CRAFT Recordings ONE Step vinyl small batch

Recently mentioned at Analogplanet, now available for preorder (I ordered mine, although I already have a few releases :wink: )

Limited to 1000, be quick.

Small Batch – Craft Recordings

@jazznut, thanks for the heads up. Lush Life is now on order. I picked up the Craft Coltrane Prestige '58 CD box set and vinyl as well. While the music was excellent the vinyl was not. Recommended on CD only. Hopefully Lush Life is up to the standard of the MoFi One Step releases.

Sold out in an hour

I consider myself fortunate.

…and it’s GONE

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Just a quick ask to folks like @jazznut and @weedeewop

I can imagine this sounds great - do you have any other pressings you’d compare to as a favorite?

I’m just weighing the options to pursue on the secondary market. Is the sound to value there vs say the AP pressing I have cut by Kevin Gray.

I have stepped back from Craft Recordings due to their marketing model. I went on line placed records in my cart submitted my order, it timed out and that was it no availability. This was at the time of announced availability. Also their pressing quality for the price is not great, with a tendency for noisy surfaces. Reminds me of the issues Classic Records went through with noisy surfaces. I’d call it the Rice Krispies syndrome. YMMV.

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The Lateef release is a must, the Lush life depends…here my observations for Lush Life vs. the AP 45 RPM:

The AP has a richer and more spherical/3D sax tone as well as a more prominent, softer (but still well controlled and vibrant) bass.

The Craft has a leaner sax tone and bass with the EQ focussing more on drums and piano. In less well bass controlled setups the Craft may sound tighter and more controlled than the AP, in my setup the AP sounds just right, too. The Craft clearly separates the drums and piano from the sax better front/back and sounds more transparent while the AP in comparison images everything more as a mixture of instruments.

Cymbal sound of both is quite comparable here.

Track: I hear a rhapsody

The AP sounds better balanced with its richer tone and little stronger bass here. Cymbal sound has better resolution compared to the Craft, which has a tape dropout in the cymbals (the AP has not) and a generally slightly tape-wear-like distorted cymbal sound in comparison.

Track: My final thoughts

I’d prefer the CRAFT on probably several tracks due to its more transparent front/back soundstaging and immediacy, but it’s obvious, that although the ONE STEP process or Grundman’s meanwhile improved mastering chain (compared to Kevin Gray’s old and meanwhile also upgraded one) seems to enable a “technically” better sound quality, the tape suffered and makes the AP clearly superior on other tracks with a tonality, bass groove and sax tone I’d generally prefer a bit to the Craft’s.

So I’d switch between the two. On the tracks without tape wear I’d enjoy the Craft’s obviously better transparency while on the others the AP’s better tape quality, top end resolution, sax tone and bass focus.

Owners of the AP who missed the Craft don’t have to cry, they have a gorgeous release, too and an at least equally essential one imo.

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I also don’t like their marketing model and their too little pressings which mainly go to resellers on eBay.

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Appreciate the detailed feedback.

Just got a couple of t shirts from them pretty good quality

Just got “Small Batch” Miles Davis’ “Relaxin”, numbered 1732.
Record is now relaxin in it’s jacket waiting for them to reply to my complaint of defective vinyl. It has a splattering of dimples in the vinyl. And the sq is brighter, livelier, but that brightness makes Miles’ muted horn quite grainy and piercing. Not better than my “nothing special” copy. EDIT–Actually, not as good as my nothing special" copy.

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Im eager to see myself how it sounds as soon as it arrives. Grundman not rarely masters bright, but lately he did well, also with the previous CRAFT. But also the Coltrane was not as rich sounding as the AP 45RPM. In this case more a matter of bass than treble.

I purchased a copy as well, but have yet to inspect it. Had previous issues with they reissues, and was a bit reluctant, but hey it’s Miles so I gave it a shot. Hopefully they provide a playable copy quickly.

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Just got notice from Concord (Craft) that a replacement is on it’s way. Yay!

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Best of luck with yur replacement, I have yet to play mine. With the particularly fine weather, indoor activities are less of a priority. We hit 97F yesterday, whew!