[78-L] RCA matrix coding - date

[David Lennick]

Here it is.

On 9/4/2001 2:18 PM, J. E. Knox wrote:
> Greetings from FixitLand!
>
> Please pardon me, listers, if someone else beat me to this answer. I'm about ten Digests in arrears here.
>
> Arthur H. Zimmerman posted back on Sept. 1,
>
>> In 1943, RCA began using different matrix number series.  The first two
>> characters will usually indicate year in which matrix was cut, not
>> necessarily the year in which is was recorded.  First letter indicates
>> decade, the digit following indicates year of the decade.  Thus D6 = 1946
>> / E3 would be 1953 / F0 would be 1960 / etc.
>
> Almost right. Good point to note about date of matrix cutting, not necessarily of recording or performance (though mostly the same). But "F0" is not 1960, and in fact was never used. In 1955 the system was changed so that instead of two characters denoting the year, such as E3 for 1953 as you correctly note, only one character was used, starting at F. Thus Fxxx-xxxx is a 1955 master, Gxxx-xxxx is a 1956 recording, etc. The second character becomes a series or account code, usually '2' on a black-label RCA Victor issue, '1' for Red Seal; many others. The records speak for themselves, having matrix numbers on labels and in the wax.
>
> It's like this:
>
> E0 through E4 = 1950-54 [that's E-zero, of course, not E-OH]
> F = 1955
> G = 1956
> H = 1957
> J = 1958 ('I' not used)
> K = 1959
> L = 1960
> M = 1961
> N = 1962
> P = 1963 ('O' not used)
> R = 1964 ('Q' not used)
> S = 1965
> T = 1966
> U = 1967
> W = 1968 ('V' not used)
> X = 1969
> Z = 1970
> A = 1971 (letters wrap around here; not to confuse with A = 1920s, which actually WAS done in the 1940s on certain reissues!)
> B = 1972
>
> Somewhere around '73 or so the whole system changes again, whereby the "matrix number" becomes the catalog number or some such. But it's not on 78s, so who cares?   :-S
>
> The other characters in these matrix numbers have changing meanings as well. I understand Dr. Biel has discussed them at length.
>
> Take care,



On 11/1/2014 10:38 PM, David Lennick wrote:
>
> D is 40s, E is 50s, and then it changed in 1955 as Royal said. Joe Knox sent
> the entire list a few years ago. I'll see if I can find it.
>
> Also, in the early 50s some nutbar* at Victor decided that dubbed masters of
> old recordings should now carry the numbers they'd have had if the company had
> been using that system in the 1910s, so you'll find reissues with numbers like
> B5-xx-xxxx. I wonder what they did with recordings made before 1910?
>
> dl
>
> (*Hey..maybe it was Joel Whitburn!)
>
> On 11/1/2014 10:13 PM, Thomas Stern wrote:
>>
>> Thanks Royal,
>>     Can you elaborate on the 1954 date.
>>     I have a Peggy Seeger record:
>> Signet FL 5401  10 Inch E4-KL-5907/5908
>> Peggy Seeger Courting And Complaining Songs.
>>
>> This was reissued on FOLKWAYS FP 49                          10" LP 1955,
>> SONGS of COURTING and COMPLAINT, later as FOLKWAYS FA 2049 (FP 49) 10" LP
>> 1962
>>
>> On the SIGNET album does the "E" indicate 1954 ???  How early in 1954 did
>> RCA start
>> using this code???
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Best wishes, Thomas.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
>> [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Royal Pemberton
>> Sent: Saturday, November 1, 2014 8:50 PM
>> To: 78-L Mail List
>> Subject: Re: [78-L] RCA matrix coding - date
>>
>>
>> The first system was used from 1942 to 1955 (or end of 1954?), the second
>> one 1955 to approximately 1962, the third from then on until approximately
>> 1973.
>>
>> On Sun, Nov 2, 2014 at 12:45 AM, Thomas Stern<sternth at attglobal.net.invalid
>>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> When did the matrix prefix codes on RCA pressings
>>>
>>> using a letter to indicate date begin ???
>>>
>>> Was it 1950 "A"
>>>
>>> Most writeups about this start at 1955 "F"  ...
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Thomas.
>>>
>>> _____________________
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