About

What this site is

Jazz Vinyl Guide is a collector reference for people who care about how a record was pressed, not just what's on it. Each guide covers the recording history, original pressing identification, the full reissue hierarchy with verified catalogue numbers, and an honest buyer's guide by budget.

The guides are opinionated — they take positions on which pressings are best and why — but they show their working. Every catalogue number is verified against Discogs before it goes in.

How guides are structured

Every guide follows the same format: recording history and tape provenance; original pressing identification with label variants and deadwax markers; the full reissue hierarchy; the mono vs stereo debate; what makes the recording demanding on pressings; pressings to avoid; a buyer's guide by budget; and a tier summary table (S / A / B / C / D / Avoid).

Contributing

These guides are living documents. If you own a pressing we haven't covered, have a direct comparison to share, or spot an error, please contribute. Every page has an Edit on GitHub link at the bottom.

How to contribute →