Tom Petty Box Sets
I have some not all of the early 1st pressings and these are far superior. They are 180 gram vinyl very flat vinyl they are quite, the covers are first class. A number of them are on two albums that could of been on a single LP. So I would say if you have 1st pressings these are a step up. Are they worth the $246.00 a set I paid that's up to you. |
@lenmc2964 Thanks for the info. My thought was digital transfer vs original analogue. I think that they may be sold separately also. I may get a couple and go from there before I invest in the Box Set. Don't get me wrong, I have a couple MFSL Gold CD's of there's which I am impressed with the sonics 1st LP was originally released on Shelter Records in 1976. MCA recordings were not until 1979. Damn The Torpedoes was originally released in the US on Backstreet, later pressings were on MCA. See www.discogs.com |
bradf, Wasn't "You're Gonna Get It" originally released on Shelter? as well? I've been about to hit the "buy" button several times! lenmc2964: I think it would be great if you, as a fan, could expand more on the SQ compared to your own copies. Popmarket has often offered these sets @ $219.00 each. I think as a solid member here, you should give us your impressions. To do no less, is a lack of consideration.. It seems after you actually now own them, you are unwilling to offer any further information? Why? I'm open... |
@slaw Yes, I don't have this LP, but the original US pressing in 1978 was on Shelter, ABC, DA-52029. I'm still researching info on both box sets, volume 1 and volume 2. If and when I get some info regarding mastering, etc, I will post it. The info found so far for volume 1, doesn't state the source; volume 2 (all but Mojo and Hypnotic Eye) seems to be remastered from original analogue tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Studios. It also appears that the new Geffen remasters are sold in box sets only. |
Didn't mean to make anyone mad with this post just wanted to know if anyone else had these and what they thought of them. I've listen to all of box 1 and the first 4 of the second box. And as I said all the LP's are very flat no wrap at all the covers are bright glossy and have all the original inserts. Sound Stage Direct say's the first three have been Remastered since 2010. All of the LP's are very quite very little if any surface noise. The only album I've compared to these to an original is
Damn The Torpedoes and the 180 gram Lp has richer fuller bass. The vocals are clean and up front. The originals are on Leon Russell's Shelter label Vol. 1 is on
Reprise Records. Most of these are long out of print and hard to find. I just checked on ebay and a sealed copy of Wildflowers is going for $400.00. What can I say It's Top Petty on 180 gram vinyl. I also have the new Stones Mono set and these are just as good if not better. There was no book in either set giving details of the recordings. Vol. 2
contains seven albums on twelve pieces of vinyl. - Includes Wildflowers (2-LP); She's The One (1-LP); Echo (2-LP; three sides of music plus laser art etching on side four); The Last DJ (2-LP; three sides of music plus laser art etching on side four); Highway Companion (2-LP); Mojo (2-LP); and Hypnotic Eye (1-LP).
The following titles have been re-mastered for this release: Wildflowers, Echo, The Last DJ, She's the One, and Highway Companion. Mojo and Hypnotic Eye. I play my music very loud between 12 and 1 o'clock on the vol knob. The sound great very clean and crisp at max volume. I still say if your a Tom Petty fan you'll want these and not be disappointed. |
lenmc2964: Thanks for expanding somewhat on your listening impressions. My passion gets the best of me quite often so forgive me. I always appreciate members here who have hands on experience that share that for all of us to come to a more knowledgeable conclusion on , in this case, music purchases. If I remember correctly, Fremer said Box 1 was (all) from the original MCA masters? My question is, some of these were originally on Shelter. I assume Shelter maybe an offshoot of MCA? Box 1 would be THE one I have more interest in if I had to choose. I own most of box 2 as 1st pressings. FWIW: Popmarket has offered these sets, off and on, in the past for $219.00 each. |
As an aside, Soundstage Direct is my favorite lp seller. Why? Because when I have an issue with the pressing's quality, if I send a picture and an explanation, they step up to the plate and will send a brand new, inspected copy and include a pre-paid address label for the return. NO one else does this IME. This could be enough of an incentive for one to pay $30.00 more for this box set? |
