Jazz Vinyl Countdown: John Coltrane, Ballads
No, I am not thinking about getting rid of one of my all-time favorite records. No, this is a question about what to do with multiple copies. As noted in the headline, the record is: John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse 32. I have had two original pressings of this record, one a mono and one a stereo. To me, this makes sense. But recently I purchased a second stereo copy of the record, this one a reissue. I have to be honest. The reissue sounds as good as the original. So I’m going to sell my original stereo pressing, and I’m going to first offer it here at the Jazz Collector site. It’s not a high-end collectible like Blue Train, but it’s a wonderful record, beautiful and romantic with a great selection of songs. It features Trane with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.
I would grade this copy in VG+ condition. I have it on the turntable now and it is playing nice, with no surface noise on the three tracks I’ve listened to. I’d also grade the cover at VG+. Copies of this have sold for more than $100 on the Jazz Collector Price Guide. We’ll offer this one up at $45, plus our usual shipping charges of $4 in the U.S., $15 to Europe and $17 to Asia. We have one copy, so first come first served. Good luck.
Hello, So wonderful to find a site dedicated to my favorite records! Just got started perusing the content but already the BlueNote labeling info and the price guides are obviously invaluable. Looks like i got a new place to hang out, thank you! jorge, SoulJazzBass
Welcome. Glad you found us. Tell your friends.
Tempted!… but what’s the reissue? Speaker’s Corner?
I just looked. Actually, it’s just a later pressing with the green label and the gatefold cover.
Sold!
I’m not sure what happened to the e-commerce system I set up to handle sales, but, as Geraint says, the item has been sold. Thanks. — al
Coltrane was my first love jazzwise and so a fair few of my Coltrane LPs are, like Ballads, later UK Jasmine issues, bought when I knew nothing (or cared) about labels/pressings. Impulse originals don’t compare to Blue Note in quality but are nice to own nevertheless. I recently bought Ashley Kahn’s book on the label, though haven’t had the time to read it yet!
Thanks Al — will do! … The Ashley Kahn book on the Impulse! label (‘The House That Trane Built’) is superb reading and amongst the best references on the label i’ve seen published yet. Highly recommended.
which is original Ballads pressing, the one with van gelder in dead wax or the orange label with Bell Sound in dead wax?