ROLLING STONES ACETATE 45 "HAPPY"
$
500
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Description
Extremely RARE ACETATE of Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones 45, "Happy", from the "Exile On Main Street" LP. This is the one and only aectate in my collection, and I've had it over 12 years.
Acetates, also known as masters or reference discs, are usually black and 7" to 12" in diameter. However, while most records are made of vinyl, acetates are made out of aluminum coated with cellulose acetate; thus, while they look like records, they weigh approximately five times as much. The cellulose acetate for these lacquers is made at a very high level of quality control. Acetates are very expensive to manufacture, there fore record companies normally make only five copies of any one record.
An uncut aceatate, or "blank", is sent to the mastering lab where it is placed on the turntable of an electronic lathe system. The master tape, after editing and equlization, is played through the lathe system and electronically transmitted to the cutting needle so that the music literally "cyts" microscopic wiggles (analogous to the sound waves that they represent) directly into the acetate coating. Because of this direct cutting from the master tape and high quakity of the cellulose, the sound is substantially better than a record.
Acetates are made for two reasons, the most obvious being that they are first in the transfer of music from an electronic signal to the actual pressed record. The second reason for acetates is to allow the musicians and producers to hear what the finished record will sound like without going through the time and expense of plating and pressing. After all, thay may decide that they don't like a particular version of a song and change it or not release it at all.
I have never played the acetate, so I have no idea what it sounds like, but it's obviosly been played a few times. It has some scuffs on it that look like they're from going in & out of a sleeve numerous times, but all in all, it's in nice condition, and I'd grade it VG.
Acetates rarely come up for auction or sale. Here's your chance to make a nice addition to your collection.
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