Here's my evaluation of my "Damn The Torpedoes" mastered at BG by CB, on ORG. I really don't have anything for direct comparison but my decades old "gold stamped" MCA re-issue/with barcode. My best way to compare is my love of Petty and my long history in listening to him and thousands of other artists. Listening today was done at 12 o'clock through my system as follows: Townshend Rock 7, Funk Firm FXR 11 arm, Dynavector Karat D3, EAR 834P w/ volume through it's mm mode into a Bob's Devices 3440 SUT into a McCormack/SMC 225 with current updates(Ultra-15), Usher Mini Diamonds, Martin Logan Depth i (2), a well treated room. Refugee: SQ= nice well developed frequency range, overall balance feels right, no complaints. Bass is integrated into the mix very nicely, not overemphasized, Sound is analog, all the way. Here Comes My Girl: (the start)= Mid-bass is punchy, controlled and musical. Even The Loser: Nice, expansive staging, not overly wide, no issues. ....."and the beat goes on" throughout this re-mastering... It is very consistent. No feeling of songs recorded in different places/studios. And the entire lp is just like this, consistent and nice! Nothing over-emphasized. On my re-issue= the sound is in your face, hard, brittle, artificial by comparison. The soundstage is compressed by comparison as well. The Rolling Stones set is not really an equal comparison by many standards IMO. Cheers! |
The following is mostly cut and paste from various sites. VOLUME 1: Limited Edition 180g Vinyl 9LP Box Set! Cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering from Original Analog Master Tapes! Features: • Limited Edition • 9LP Box Set • 180g Vinyl • Lift-Top Box • Replica artwork • Cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering • Cut from Original Analog Master Tapes! • Pressed at QRP (all except the 1st three albums) • All except three albums were remastered for this box set; Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, You're Gonna Get It!, Damn The Torpedoes "QRP pressing plant pressed most of the MCA era box, it did not press all of it. Two of the records, the first two Tom Petty albums, reverted back to Tom, who later licensed them to Warner Brothers. So even though they are in the MCA box, the pressing was done under Warner Brothers control..." - analogplanet.com VOLUME 2: Limited Edition 180g Vinyl 12LP Box Set! Seven Classic Albums! Cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Studios! All but two LP's cut from original Master Tapes. While the original releases of Wildflowers, Echo and Last DJ were mastered for vinyl from digital sources, for the 2016 box set release, they assembled the original analog masters for the first time, and mastered vinyl from that. According to Bellman, "the sound quality is especially better on these albums." - analogplanet.com All except two albums remastered for this box set. Mojo - (2010) (2010 remaster). Hypnotic Eye - (2014) (2014 remaster). Both Digital sources for the box set. Please disregard an earlier post (above) regarding Geffen Records, it was in error. Geffen Records produced the recent greatest Hits on 180g vinyl. I remember someone posting here that the Sonics were not as good as 1st pressings or the new box sets. ORIGINAL LABELS: Shelter Recording Company Inc. Profile: Only use this profile where Shelter Recording Company Inc. is directly credited. If the release credits Shelter Records please credit Shelter Records. If the Shelter Records logo is present, then use that as the label. Known to have used Bernie Grundman Mastering for Mastering Parent Label:Capitol Records Sites:bsnpubs.com Shelter Records Profile: Shelter label appearance: • When it began in 1970, the Shelter label was red, with an egg image bearing an inverted Superman logo*. (*From mid-1972 to 1973 [the remainder of Shelter's distribution by Capitol] this part of the Shelter logo was usually overstamped [obscured] with a black rectangle in response to a copyright infringement lawsuit and later settlement with DC Comics). • After ABC took over distribution in 1974, the Shelter label was an 'S' in egg-shape circle on orange tint background, with 'Shelter' in curved black text at top. • The ABC-distributed Shelter label later became orange, with 'Shelter' in dark orange print seen in a straight line at top. • In 1978, Shelter employed the eerie orange-and-yellow tinted 'Saturn & Moon' design (the "S" egg now has a Saturn ring over it), which was later continued into the MCA era when it acquired ABC Records in 1979. (See full background on Company page Shelter Recording Company Inc.) Label Code: LC 1766 Backstreet Records Profile: Backstreet Records was an MCA Records sublabel that was active during the 1980s, but is now defunct. Vinyl releases on this label may have MCA master plate numbers on the labels -- ignore them; only use the BSR numbers. Parent Label: MCA Records Contact Info: 90 Universal City Plaza Universal City, California |
