Very interesting! Andrew from Parlogram explains the different pressings of this in his "The Beatles - German Vinyl Albums history" video. The 2nd pressing with the HörZu turntable logo and A-1/B-3 that you have is definitely what you want to see on this one. The later Apple/Electrola pressings are equally as great, being true stereo with the same matrix (and are usually cheaper & easier to find). The unmarked DMM cut from the early 80's is also fantastic. I have both and they sound amazing. Avoid the 1st pressings (and definitely the fakes too, obviously). Great video, David! Cheers 🍻
If it seems too good to be true, it just may not be. LOL I wrote my first line prior to your statement. It’s an old but true adage. Thanks so much for sharing David. Great information as always.
Loved this review. Thx. Actually I'm surprised that no one's made a commet on the Sound Guard treatment. I used that kit in the late 70s & early 80s but ran out of the fluid so haven't used in years. I've read that some people have said it leaves a residue on their records. I'm curious if you've experienced any of that?
No I have not. It actually dissipates very quickly, if you didn’t tighten the cap it would evaporate super fast. I have records with it on the surface for over 50 years and no harm.
Over the years I've bought a number of countefeit LPs originating in Europe. The results have been mixed. For xample, some years back I bought what was listed as a mint copy of the first Ash Ra Tempel album (with the fold out cover). It looked great, right down to perfect reproduction of the classic Ohr label, but was clearly a needle drop. Last year the album got an official re-release, and I picked it up. Truth be told: while the official release clearly SOUNDS much better, the cover and label reproduction on the counterfeit LOOK better. Are the counterfeiters matching the real record manufacturers in the quality control department? If so then someone needs to hire them (or maybe just RE-hire what are probably ex pressing plant staff who lost their jobs when vinyl bit the dust in the '90s).
I FOUND IT TOO... In Barcelona last year, September 2023.... it was a bootleg. There were no 180 gram records in the 1970s. This is why they are so cheap. Record store owners are not fools, and know which are the holy grails and what they go for. The bootlegs are for..... people who thought they pulled a fast one on the store.... Ha Ha Of course I didn't buy it.
The Yellow Submarine label on side 1 of your counterfeit is not even a German label (it's British), so how could that have ended on a German issue even as a mismatch? But there's one more thing you may not have known The rectangular Hör Zu in the left upper corner of your counterfeit is the original design of the the record when it came out. First copies had the Capitol mixes (that is, rechanneled stereo on some tracks) and a B-1 in the dead wax. BUT there are copies with the superb stereo with the same sleeve design, and they are the first copies pressed. ALL copies of the second sleeve design with the multi-coloured logo that looks like a mixture of a TV screen and a record player (on purpose) carry the B-3 matrix number. Apple represses after the Hör Zu contract expired have the same version, but as Electrola didn't indicate stamper numbers in the dead wax (as UK records did) they can be a generation or two removed. The earlier the better!
Well the good thing about this is you didn’t pay the prices of what a legitimate copy is going for That would be heartbreaking to pay a few hundred bucks for a counterfeit copy!!!
Maybe this isn’t a fake? There are notes on discogs and comments from users there that state B3 was the third release by Horzu in late 1972 and in real stereo all tracks. The ones with lower B numbers apparently were released in 1971 and are real stereo all side A then side B until last three tracks. So if those references on Discogs are right your more recent purchase of the album could be the first original horzu release?
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursionI agree, in that Horzu was not an audiophile company like say acoustic sounds, it was a tv program guide magazine that additionally sold random items to entice sales of the mag, so this vinyl was a special offer I guess. I think they just issued onto vinyl, tracks they were given and when better versions of the last three tracks came their way, B3 was born. MMT wasn’t officially added to Beatles catalogue until 1988, Horzu’s releases of 1970s was just a bit of fun, doubtful they expected it to be so revered nowadays. Great you have a B3 at least though! 😊
Thanks for the advice.
Very interesting! Andrew from Parlogram explains the different pressings of this in his "The Beatles - German Vinyl Albums history" video.
The 2nd pressing with the HörZu turntable logo and A-1/B-3 that you have is definitely what you want to see on this one.
The later Apple/Electrola pressings are equally as great, being true stereo with the same matrix (and are usually cheaper & easier to find). The unmarked DMM cut from the early 80's is also fantastic. I have both and they sound amazing.
