DU is the font of all knowledge, which is why I am posting this.

[rzemanfl]

I need to know how Columbia LP records were packaged in Canada in the late 1960's. In the U.S. they came in a cheesy plastic bag that you tore the perforated end off of to get the record out. The bag tended to split and/or wander down to the bottom of the sleeve once it had been opened. The reason I am asking is that I bought a "sealed" (in shrink wrap) Janis Joplin LP on eBay and when I opened it the record was just in the cardboard cover with no paper or plastic sleeve. It is marked as pressed in Canada and I got it from a Canadian seller. I am wondering if someone opened this album years ago, taped the record and then put it back in the cover and re-wrapped it. I am totally happy with the record, but question whether it was sealed since it left the factory or not. Judging only from the weight of the vinyl, it doesn't appear to be a re-issue. There are other ways to date the record that I haven't followed up on yet.

If someone could answer my question, I'd really appreciate it.

[iverglas]

1. I could help you better ...

... if all of my record album covers hadn't been wrecked by water and insulation debris in an apartment fire in 1973. ;) Didn't do much for the records, either ... I asked at a local record store about buying plain replacement sleeves, and they kindly donated a bunch of sleeves they had. (Are record stores like book stores? you return only the unsold record without the sleeve, like bookstores return only the paperback cover and not the pages?) Anyhow, that's why my pre-1973 record collection consists of what looks like 3 or 4 dozen 3copies of a Deodato record 3 or 4 copies of something else I forget now.

Anyhow -- I don't recall the kind of plastic cover you mention at all -- plastic bag with a perforated end. The only kind of plastic cover I do recall is shrink-wrapped, but I'm wondering whether I'm forgetting something a little less high tech.

I do know who will know for absolute sure. My co-vivant, who played guitar in a band in the 70s. I'll email him and see what he says!

[rzemanfl]

2. What I am referring to was a plastic bag the LP came in, inside

the album cover. It was thin plastic, like a baggie. As best as I can recall, only Columbia used them in the U.S., other labels used paper sleeves, usually with advertising on them for other artists in their catalogs. Only really cheapo records sold here came from the factory just in the cardboard cover and shrink wrapped. I don't want to advertise the record on eBay as only played once if I am not sure of that, I will just call it mint. When I buy an old LP I immediately make a CD of it. Ripping old vinyl to CDs has become sort of an obsession with me. I've purchased several still sealed LPs from the late '60s and early '70s. This is the only one I have had any question about, the others were clearly factory sealed and unopened.

If your friend has an answer, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your help.

[iverglas]

3. okay ...

The c-v and I were just discussing it, and I hadn't been really clear on which packaging you meant -- outer or inner.

Paper inner sleeves is all he recalls in Toronto. Me too, also in Ontario. (I mention the province because apparently there was some rare pressing of some early Beatles album done only in Quebec and sold only in Quebec, which it has since been discovered was made from some tapes that have not been since remastered and are infinitely better ... or something ...)

What he suggested was two googles.

First, google Columbia with the actual number of your record. Like a serial number of something I guess. He said you might be surprised at what you might find.

Second, google things like Columbia audiophile 60s -- he said there are forums he's seen (but isn't personally interested in so can't recommend any) where people yammer on at great length about just such obscure things ... whether the Japanese pressing was better than the British ... etc.

He was a heavily music-invested teenager in the late 60s, I was a teenager but not very invested. My very first LPs were Freddy and the Dreamers, Simon & Garfunkel Bookends and Leonard Cohen the Suzanne album, in that order, and the last two at least were Columbia I think. I'm positive they were paper sleeves.

But neither one of us remembers an innter baggie-like thing with a perforated top!

What I have to get doing, having luckily never got around to doing it onto cassette, is recording my largish collection of 78s onto CD. Maybe you've inspired me.

[rzemanfl]

4. Thanks. The important thing to me is that there was a liner inside

the cardboard cover. I still have a few of those horrible Columbia plastic bags, although I have been getting rid of my LPs. My conclusion is that this album probably has been opened before and played (the only other explanation is that someone screwed up at the factory). I will be making efforts to try to identify its exact provenance before I list it on eBay.

Good luck with your 78's. Watch out though, it is addictive. I have over 15,000 songs in iTunes on an external hard drive and CDs all over the place.