Mostly cut and paste from other sites: Along with others bsnpubs.com has a lot of good info on pressings and lables Shelter Recording Company Inc. Profile: Known to have used Bernie Grundman Mastering for Mastering Parent Label: Capitol Records Sites:bsnpubs.com Shelter Album Discography By Mike Callahan, David Edwards, and Patrice Eyries Last update: September 2, 2005 Shelter Lable: 1960's (1963?) Distributed by Blue Thumb 1970 thru 1973 Distributed by Capitol 1973 Thru 1975 Distributed by MCA 1975 thru 1979 Distributed by Capitol 1979 distributed by MCA, folded into Backstreet Lables, Petty stays with MCA During each different distributorship, many of the existing albums were reissued with new numbers, consequently many of the Shelter albums were reissued 3 or more times. The Shelter label was established in the late 1960s by Leon Russell and some friends from Oklahoma, including producer Denny Cordell and well-known studio musicians Carl Radle, Don Preston, Jesse Ed Davis, and others. Russell and Cordell were the main owners of the label and ran things. In 1976, Russell and Cordell had a falling out and Cordell ended up with sole ownership of the label. Russell and his wife Mary (McCreary) started Paradise Records (distributed by Warner Bros.) with the initial Wedding Album by Leon and Mary Russell. The Shelter label was more than a vehicle for Leon Russell records, although a large percentage of the output involved either Russell or Cordell in some way. Oklahoma legend J.J. Cale got his start with the label, as did Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Phoebe Snow, and the Dwight Twilley Band. The first release on the Shelter label was distributed by Blue Thumb, but distribution was changed to Capitol Records during the period from 1970 to 1973. The first issue, Leon Russell [Shelter SHE- 1001] had a track called "Old Masters" which was only on the initial Blue-Thumb-distributed pressings. When Capitol took over distribution, this track was deleted. The standard CD issue these days has the song, but as a bonus track. Only the DCC gold CD has the song in its original spot in the lineup. One of the interesting sidelights to this label concerns the original logo, with the inverted "Superman" emblem on an egg. Apparently, D.C. Comics, the owners of the Superman copyright, thought it was a bit too close for their liking, and the resulting settlement caused Shelter to place a black rubber stamped box or bar over that part of the logo, until a new logo and new label blanks could be produced. This started in 1972, and records pressed before that have the superman-egg logo without the bar, while remaining Capitol-distributed labels after mid-1972 had the bar across the logo. After the Capitol distribution contract ran out in 1973, Shelter went to MCA for distribution. The initial offering on MCA was Mary McCreary's Butterflies Are Free, which was released on the MCA label. Later Shelter issues distributed by MCA were placed in the consolidated 2100 series. MCA distributed the label until 1975, when ABC took over distribution. This lasted until 1979, when ABC was taken over by MCA, and Shelter once again became part of the MCA distribution system. MCA issued one J.J. Cale albums on the Shelter/MCA label, then folded the artists into their Backstreet group of labels. Cale and Tom Petty continued with MCA, but there were no more "new" releases on Shelter. When Dwight Twilley went from Shelter to Arista the initial releases had the Shelter logo on the Arista label. During each different distributorship, many of the existing albums were reissued with new numbers, consequently many of the Shelter albums were reissued 3 or more times. The first label was red red with black print. To the left of the center hole was an egg with the inverted "Superman" logo with "SHELTER RECORDS" below the egg. For SHE-1001, at