đź“Ł News Carpenters: "The Vinyl Collection"

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Hi, it's taken my other half a couple of phone calls and an email to get it refunded. That said, I may be being slightly premature as it hasn't landed on the account as yet! Time will tell. I would definitely give them a ring though.
I'm in the early stages of getting my bank involved, but they said it could take a couple of months. I hadn't bothered ringing because I'd read that they don't answer their phone! I'll start ringing them tomorrow so, thanks a million, Siobhán.
 
Hi, just wondering how you managed to get your refund from Spin? I've sent several stern msgs through their website but to no avail. Any tips would be greatly appreciated Would love to get the collection from Amazon US once I have my money back. Thanks

You really have to be vigilant and hassle the hell out of them to get your money back, my refund was for two box sets so In effect it was twice as hard. The reason for this I was told is that due to the amount of refund being so high (£260), it had to be authorised by head office!!!. You really have to email them at least three times a day, also mention that trading standards will become involved via email possibly if a refund isn’t immediately processed, they know what they are doing. I know this is all drastic but it really is the only way to get your money back quickly. Spin don’t want to refund you that’s a fact as they already haven’t done so in good time and unilaterally. Sad I know but it’s how they work. Obviously you want your money back as we all did but they really won’t refund you quickly unless you phone constantly ( three times a day ) and email them likewise, I told them that the item was for a present (was) and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Try this chap direct he’s the head man and does seem to sort things out in the end

[email protected]

It really is sad that they don’t just refund after a few days but they told me they won’t be getting any of the box set as there was a supplier issue, they did refund in the end but it really put me off buying from small scale operations now.
 
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I would too if I were buying it, honestly. Even if you decided to re-sell it, someone might just get mad at you because of defects they'd find. If you mean to keep it anyway, why not open it?

Ed

not a chance on earth of ever selling any of my stuff, but you do have a point :)
well, I finally opened it :righton:
I couldn't stand the thought of owning this album, to discover later down the line that it was a mess ....... but it isn't!
perfect in every single way and the quality of the vinyl is simply outstanding and on a par with the Japanese albums :) not a blemish, scratch or mark, so very happy.
now I`ve opened it, I might even give it a spin, see what it sounds like, or should I say, hear what it sounds like.

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On the Now and Then album, is the title/logo a "sticker" or is it printed on the cover?

If they were really sticklers for detail, it won't be printed on the cover itself - the original cover just had the photo with nothing printed on it.
 
You really have to be vigilant and hassle the hell out of them to get your money back, my refund was for two box sets so In effect it was twice as hard. The reason for this I was told is that due to the amount of refund being so high (£260), it had to be authorised by head office!!!. You really have to email them at least three times a day, also mention that trading standards will become involved via email possibly if a refund isn’t immediately processed, they know what they are doing. I know this is all drastic but it really is the only way to get your money back quickly. Spin don’t want to refund you that’s a fact as they already haven’t done so in good time and unilaterally. Sad I know but it’s how they work. Obviously you want your money back as we all did but they really won’t refund you quickly unless you phone constantly ( three times a day ) and email them likewise, I told them that the item was for a present (was) and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Try this chap direct he’s the head man and does seem to sort things out in the end

[email protected]

It really is sad that they don’t just refund after a few days but they told me they won’t be getting any of the box set as there was a supplier issue, they did refund in the end but it really put me off buying from small scale operations now.

Thanks Wayne, it's going to cost me ringing them incessantly from Ireland but it must be done, they're not getting away with it. Thanks for all the help. Siobhán
 
I'm glad to hear some of you are getting better pressings however from the label pic above of Now & Then posted by Carpenters Collector it's clear to see some of the problems have not been corrected. The flashing is still present and the label has rips and tears around the hole, I also see tiny dents to the vinyl under the label near the hole. I also had that on mine but it was worse. I just hope you all realize that if your getting these sets now they are not the re-pressings.

I am happy to report that I got fully refunded for my defected set. If I was even remotely thinking of getting this set again I would be waiting at least 3 or 4 months to be sure I got the re-pressings. If your going to pay $12.00 to $15.00 and LP you deserve to have clean labels. While I'm happy for Carpenters Collector, I personally would not have accepted that Now & Then label as it would constantly remind me of the issue Universal admits to producing. After re-visiting all my original LP's and seeing how clean the hole punches and labels are and how much better the original vinyl sounds over this remastered classics version...I'm happy to report I'm sticking with my originals.
 
On the Now and Then album, is the title/logo a "sticker" or is it printed on the cover?

If they were really sticklers for detail, it won't be printed on the cover itself - the original cover just had the photo with nothing printed on it.
My original Now & Then (in 1973) had their logo and album title printed on it. It never was a sticker (to my knowledge). There were other Now & Then stickers, of course; the song titles on the back, and the "hit single(s)" stickers.
 
It’s now 108 dollars on amazon.com, I am very tempted to order another copy at that price as the copy I got from them is pretty
near perfect.
The only minor quibble is a couple of the centre holes are a bit tight but that was easy sorted.
 
On the Now and Then album, is the title/logo a "sticker" or is it printed on the cover?

