-1, 'Solitude', Duke Ellington, originally on Victor 24755, recorded 10 January 1934). The VE symbol is inside a diamond shape; use of the symbol disappeared after late 1938.* Around 1933 S seems to have become the standard.

(Note that in August 1936, with the numbers approaching 103000, Victor began numbering anew from 01. This reached 075904 with the onset of the infamous recording ban of 1942, at which time this numbering system was discontinued.)

*The VE symbols will only be seen on Victor products (never on Bluebirds) if they were pressed from original metal matrices or dubs thereof made before late 1938.
 
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It's also worth noting that many of the 1940s 78RPM reissues of 1920s jazz were pressed from the exact same metal parts as the 1920s originals! These can easily be identified by the lack of lead-in groove. I have some 1940s Bix Beiderbecke reissue 78s pressed using 1920s stampers that sound incredibly good - and can still be had CHEAP! Many of these '40s repressings were packaged in actual multi-pocket books or 'albums.'
 
Wow, that's some impressive research! But you overlooked a major one:

RVG -> Rudy Van Gelder
VANGELDER -> Rudy Van Gelder

I can't take credit for that mastering info list.

IIRC, it was posted on a thread in the RCG forums a few years ago and was unattributed. I merely cut & pasted it to a Word file which I saved on my computer.
 
If you have an LP that sounds particularly good, take a look at the deadwax.

For example, if you see an "AT/GP" in the deadwax, that means Atlantic/George Piros. A plain "GP" also signifies George Piros. His pressings of Yes albums are fantastic, as is his Led Zep "Houses of the Holy" which is equal to an "RL" for "Robert Ludwig."

In other words, grabbing a "GP" from the used bin for $3.00 is a steal when you know your deadwax. A Led Zep II w/ "RL" in the deadwax is the Led Zep Holy Grail. NM LPs fetch over $200.

To paraphrase the Clash, "Know Your Wax."

Ken

Great post! Anything else noteworthy we should be looking for in the DEADWAX?
 
Great post! Anything else noteworthy we should be looking for in the DEADWAX?

The Artisan symbol (looks like an elliptical LP) usually signifies a great pressing. For example, the best pressings of the Stones' "Exile on Main Street" have this symbol.

Goofy phrases like "Do what thou wilt" (Crowley quote) on a Led Zep III LP means it is likely an original pressing. In theory, earlier pressings are better.

You also need to know your labels (addresses, pressing plants, etc.).

Ken
 
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