Johnny Cash • AMERICAN RECORDINGS, Vol. 1 • 1994 orig U.S. 1st press • SEALED

$

100

Johnny Cash

•  American Recordings  •

(a.k.a. American Recordings Vol. 1, first in the “American Recordings” series)

(Attention: please see double-box packaging photos below, great effort is made to ensure that your record album arrives safely)

Original 1994 U.S. first pressing LP

Still Sealed

What this is NOT:

It is NOT the older UK reissue (of unknown tape source origin)

It is NOT the newer 180g UK reissue with “High Quality 180 Gramm Pressung” sticker (source tapes unknown)

It is NOT the newer 180g “Back to Vinyl – Classic Cash Album on 180 Gram LP” reissue (source tapes unknown)

It is NOT the so-called “unofficial repress” reissue on colored vinyl from 2010 (source unknown)

It is NOT the so-called “unofficial repress” reissue on black vinyl from 2010 (source unknown)

It is NOT Catalog # 74321 23685 1

It is NOT Catalog # 0731458679028

It is NOT Catalog # 5101-12792-1

It is NOT any version or reissue after 1994!

This IS the original U.S. first pressing, issued in the U.S. in 1994.  It’s unbelievable how many fakes, counterfeits and reissues there are of this album, just looking at what’s currently available on eBay is an amazing, confusing mess.  Making things worse, many Sellers (anywhere, not just here on "the bay") don’t (or don't know how to) distinguish an original from the later issues, whether genuine reissues or counterfeits.

I have one of the earlier (circa 2006) UK reissues, purchased before the market was flooded with counterfeits or 180g reissues.  It was sold to me by a UK seller in February 2009 as a sealed original 1994 U.S. first pressing.  The seller had a good feedback rating and probably didn’t even know it wasn’t an original U.S. pressing.  It has “A” inscribed in the deadwax on side one and “B” on side two, and nothing else.  It weighs 150 grams, considerably heavier than U.S. originals, and who knows what source tapes were used. 

The record labels look very similar, but the text on the U.S. 1994 original labels is noticeably clearer or sharper than on the early UK reissue labels in a side by side comparison. 

Even the shrink-wrap is unique to every sealed original I have seen, matching every open original I have seen that still retains its shrink-wrap.  The original is very distinctive in that on the back side, there is a wide vertical "seam" or overlap in the shrink-wrap down the middle of the back cover, slightly offset to the right (see back cover photo).  Every original 1994 U.S. example I have seen, either sealed or open with shrink-wrap intact, is like the one in my photo above.  None of the reissues I have seen have this distinctive feature to the shrink-wrap.

The original 1994 U.S. first pressing covers can be distinguished in several ways from the early UK example (see details under “Cover Condition” below) and of course the deadwax on my own (open) 1994 U.S. pressing is definitive.  It has regular record matrix information like any other standard issue Lp, not just simply “A” for side 1 and “B” for side 2 like the early UK reissue.  The original 1994 U.S. pressing deadwax says “1 – 45520 – A – SR3  DMM” and “RB Precision” on Side One, all hand etched.  The Side Two deadwax says “1 – 45520 – B – SR2  -  DMM”.  The deadwax area is much narrower between the last record groove and the label on the 1994 original, particularly on Side Two, compared to the early UK reissue, so the UK reissue is definitely not made from the same original mastering or metal work.

The album offered here is an ORIGINAL U.S. first pressing, issued in 1994, which I acquired before any of the recent reissues existed.  It is THIS issue, the 1994 original U.S. pressing, that Stereophile Magazine included in their “Records to Die For” list for 1995:

“I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, and in front of me stood a tall, heavily weathered man with a black Martin strapped across his back. He said he needed a place to rest, and had been attracted to my apartment by a Hank Williams song wafting through my open bedroom window. I invited him in, and watched and listened as the man in black tuned his guitar and began to sing.

