Comments on: A New Standard for United Artists Blue Notes?

By: Gregory L Scails

Gregory L Scails — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:39:30 +0000

I have bought and sold big ticket items in the past. For example, in the late 90s, early 80s, I remember finding original pressings of “Giant Steps”, and “Kind of Blue”, for a fraction of what they sell for now. Hardly anybody wanted Liberty or United Artists pressings unless they were in the $20 or less range. No more. Depending on the title, I’ve seen them go for upwards of $100!, especially tougher titles like “Blue Lights”, and Jutta Hipp. I think that normal everyday collectors have been largely priced out of the first/early pressing market which has created a domino effect of creating upwards pressure on later pressings. Then again there are alot of things that I can’t get for the same price that I could a few years ago. Why should later pressings be any different?

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 21:29:07 +0000

I buy non-NY Blue Notes routinely due to cursed budgetary restraints. I’ve found the UA’s to have acceptable sound, and I often prefer them to Libertys or later ’70s pressings. Having said that, I would never dream of spending over $30 for one (at absolute most). I guess iI’ll need to update my dreams…

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:09:04 +0000

😉

By: Gregory The Fish

Gregory The Fish — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:51:11 +0000

re: “only a cynic”:

i’m laughing. it took me a minute to get the subtlety.

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:03:05 +0000

I think it is crystal clear, folks: a lot of people right now probably think that the prices for UA copies will only go up from now on and probably all of them think: “get ’em for cheap for as long as it lasts.”
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Once the majority of all of today’s cheap UA copies has been bought up by scalpers who think they’re making a *cough* smart investment, we will only find more and more UA reissues that will be out of reach for those who could otherwise have afforded them instead of the real Blue Notes.
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Or am I too depressing now?

By: gandi

gandi — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 11:30:44 +0000

Al, would you remember the higher price of a UA pressing on your watch list? How about his one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JUTTA-HIPP-WITH-ZOOT-SIMS-BLUE-NOTE-1530-MONO-UA-NM-PRISTINE-/131079260569?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item1e84eec999&nma=true&si=EuAJhrOA6bxJ2f5H1%252FbKjhFE7LI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_1067wt_1219

By: migkiller1971

migkiller1971 — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 03:16:07 +0000

I have plenty of the UA Mono pressings and they vary greatly. I have this johnny griffin and 78 bucks is crazy and the pressing is ok not great.

By: pastime253

pastime253 — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 02:36:51 +0000

I’m interested to see what the T Monk gets. I recently sold mine and got $1,100 for it…It’s a fantastic record and I hated to let it go! But I’ve been thinning out my collection lately.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 01:26:41 +0000

Problem with these mono UA pressings is I don’t think any of them use the original stampers. I had a few stereo UA pressings without Van Gelder’s mark and they were noticeably inferior to the Van Gelder cuts.

By: Joe L

Joe L — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 22:33:41 +0000

I’m not sure if that auction result is typical for other UA reissues. I think it’s just such a rare and desirable record, and someone got a little excited. I will only believe if we begin to see $100 results for UA pressings of more common BNs.