Avoid the 1st pressings (and definitely the fakes too, obviously). Great video, David! Cheers 🍻
Agree-I have one of the later German Apple pressings of MMT and it’s superb.
If it seems too good to be true, it just may not be. LOL I wrote my first line prior to your statement. It’s an old but true adage. Thanks so much for sharing David. Great information as always.
Thanks David for this story. We have to be aware of things like this especially when spending a lot of money on a rare records.
Very interesting, I have sealed version of this record I got from a reputable dealer. I’ve been meaning to open. I’ll check out the cover tonight.
Thanks David ✌️
Well, did you sell/give it to your friend anyways? Great information, thanks.
I bought a 1977 German Apple A1/B3 of MMT in NYC for $10 about 6 or 7 years ago when it was still somewhat infamous. Side 2 is hard to beat.
magical misery is a good term for it, had no idea there were fakes of this album wow.
Loved this review. Thx. Actually I'm surprised that no one's made a commet on the Sound Guard treatment. I used that kit in the late 70s & early 80s but ran out of the fluid so haven't used in years. I've read that some people have said it leaves a residue on their records. I'm curious if you've experienced any of that?
No I have not. It actually dissipates very quickly, if you didn’t tighten the cap it would evaporate super fast. I have records with it on the surface for over 50 years and no harm.
Over the years I've bought a number of countefeit LPs originating in Europe. The results have been mixed. For xample, some years back I bought what was listed as a mint copy of the first Ash Ra Tempel album (with the fold out cover). It looked great, right down to perfect reproduction of the classic Ohr label, but was clearly a needle drop. Last year the album got an official re-release, and I picked it up. Truth be told: while the official release clearly SOUNDS much better, the cover and label reproduction on the counterfeit LOOK better. Are the counterfeiters matching the real record manufacturers in the quality control department? If so then someone needs to hire them (or maybe just RE-hire what are probably ex pressing plant staff who lost their jobs when vinyl bit the dust in the '90s).
We get burned but we learn from it
This is definitely on my wish list but too expensive for me to splurge on. I will probably stick with my 70s Japanese pressing.
I FOUND IT TOO... In Barcelona last year, September 2023.... it was a bootleg. There were no 180 gram records in the 1970s. This is why they are so cheap. Record store owners are not fools, and know which are the holy grails and what they go for. The bootlegs are for..... people who thought they pulled a fast one on the store.... Ha Ha Of course I didn't buy it.
The Yellow Submarine label on side 1 of your counterfeit is not even a German label (it's British), so how could that have ended on a German issue even as a mismatch? But there's one more thing you may not have known The rectangular Hör Zu in the left upper corner of your counterfeit is the original design of the the record when it came out. First copies had the Capitol mixes (that is, rechanneled stereo on some tracks) and a B-1 in the dead wax. BUT there are copies with the superb stereo with the same sleeve design, and they are the first copies pressed. ALL copies of the second sleeve design with the multi-coloured logo that looks like a mixture of a TV screen and a record player (on purpose) carry the B-3 matrix number. Apple represses after the Hör Zu contract expired have the same version, but as Electrola didn't indicate stamper numbers in the dead wax (as UK records did) they can be a generation or two removed. The earlier the better!
Well the good thing about this is you didn’t pay the prices of what a legitimate copy is going for That would be heartbreaking to pay a few hundred bucks for a counterfeit copy!!!
The label mis-match would be had enough to turn off the purchase. Caveat emptor.
Maybe this isn’t a fake? There are notes on discogs and comments from users there that state B3 was the third release by Horzu in late 1972 and in real stereo all tracks. The ones with lower B numbers apparently were released in 1971 and are real stereo all side A then side B until last three tracks. So if those references on Discogs are right your more recent purchase of the album could be the first original horzu release?
@@rizer5795 I can’t imagine a legitimate release would truncate a song by 25 seconds…
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursionI agree, in that Horzu was not an audiophile company like say acoustic sounds, it was a tv program guide magazine that additionally sold random items to entice sales of the mag, so this vinyl was a special offer I guess. I think they just issued onto vinyl, tracks they were given and when better versions of the last three tracks came their way, B3 was born. MMT wasn’t officially added to Beatles catalogue until 1988, Horzu’s releases of 1970s was just a bit of fun, doubtful they expected it to be so revered nowadays. Great you have a B3 at least though! 😊
Marked safe from fake Horzu 🚩😮💨