The rhythmic thuck-thuck of the stylus in the lead-out grooves of the first side of American Recordings rudely awakened me. The recording's honesty had lulled me into that rare state of listening where the line between illusion and reality no longer exists. This album is an intimate recital of American popular music performed by one of its greatest, most persistent, and loyal advocates.” -- review by Guy Lemcoe, Google search “1995 Records to Die For page 9”. 

That was the review that led me to search out this album and listen to it for the first time.  Seems like yesterday, but it was a long time ago now.  It had the same effect on me as it did on the reviewer.  This is a GREAT record album, every song.  The kind of album you want to listen to all the way through.  It reminds me of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” or Clapton’s “Unplugged” or the first side of “Moondance” or even “Ella and Louis” in that regard, you just want it to keep going.

American Recordings, Catalog Number: 9 45520-1 american [sic]

(on spine, but be aware that the UK reissue cover shows this same number, so it is not a distinguishing characteristic)

produced by Rick Rubin

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Cover Condition: Near Mint (sealed)

No ring-wear, no seam splits, shrink-wrap sealed tight all the way around, a beautiful example of this 19 year old album still in brand new condition. 

Differences between 1994 U.S. Original and 2006 UK reissue Covers

The text on the back cover near the bottom of this sealed original matches the same clarity and detail as my open 1994 U.S. original issue, while the UK reissue has text that is a little softer and darker by comparison.  The color of the sky on the front of this sealed original has a reddish hue just like my open original, different from the UK reissues which are more of a plain gray. 

The UPC code on this sealed LP matches the number code, is the correct size, and is in the same location as on my original.  The early UK reissues (and maybe others) get the number right (which they shouldn’t, any reissue should have a unique UPC code), but the location is slightly off compared to an original, and the size is wrong.  The white UPC code box on the original is only about 2/3rd the height of the white UPC code box on the early UK reissue.  The UPC code box touches the top edge of the album on the UK reissue, but on the 1994 U.S. original, the white UPC code box  has more than 1/16” of black cover background between the top of the UPC code box and the black edge of the back cover.  If seen side by side, they are easy to tell apart.

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Update: Photo Comparison Pictures added above (only the sealed original U.S. Lp is for sale, the others are shown for comparison purposes only!):

Picture #8, three album covers: my open original is on the bottom, the sealed original in this auction is the middle album, and the early UK reissue is the top album.  Note the gray sky on the top album, compared to the reddish tint of the sky on the original U.S. middle and bottom albums.  The originals have the reddish hue.

Picture #9, close-up, two album covers: the UK reissue with the gray sky is the top album, the sealed 1994 U.S. original (reddish sky) album is underneath. 

Picture #10, three Bar Codes: my open original is on the bottom, the sealed original (the album offered in this auction) is the middle album, and the UK reissue is on top, closest to the camera.  Note the much larger size of the white Bar Code box on the reissue, and how it meets the top edge of the reissue cover, compared to the originals which have black between the top of the bar code box and the top edge of the cover.

Picture #11, two “handwritten notes” paper Inserts: my open original is on the Left (hand photo and credits side up, the "handwritten notes" are on the opposite side), the early UK reissue is on the Right.  Note the UK reissue paper insert on the Right is both smaller and yellow, as well as having a smooth shiny finish coating, compared to larger, whiter original “handwritten notes” insert on the Left, which is printed on plain paper (coarse to the touch by comparison).

Picture #12, “handwritten notes” paper Inserts, close up: my open original is on the bottom, the yellowish UK reissue is on top.  Note how much clearer the American flag and the text is on the lighter colored original, compared to the UK reissue.

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Condition:  “handwritten notes” paper Insert (handwritten notes on opposite side)

Sealed / New.  Mentioned here only to note the difference between an original and the much later (circa 2006) reissue.  The original is on light colored plain paper.  The UK reissue insert with handwritten notes is darkish yellow color and on heavy, shiny coated paper.  The upside down American flag logo and the “©1994 American Recordings.  Made in U.S.A.  9  45520-1” is actually blurry on the UK reissue insert sheet, like a poor photocopy of an original, while the text and flag logo on the original is bright and clear.

