In response to the recent three consecutive blog posts on the original Born To Run US 7-inch variants, an expert and dedicated record collector from 45cat (whose comments found on this tremendous 7" resource website were cited here on this blog) has kindly sent me an e-mail message providing the accurate and detailed information on the US Columbia styrene and vinyl 7" discs. As the info is valuable and useful for readers of this blog, it is reprinted here upon the permission.
"Styrene labels were what, on a few label sheets I've investigated, were characterized as "heat seal," that is, glued onto the record, while vinyl labels were deemed "compression," with them losing about ~0.5% of its original size when stamped onto the record."
Thank you, B.W.!
I wish to amend what I'd said about the styrene labels (though not seen here). Going by caliper measurements of samples I have, most such labels were printed on 70 lb. C1S stock; very few were 60 lb., and those that were, were mainly for promos if at all. And on vinyl, depending on when pressed and other factors (i.e. a deep groove or indented pressing ring), vinyl "compression" labels lost between 0.5% and 0.7% of their original size.
ReplyDeleteSanta Maria, meanwhile, varied between using 70 lb. C2S and 70 lb. Dull for their paper stock - label blanks usually printed (up to at least the late '70's) by The Bert-Co Enterprises (on the East Coast, Queens Litho and Keystone Printed Specialties handled label blank printing for Columbia).
Thank you so much for the further interesting information. I have an elementary question regarding paper coating, C1S (Coated One Side) and C2S (Coated Two Sides), in record manufacturing. What is the advantage of using C2S (i.e., Santa Maria pressings) for record labels? Record labels only need to be printed on one side. Just curious.
DeleteThis appears to have been Columbia's way of distinguishing label paper between "heat seal" for styrene and "compression" for vinyl. C1S was used for the former because it was on the uncoated side that the adhesive (known in the paper industry as "gummed") was added to the back that would form as a glue when pressed onto the styrene 45. C2S (and occasionally, Dull Coated) - not only used on Santa Maria 45's but also on LP's from all plants - had a smoothness when pressed onto the record that would not have been possible with certain types of C1S - namely, Kromekote CC1S (Cast Coated 1 Side) which back side resembled Vellum (which was coarser in its texture than Offset, another type of uncoated paper stock) - and why, on vintage 1950's and '60's albums and some 45's pressed with such paper, the super-shiny surface seemed rather bumpy. (Notably on Bob Dylan's first five albums' original pressings.)
DeleteAs of the time Bruce first joined Columbia, C2S paper for LP and Santa Maria 45 labels was manufactured by Newton Falls Paper Mill, while the C1S for styrene 45's was made by Nashua Corp. (formerly Nashua Gummed & Coated Paper Co.). (LP jackets' paper - those done in the old-style "tip on" format, rather than "print-on-board" as perfected by Shorepak [Shorewood Packaging] - was usually 70 lb. C1S, though Bert-Co often did back sides with uncoated Offset paper.)
Besides what I brought up about label blank printers, it is also possible that, in the last few years of the Santa Maria plant (closed Dec. 4, 1981), Columbia was using Stoughton Printing of City of Industry, CA to print label blanks. (I'd been in touch some years ago with Jack Stoughton, Jr., and he mentioned Columbia stipulated their Newton Falls paper be used to print labels for Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album, which Stoughton Printing handled for "the Coast.") In addition, from late 1976 to its closure Santa Maria alternated between vinyl and styrene in their pressings of 45's. I have at least one single from that plant in two copies, each pressed in those different ways.