The Troggs RARE TEST PRESSING Mercury Pre-Production LP SEF-67566 Wild Thing WOW
$
128
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Description
This listing is for an OBSCURE, pre-production TEST PRESSING LP from The Troggs. It appears to be a VERY EARLY audio test press of the U.S release of the album "WILD THING" which was originally released in the UK as "FROM NOWHERE."
It is quite possible that only 5 or less of these had been issued... but that less than 5, if any at all, exist today! These are extremely hard to find, and this pressing, being that early, makes it obscure and perhaps a GRAIL for Troggs collectors.
*This is side A only. Side B has yet to be found.
The runout of the playable side is machine stamped 267556 A 1.
The runout of the blank side is stamped 41 M1.
These two machine stamped etchings verify that this copy was pressed from the very earliest master lacquer!
Please read through this entire post, as following the grading, is a rather detailed explanation of how I had determined what this disc is. If there any questions about the info posted, please feel free to reach out prior to bidding. I am an honest seller holding something unfamiliar, rarely seen and truly intriguing. Thanks!
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As the disc is UNTESTED, this grading is visual only. Please read fully for description, please see ALL pics, and then read the info following this grading for details!
GRADING: This copy retains a decent luster with some light to moderate marks... but based on a few more noticeable scuffs or scratches, I am grading this conservatively as G+.as a few of those scuffs are quite visible and possibly deep enough to result in skips. PLEASE SEE ALL PICS to determine condition and reach out with any questions prior to bidding.
Now to the good stuff!
Here is what I found out about this pressing through a series of online researches. To verify this info, feel free to search online using the MATRIX number 267556 A 1 on the playable side along with 41 m1 etched on the blank side. Some of the following is copied direct from AI using those and other intricate details.
INFO: The catalog number SRF-67556 (often misread as SEF) belongs to the 1966 US stereo release of Wild Thing by The Troggs on Fontana Records. A pre-production test pressing for this release would be an ultra-rare, plain-labeled copy sent to the label before mass production.
Artist: The Troggs
Album: Wild Thing
Label: Fontana Records
(US)Catalog Number: SRF-67556 (Stereo) / MGF-27556 (Mono)
Release Year: 1966
On the "B" side, which is blank, there is an etching in the runout that reads 41 M1. The markings "M1" and "41" (or sometimes read as "I I" or "I I I") stamped or etched into the runout groove are internal manufacturing, plant, and master codes from the Mercury Record Manufacturing Company, which pressed records for Fontana.
The letter "M" indicates a lacquer master disk that was produced directly from the master tapes.
1 = First Take- The "1" specifies that this was the very first master tape attempt generated for the stereo mix. Combined with your catalog number, the full sequence usually reads something like SRF-67556-A-M1 or similar, verifying that the audio on this test pressing comes from the absolute earliest production stage.
Mercury Records used specific two-digit Code 41 to denote the Mercury Record Manufacturing plant in Richmond, Indiana. This plant handles the vast majority of rare mid-1960s US Fontana promotional items and test pressings.
Why This Matters for a Test Pressing? Because it has the M1 stamper, this vinyl was pressed using the very first set of metal parts created for the album. Test pressings with an M1 designation are highly prized by audiophiles because they are pressed before the metal parts suffer any wear, resulting in the crispest possible sound quality.
If the codes are machine-stamped rather than hand-etched, it indicates a distinct phase in Mercury Record Manufacturing's standard automated production flow rather than an artisan, hand-carved master lacquer. The master engineering facility utilized an automated mechanical stamp to imprint the catalog and mix take identifiers into the master lacquer before it reached the factory floor. Because your test pressing features the automated machine-stamped M1 identifier, it confirms the factory was executing a formal, high-volume production setup calibration. It was pressed using the exact finalized mechanical mold meant for the primary retail run, serving to test the equipment alignment and audio fidelity just hours before the press.
This record features a synchronized matrix profile
Playable Side: 267556 A 1
Blank Side: 41 M1 (Machine-Stamped into the smooth vinyl)
"...This matrix combination completely authenticates your record as a 1966 single-sided, first-master calibration test pressing struck at Mercury's Richmond, Indiana plant. Because it is a verified A 1 / M1 single-sided pressing containing the legendary anthem "Wild Thing", it holds premium historical and monetary status among elite garage rock collectors!"
**Single-sided, 1st master test pressings are a Holy Grail for collectors!**
THANKS FOR VIEWING AND HAPPY BIDDING!
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