Basically, one looks fake, the other looks genuine.

Condition:  Record LP

Still sealed, factory new.

It’s Johnny Cash, on the first and best of the “American Recordings” albums, an American classic in every way.

If you like this album, you should really hear the original, authentic 1994 first U.S. pressing.

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Side One: 

1. Delia’s Gone

2. Let the Train Blow the Whistle

3. The Beast in Me

4. Drive On

5. Why Me Lord

6. Thirteen

7. Oh, Bury Me Not 

Side Two: 

1. Bird on a Wire

2. Tennessee Stud

3. Down There by the Train

4. Redemption 

5.  Like a Soldier

6.  The Man Who Wouldn’t Cry

Double-Box Packaging:

The sealed Album will be placed inside an additional new clear poly outer protective album cover, sandwiched between two album-sized cardboard stiffeners which are then carefully taped, lightly squeezing the album between the cardboard stiffener edges, enough to prevent the album from sliding up and down or side to side, preventing any seam splits to the sealed album during transit.  The album is packaged in a record LP mailer box with cardboard stiffeners and sealed.  The record mailer box is then placed inside a larger heavy cardboard (200Lb. Test) shipping box, surrounded by foam peanuts and/or bubble-wrap.  Your record album will be packaged securely and insured. (see photos below)

There is no reason to take chances with substandard packaging methods or materials!

Combined shipping available for multiple purchases to save on shipping costs.

Insurance, Tracking & Signature Confirmation:

Insurance, Tracking & Delivery or Signature Confirmation with every package.

eBay History of Record LP sales:

Most of my eBay feedback is from record LP sales and purchases, going back 12+ years.  If you click on my Feedback number and then click the “Feedback as a Seller” tab, you will see that nearly half of my total is from Sales, and nearly all of it is from the sale of vinyl record albums.  Please do check my Seller feedback comments with regard to accurate LP grading, safe packaging and timely shipping.

Feedback:

I leave positive feedback after payment is made.  If there is any problem with your package, please contact me before leaving any feedback, so that I have the opportunity to resolve the issue.  My goal is to have happy customers, positive feedback and repeat business.

Payment, Shipping and Return Details:

Payment:  I accept Paypal, and ship to the confirmed Paypal address.  Payment required within 4 days, per eBay rules.  If payment is not made in 4 days, the sale will have to be canceled and the album will either be re-listed, or may be offered to the second highest bidder if it is a regular auction listing.

Shipping and Handling Time: Items normally ship the second day after payment (excluding weekends and holidays) with email notification and tracking info.

Return Policy: If the album was damaged during shipping, or a significant error has been made in the description of condition, please contact me within 3 days of receipt and have the album returned to me within 14 days, packaged as you received it in the original shipping boxes (unless damaged) for a refund of the purchase price and original shipping.  Return shipping is the Buyer’s responsibility. 

Click on the "Shipping and Payments" tab (next to the "Description" tab) under the main photo at the top of the page for complete Return details.

Packaging Photos:

These are the packaging materials and sequence:

2) Next the album, sealed inside a standard Record Mailer box, with cardboard stiffeners (the way most sellers ship albums) is placed on the layer of foam peanuts.

3) Every side of the Record Mailer box has approximately 1” of foam peanuts for padding protection.

4) Final layer of foam peanuts, filled to the top.

5) Large outer box sealed.

6) Comparison photo #1 showing a Bob Dylan album cover (NOT INCLUDED!) on top of standard white Record Mailer box, on top of large outer shipping box.

7) Comparison photo #2 again showing a Bob Dylan album cover (not incuded!) on top of a white standard Record Mailer box, which is sitting on top of the large outer shipping box, to demonstrate how the standard Record Mailer box is barely larger than your valuable LP, providing little protection.

8) Comparison photo #3 showing side view (thickness) of standard Record Mailer box compared to the outer shipping box that I use to protect your record album.

Please see my OTHER AUCTIONS for more top condition LPs

Thank you!