If they were really sticklers for detail, it won't be printed on the cover itself - the original cover just had the photo with nothing printed on it.

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Mike are you referring to the logo top centre of the cover or that gold sticker bottom right? Because on my original 1973 vinyl copy, the logo/album title top centre is also printed on the cover. Without it I don’t think anyone would have known this was a Carpenters album...
 
Returned to Cardiff branch of the HMV record store today for the first time since before Christmas. Still no sign of the Carpenters vinyl box set. (Sting’s vinyl box set has been on the shelf for a while, not shifting. Weighs a ton!). Carpenters individual albums are selling. A Song For You, Now & Then, Singles 1969-1973, Horizon are no longer in the racks, guessing that they have been sold. That leaves Ticket To Ride, Close To You, Passage still unsold. Also Carpenters (Tan album) has appeared since Christmas and remains unsold.(Price tag of £35:99!) Wondering if A Kind Of Hush or Made In America will make an appearance. If I was to buy the albums individually, (not going to happen), I would not purchase Voice Of The Heart or Lovelines as I don’t consider them true studio albums.
 
Mike are you referring to the logo top centre of the cover or that gold sticker bottom right? Because on my original 1973 vinyl copy, the logo/album title top centre is also printed on the cover. Without it I don’t think anyone would have known this was a Carpenters album...

I have to retract my statement on that.... I could have SWORN that the original album came with no logo or title on the front cover, but instead had the logo and title on a sticker. (Lots of albums in that era were that way.... for "artistic reasons" the cover artist didn't want to clutter up the cover image with text, I guess). But I went and dug out my original album cover to check it out, and there was the logo printed on the cover, just like in your picture.
 
I have to retract my statement on that.... I could have SWORN that the original album came with no logo or title on the front cover, but instead had the logo and title on a sticker. (Lots of albums in that era were that way.... for "artistic reasons" the cover artist didn't want to clutter up the cover image with text, I guess). But I went and dug out my original album cover to check it out, and there was the logo printed on the cover, just like in your picture.

Maybe you’re thinking of Horizon - that’s the one with the logo and title as a removeable sticker. The difference being that on that one, you knew exactly whose album it was due to to beautiful up close photo of them both :wink:
 
I don’t remember if I mentioned the final info that I received from UMG regarding the bad albums.

The last email told me that I only need to destroy the albums with issues and provide pictures of those destroyed albums. Once they have the proof that I destroyed those albums, my info will be put in a list to receive a new box set.

I plan to break them this weekend. How weird that will be for me.
Jonathan
 
received another of the new re-releases today, the singles and I`m very happy with it. love the leaflet inside and whilst there are some `rough` edges around the edge of the vinyl, it was spot on otherwise :)
 
So glad I took a chance and ordered the boxset.
I have listened to them all and they all sound perfect.
It is great to go back and listen to them all again as I doubt I would have got round to listening to them all straight away if there had not been all these problems with the set.
 
Tony ordered from Amazon USA , consequently a few others from the UK - Sue and myself included have done the same. The box set is now reserved for Amazon Prime members only (I ain’t a prime member but it’s only $111), I Paid $131 I think but I don’t know how the prime membership works I think you may have to pay for that?.

If your a prime member then happy days, but you have to order direct on the Amazon.com site not Amazon.co.uk as it would take you to the monstrously expensive UK import at ÂŁ316.
 
After considerable thought, I returned one my two boxes to Amazon (tough, as both were gifts from family members), did a careful assessment of my original LPs and covers, and replaced imperfect titles with minty originals with (when possible) covers still sealed or in opened shrink.

Best “Get”? A sealed US “Singles 69-73,” complete with hype sticker ... from France, for $43 (including shipping).

The point: Unlike the remasters, they aren’t nearly as likely to skip or pop, the spindle holes won’t need to be broken open upon first play, the giant UMe logo won’t be there to remind me of all the new first-pressing nightmares.

(Seems I was more annoyed by the lack of precisely reproduced covers, the lack of A&M company sleeves, incorrect fonts on labels, and the booklet typos than most.)

My way, I’ll have a “Singles” booklet without typos, each album that didn’t have lyric sleeve will have an authentic A&M company sleeve (excepting “Old Fashioned” and “Lovelines”). “Passage” will sound like ... “Passage.” And making “Those Good Old Dreams” a reality: It really will be “Yesterday Once More,” with original Lp versions all around.

Set #2 will be replaced when UMe has the flawless new pressings ready. (And fingers crossed.)

With all the drama, was anyone else inspired to refresh their collection of original LPs?

Gotta say: cost me more time and, ultimately, more money, than if I’d waited for the Amazon price drop.

But it was FUN! Going to take me a year to pay off, but what the heck?
 
Yes I bought mine from Amazon.com.
I have since ordered another one at ÂŁ106.
I have listened to every LP and the sound is great with no problems.
I know there have been problems with this set but I can only go by mine and it’s perfect in every way apart from a couple of tight spindle holes which were soon sorted.
 
Mine has now arrived from USA and I'm very excited to start playing them over the weekend. Fingers crossed I've got a good set!
 
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