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EMI PRESS ==THIS IS OUR ORIGINAL RESEARCH!== EMI done few contract pressings. Note KT on the centre of the CBS label. Narrow centre cut out gap, thin squared vinyl edge. EMI pressings usually had a push-out centre. They began pressing 45s in 1953 with HMV, MGM etc having a large USA style middle, but this was short lived & by 1954 the push out centre was normal. They gave advice how to remove the centre, usually resulting in a snapped record surely as early EMI vinyl now (53-56) is known to be a bit brittle! Solid centre EMI only began in 1966 after the initial batches used by Juke Box operators. Push out centres were on EMI pressings thru the 70s at least on the earlier pressed copies. It was cheaper not having to cut the push out seemingly.

We were asked what "LPFB" on those 1 sided 7" EMI test pressing demos from the early 50s to at least 1974 stands for. Sorry, no exact idea, though this could partly answer it. There was a Columbia "FB" 78rpm series in the mid 40s & maybe the LPFB code is a historic related one to those as they may have started using similar on 78s. As in names we give items today relating to previous incarnations of an item, it continues beyond it's original meaning. "FB" could be Face or False Back, "LP" can only be "Long Playing" not the 10" or 12" disc itself but the choice of LP (microgroove) or 78 (standard) playing stylus being on ceramic flip-over cartridges of the day. Philips early releases show 'Red 45RPM' and 'Green 78RPM'. Cartridges such as Acos had green or red dots on the cartridge to show which was 78 or LP side. Maybe a 1 sided LP has a similar code. EMI's tone was about 1KHz & Decca used a similar test tone of about 150Hz (need to record them & compare to test tones to get accurate frequencies, anyone care enough?), but they have "45-RPM-BACK" etched over something that was erased, as there is a cut-out looking recess where the wording appears.

Around 1968-69 EMI used a strange soft vinyl that can go cloudy even without the PVC sleeve sweat problem on a small amount of pressings, giving a slightly different centre contour and always with a push-out centre, but EMI it is. Seen this on SCAFFOLD Lily The Pink, Beatles hits & The Hot Chocolate Band 45s. Fortunately it was abandoned as it wears badly. It appears the same cheap mix was used again by around 1975, worn records from heavy play look really awful with grey grooves. The later 70s pressings can also show as strange cloudy streak in the vinyl that plays OK using a stereo stylus, play it with a mono one & it can sound very different!

BUCKINGHAM [Decca] and GRAMOPHLTD [EMI] codes were used on approx 1000-2000 pressings before they were replaced as worn out. Exact numbers depended on many factors naturally. A 1963 copy of the Beatles 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' still with the first label style has 'ARO' and 'APD' CODES, meaning 325th stamper on the A side and 350th on the B side (or is it 360th?). Either way, it shows over 300 stampers there was about 15% tolerance here. 1000-2000 pressings per stamper = 325,000 to 650,000 copies, though the higher seems more likely as the record sold a million very fast.

1967-1970 MGM Pressings. Seems best to put this here as MGM were licensed to EMI from 1949 to 1967. But around 1967 they became Independent, reasons why you may find elsewhere. But to us the pressing is the thing. 1967-1970 EMI looking pressings are still similar to early product & in 1968 the design changed in line with USA MGM. But there were no more Company Sleeves for MGM from 1967 until the Polydor ones from 1970-71. They just came in a plain white EMI made sleeve with a wobbly top design. The confusing & slightly Illogical thing here is a lot of the DEMOS in 1967-68 are made in a very odd way. They are just a plain white label with the basic text but not even an MGM logo or writer/publisher credits. Some escaped just like this, looking like test pressings & most had a more proper Pink/Silver MGM full texted label just lightly glued on top which is very obvious. A waste of money making 2 sets of labels surely & applying another by hand! Anyone know why?

ˆ1968 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1969 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1967 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1964 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1970 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1961 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1965 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1964 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1968 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1968 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1961 EMI CONTRACT
ˆ1967 EMI CONTRACT