[rcag_ils]

I bought this Neil Young "Tonight's the night" acetate limited edition of 300 LP online, it was shipped from Germany. Record has a blank white label on both side. Sound quality is listenable but not studio grade, sounds bootlegy with a bit of tape hiss in the background.

So is it a hoax or did I score something big?

[S Clark]

I've seen similar things on ebay, with prices that were just a bit too low. The seller had a bunch of acetates for sale cheap.  I was tempted but something about it didn't feel right.  If it's noisy, I'd bet it's not legit.
The old saying "If it's too good to be true, it ain't true" is usually correct.
By the way, you can get an acetate of the Velvet Underground and Niko on ebay right now for about $20!!!!!  I read where a real one sold for over $25K.

[vinyl_guy]

What is an acetate? A vinyl record or recording tape? or something else?

Thanks

[rcag_ils]

I guess when they decided to press a record, they had several acetate disks to choose from, the one I have, the tracks arrangement is not the same as the regular version of "tonight's the night" by Reprise. But again, I am not sure if my explanation is correct.

The only I have is not the actual acetate disk, it is pressed from an alternate acetate disk rather than the regular version.

[S Clark]

What is an acetate? A vinyl record or recording tape? or something else?

Thanks

It is what the cutting lathe cuts from the master tape- often a lacquer on a base of aluminum or glass.  They can be used for playback, but are not durable.  The intent is to take the acetate of choice, sputter a metallic film on it, and use it to make stampers used to press vinyl records.  Theoretically it is the best quality outside the master tape itself. By the nature of the beast, real ones are very rare and hard to come by.  They may contain takes that were not taken into production.

[vinyl_guy]

It is what the cutting lathe cuts from the master tape- often a lacquer on a base of aluminum or glass.  They can be used for playback, but are not durable.  The intent is to take the acetate of choice, sputter a metallic film on it, and use it to make stampers used to press vinyl records.  Theoretically it is the best quality outside the master tape itself. By the nature of the beast, real ones are very rare and hard to come by.  They may contain takes that were not taken into production.

Thanks, this makes sense now. I am familiar with lacquers, masters, mothers, and stampers but had not heard the term acetate before. I appreciate you taking the time to explain.

[orientalexpress]

I got about 7 test pressing vinyl ,it's that the same thing?

[rcag_ils]

I believe acetate is before test pressing.

[Elizabeth]

Also the acetate is rather fragile. Playing it on a turntable really damages it.
So playing your acetate is going to be a shortlived experience.