Motown Hit Singles Price Question

[daviddesper]

I am sure most of you are familiar with the series of releases that Motown put out that included all the A and B sides for all their singles that were released within a given time frame. The series was titled Motown Complete Singles.

I have never purchased any of these due to the cost, but today I was reading an issue of Goldmine, and one of the dealers [[Disc Collector-Page 43 of the May issue) is advertising the January 1959-January 1961 collection for only $14.99.

Since that didn't seem possible, I double-checked on some other websites and it is priced at least $70 on all of those. Also this ad says that it is a 4-CD set with 99 tracks, but the other sources list it as a 6 CD set with over 150 tracks. Can any of you explain these discrepancies?

[calvin]

David, Volume 1 does indeed have 6 cds, with 27, 27, 26, 27, 24, and 24 tracks - 155 total. Even if his set is missing 2 cds, any 4 of those cds would have at least 101 tracks. Volume 2 is the only set with just 4 cds, but it has 112 tracks.

[daviddesper]

I have never ordered from Disc Collector but I always visualized it as a big-time mail order business as opposed to just one person. They have a huge ad in Goldmine every month and as a general rule have what appears to be some great stuff. I will quite often read about something on there before I hear about it any place else. So other than this mystery, I have always considered it a great resource. That is why this was so puzzling.

[jboy88]

Unless you're a completist or just want the whole Motown experience, I'd invest in one of the later volumes say 4-10. The first volume IMO, is the weakest in the collection.

[soulster]

That's probably why it's so cheap: no one wants it. Not only that, you can download the sets
[[in lossless CD quality) on Pono. Of course you don't get the liner notes or the 45 with a download, but a lot of people just don't care about that stuff anymore.

[calvin]

Most likely it was just a mistake [[as both the number of cds and number of tracks are wrong). I'm all for lossless downloads, but the books that come with the Complete Motown Singles sets are definitely worth having. It could be that these come with the downloads as pdf files, which would be great, but I doubt it. No booklets are mentioned on Qobuz for these sets, though they were mentioned for other sets I bought that did have them, for example "Funny Girl" and "Baby It's Me [expanded]".

I already have the physical sets, but if there are pdf versions of the books, I'd love to have them.

[thomas96]

I'd recommend buying all the actual singles and a nice player.

[soulster]

I'd recommend buying all the actual singles and a nice player.

A--- a nice turntable and cart. I know you didn't suggest it, but it always bears repeating: for the love of God: stay away from that Crossley garbage!

[calvin]

That's probably why it's so cheap: no one wants it. Not only that, you can download the sets [[in lossless CD quality) on Pono. Of course you don't get the liner notes or the 45 with a download, but a lot of people just don't care about that stuff anymore.

I just checked - Volume 1 is $89 as a lossless download from Pono, that's pretty steep. It's £32 from Qobuz, about $48 at the current exchange rate. [[The physical set is about £73 on Amazon UK.)

Do you think this difference is due to Universal pricing differently in the United States than in the UK, or to Pono?

[soulster]

I just checked - Volume 1 is $89 as a lossless download from Pono, that's pretty steep. It's £32 from Qobuz, about $48 at the current exchange rate. [[The physical set is about £73 on Amazon UK.)

Do you think this difference is due to Universal pricing differently in the United States than in the UK, or to Pono?
The record labels control the pricing on Pono. Not too hard to figure out. And, UM just settled with a lot of artists for payment of back-royalties, which was mentioned in a very recent thread. I didn't check, but i'm wondering if the thread was removed, as the Motown guys check in on this place.

[sansradio]

The record labels control the pricing on Pono. Not too hard to figure out. And, UM just settled with a lot of artists for payment of back-royalties, which was mentioned in a very recent thread. I didn't check, but i'm wondering if the thread was removed, as the Motown guys check in on this place.

No, the thread's still intact.

[daviddesper]

As usual, you guys are a fountain of information. Thanks! I was not interested in this particular collection because Motown needed a few years to develop its maturity [[in both sound and technology), so I would not be interested in any of these until at least the mid 60s. Now if the 1966 collection ever comes along at some kind of bargain price, THEN you might see me get excited!

[soulster]

Now if the 1966 collection ever comes along at some kind of bargain price, THEN you might see me get excited!

And, that is the rare one. I think just about everyone who cared jumped on it...except you and me. It was out of my price range.:[[

[jboy88]

I always thought it would be a great idea to take the packaging and reissue them as collectors vaults. That way those who don't necessarily want all the singles, [[or have them as downloads) can enjoy all the details track info and rare photos.

[thomas96]

A--- a nice turntable and cart. I know you didn't suggest it, but it always bears repeating: for the love of God: stay away from that Crossley garbage!

Figured that'd be assumed.

[soulster]

Figured that'd be assumed. Never assume anything. A lot of people on this forum are anti-audiophile [[anti-me, actually). Someone would probably buy a Crossley out of spite!