the bottom of the label is "DISTRIBUTED BY BLUE THUMB RECORDS, INC." For the Capitol-distributed issues, which used the same label, at the bottom of the label is "DISTRIBUTED BY CAPITOL RECORDS, INC." Labels for issues after mid-1972 or so had a bar across the egg logo. There were several custom labels, also, such as Leon Russell's Carney (see below) and J.J. Cale's Really. These custom labels used a new logo without the "superman" emblem, with just a shakily hand drawn "S" inside an egg-shaped oval. When Shelter switched to MCA for distribution, a new label was designed. It was yellow-orange with bl;ack print, with the logo at the left of the center hole, and "SHELTER RECORDING COMPANY, INC." on three lines at the top. When ABC took over distribution, they initially used an orange label with orange print, with similar design to the MCA label, but with a small ABC logo at the right of the center hole. This was later changed to a red label with the Shelter logo with a saturn-typ ring around it at the top and a "man in the moon" figure along the left side of the label. We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Shelter Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (all of which are out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2002 by Mike Callahan. SHELTER ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] (Chart) Contents SHE-1000 Series (Distributed by Blue Thumb Records): SHE 1001 - Leon Russell - Leon Russell [2/1/70] (4-70, #60)A Song For You/Dixie Lullaby/I Put A Spell On You/Shoot Out On The Plantation/Hummingbird//Delta Lady/Prince Of Peace/Old Masters/Give Peace A Chance/Hurtsome Body/Pisces Apple Lady/Roll Away The Stone 8900 Series (Capitol Distribution): SHE 8901/SW 8901 - Leon Russell - Leon Russell [1970] Reissue of Shelter SHE 1001. Original pressings have the red label with the "superman egg" logo without a bar across it. Later pressings have the bar across both the logo on the front cover and the logo on the record label. A Song For You/Dixie Lullaby/I Put A Spell On You/Shoot Out On The Plantation/Hummingbird//Delta Lady/Prince Of Peace/Give Peace A Chance/Hurtsome Body/Pisces Apple Lady/Roll Away The Stone SHE 8902/SW 8902 - In God We Trust - Don Nix [1970] Original pressings have the red label with the "superman egg" logo without a bar across it. In God We Trust/Golden Mansions/I'll Fly Away/He Never Lived A Day Without Jesus/Nero My God To Thee//Amos Burke/Long Way To Nowhere/Iuka/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I've Tried (Trucker's Lament) SW 8903 - Leon Russell & the Shelter People - Leon Russell & Shelter People [5/3/71] (5-71, #17)Original pressings have the red label with the "superman egg" logo without a bar across it. Stranger In A Strange Land/Of Thee I Sing/A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall/Crystal Closet Queen/Home Sweet Oklahoma/Alcatraz//The Ballad Of Mad Dogs And Englishmen/It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry/She Smiles Like A River/Sweet Emily/Beware Of Darkness SW 8904 - Grease Band - Grease Band [1971] (4-71, #190) Original pressings have the red label with the "superman egg" logo without a bar across it. My Baby Left Me/Mistake No Doubt/Let It Be Gone/Willie And The Pig/Laughed At The Judge//All I Wanna Do/To The Lord/Jesse James/Down Home Momma/The Visitor SW 8905 - Getting Ready - Freddie King [1971] Original pressings have the red label with the "superman egg" logo without a bar across it. Going Down/Living On The Highway/Walking By Myself/I'm Tore Down/Palace Of The King//Same Old Blues/Dust My Broom/Worry My Life No More/Five Long Years/Key To The Highway SW 8906 - Through the Eye - Jim Horn [1972] |
Great info Brad. I can add only the following. On their drive from Florida to L.A. to pursue a recording contract, Mudcrunch stopped in Tulsa Oklahoma to talk with The Dwight Twilley Band, to get their advice and possible connections. The DTB Sincerely album had come out, and made quite an impression on Tom and the boys (as well as a lot of others). Dwight, Phil Seymour (drums & vocals), and Bill Pitcock !V (guitar) had recorded Sincerely in Tulsa, but upon relocating to L.A. themselves did their recordings at the Shelter Studio in Hollywood. Petty and crew did so as well. Listen to the first Twilley solo album, and compare it to the first TP & THB album. Hear how they both suffer from a slight "phasey" problem? The studio, and it's recording engineers Max and Noah, were not State-Of-The-Art! |
