Maybe you recognize it. First you had CDs. Then an iPod. And in recent years, Spotify handled everything — neat metadata included, and if you were lucky, lossless audio — but it also chose what you listened to in the evening. And yet, you now have a record player at home again. Logical. Playing a record is something you do yourself: needle on, cover in your hands, listen to one side. No algorithm takes over.
But then you're in the store. Two copies of the same album. One €18, the other €180. Same cover, same songs. How is that possible? It's due to the difference between a first pressing and a repress. We'll take you on a journey through soul, funk, and jazz.
How do you know which one you're holding?
The cover usually doesn't reveal it. You have to look a little closer — and that detective work is precisely what makes it fun. Connoisseurs look at the deadwax, the deep groove in the label, and on Blue Note, a small P that only appears on the oldest copies. If you see RVG or Van Gelder scratched into the vinyl, then you know enough.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot. You don't have to memorize it. Just ask in the store.
Why is that one so much more expensive?
It comes down to three things: how rare the record is, how good it sounds, and how much status it has. A first pressing of a classic in good condition can easily cost tens to hundreds of euros; a true rarity can run into the thousands.
The most famous example comes from soul: Frank Wilson – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) from 1965. The record was supposed to be released by Motown, but was canceled at the last minute. Almost all copies disappeared; one remaining copy was sold years ago for about £25,000. For Northern Soul enthusiasts, this is the holy grail.
But rest assured: for a few tens, you can now get beautiful new releases. If you're mainly interested in the music, you really don't have to spend a lot.
Pay attention to the color
Color says a surprising amount. The design of a label changed over the years, so you can often immediately tell whether a record is old or new. And that bright blue or marbled copy in your cabinet? Almost certainly a newer release — beautiful to look at, and in practice, you won't hear any difference.
The Japanese strip
If you come across a Japanese pressing, check if the OBI is still wrapped around it. If you find one with that strip still attached, grab it.
Mono or stereo?
In the 1950s and 60s, many records were released in two versions: mono and stereo. For old jazz, many collectors have a distinct preference, and that preference is reflected in the price.
Does the first pressing really sound better?
Not always — and that surprises people. An original record can sound great, but a sixty-year-old copy that has been played a thousand times can also be tired and crackly. Then you're paying for the history, not for the sound.
At the same time, many new reissues are really very good: careful new mastering can work wonders. Take the Blue Note Tone Poet and Blue Note Classic Vinyl series, or the beautiful releases of soul classics like Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and funk like Funkadelic's Maggot Brain.
Spotlight: 1973
If you want to pick one year where it's really worth seeking out the original pressing? Take 1973. Soul, funk, and jazz beautifully came together that year. A few examples:
- Stevie Wonder – Innervisions — with Higher Ground and Living for the City.
- Marvin Gaye – Let's Get It On — sultry and warm.
- Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters — the album that fused jazz and funk.
- The Isley Brothers – 3+3 — with that unforgettable guitar in That Lady.
- Donald Byrd – Black Byrd — at the time, Blue Note's best-selling album ever.
- Funkadelic – Cosmic Slop and Kool & the Gang – Wild and Peaceful for pure funk.
Original records from this year have their own atmosphere: warm mixes and that recognizable 70s printing on the cover.
So: what should you buy?
There's no right or wrong answer. If you just want to enjoy playing records and get good sound for your money, a neat new release is usually the smartest choice. If you're looking for real history — the smell of a 1973 cover, an original that tells a story — then the hunt for the first pressing is exactly what makes this hobby so much fun.
Either way: needle on, pour something, and the music will do the rest.