However, often times record shops would seal the records themselves upon receipt. Sealed Albums - Record albums in Britain were never sealed in shrink wrap by either Columbia or Harvest Records.Scan codes: Scan codes on album covers made their appearance in the early 1980s, either in 1980 or 1981.These vinyl pressing plants were closed down in the early 1990s and everything since then has been subcontracted out. Record Pressing Plants - All EMI Records in the 1960s through the 1980s were pressed at their Uxbridge Road pressing plant in outer London, known as the EMI Village.If you have a record with matrix information that is not listed here, please send me the information!*** ***The matrix information listed in this discography is not complete. Later pressings may have stamper numbers in combination, such as "AL" which means 38. Stamper Codes: The stamper codes used by Columbia/EMI Records are based on "Gramophone Ltd." and are as follows:Įxample: A record with a "G" stamper letter indicates that the record was made from the first stamper.
And the lacquers are cut from the master tapes. SHVL 765 A-2G is the lacquer master number (this includes the catalog number SHVL 765).(usually found at the 9 o'clock position)Įxample: The matrix information, SHVL 765 A-2G G 1, found on side one of the first issue of the Harvest Records pressing of The Madcap Laughs indicates: (usually found at the 3 o'clock position) Matrix Information: Matrix information is the letters and numbers etched into the vinyl near the label in the runoff groove at the end of each side of a record.In approximately 1982, the text around the edge of the labels was changed to end with: "Manufactured in the U.K. Ltd." text around the edge of the labels was changed to: "EMI Records Ltd."