Vinyl Me Please Anthology

wmeugene said:
Just got a Dead.net email about it:

Attention completists! We've teamed up with Vinyl Me, Please to bring you VMP ANTHOLOGY: THE STORY OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD - an eight album (four studio, four live albums), 14-disc set, pressed on high-quality 180-gram vinyl at QRP, including new direct-to-analog masters from original tapes, in a kaleidoscope of hues. The collection comes in a heavyweight two-piece slip and slash box and features original design by Jeremy Dean, along with a deluxe liner notes booklet featuring photos by celebrated Dead photographers and essays from Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Avey Tare of Animal Collective, Dave Longstreth of Dirty Projectors, Margo Price, MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger, Scott Devendorf of The National, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists, and Hunter Brown of STS9.​
This one ships late summer - the first 3,000 orders receive a limited edition, double-sided animating slipmat. We suggest grabbing one while you can.​

So they are definitely trying to target the completist market - though the reception in Deadhead circles I'm in about this has been pretty cool.
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I think the fact that the "24 hour" discount code is still working might speak to the current purchase rate...
 
I'm listening to the first podcast now. I wish the music was lower in the mix. With such heavy accents, I'm finding it very hard to follow the interviews.
 
LeeVing said:
Oh...I get it. The $400 steep for me.

But I was looking at the records I have of these and most are original pressings that have seen better days.
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Well my thing is, the Rhinos aren't really around that I can see, the Mofi's are, but in only a couple cases, and the Glasser Rocktobers are available but that's only 4 slightly more fringe albums... And a lot of that stuff is pressed at Optimal... But still...
 
Mather said:
Well my thing is, the Rhinos aren't really around that I can see, the Mofi's are, but in only a couple cases, and the Glasser Rocktobers are available but that's only 4 slightly more fringe albums... And a lot of that stuff is pressed at Optimal... But still...
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I just don’t see how it’s worth the price tag. Unless you really want every single album in the box, are a die-hard fan yet somehow don’t own any of these and even then you can grab MoFis for the studio albums and get some solid other live albums. VMP and the Dead are pushing the completionism aspect for Without A Net but is it worth $400+ for just that?

I know to each their own, but I grabbed the Day of the Dead box which is 10LPs for $100 or so plus a Used MoFi of American Beauty for $35 or so shipped. And I can still add a few other MoFis and still come out $150 ahead.
 
MikeH said:
I just don’t see how it’s worth the price tag. Unless you really want every single album in the box, are a die-hard fan yet somehow don’t own any of these and even then you can grab MoFis for the studio albums and get some solid other live albums. VMP and the Dead are pushing the completionism aspect for Without A Net but is it worth $400+ for just that?

I know to each their own, but I grabbed the Day of the Dead box which is 10LPs for $100 or so plus a Used MoFi of American Beauty for $35 or so shipped. And I can still add a few other MoFis and still come out $150 ahead.
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This is all true, but once again, not in Canada you can't. Day of The Dead is at least $180 before the crazy shipping cost, Mofi's are 80 before tax. If the Rhinos are around then that's the play for sure up here, but I don't think they are anymore from what I've seen. And on Cogs you'd be paying 65-80 each after shipping and exchange...
 
TheMythOfSisyphus said:
Not to be contrarian...wait, no, that’s exactly what I’m trying to be....

I’d say its price point is a huge inconvenience. Members here and fans in other places have pointed out that you can build a much better DIY collection at a similar or smaller price point. That sounds much more convenient - ya know, keeping your money and having a better product to show for what you do spend. As well, I’d say it’s more in line with the hobby of collecting.

I would actually counsel (not that anyone is asking for it, but...) anyone on the fence not to buy it. If I’m on the fence about the new $4 sandwich at McDonalds or a $20 shirt then why not; that’s not a high fence to fall down from.
But if I’m on the fence about a $400+ purchase then I probably gotta pull a post outta my keister and hop down from it.

edit: folks like @Mather make a valid point of why you might also choose to buy. There are of course variables to consider
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Don’t get me wrong, I am not for this set. It makes no sense to me personally but I liked the Grateful Dead before this set came into being and thusly purchased some of the LPs features here prior to this released. That being said, there apparently are some folks that clearly have the means to to purchase such frivolities and more power to em. My point was more; what is the cost of convenience? If you fit into the very narrow slice as a consumer as someone who likes the Grateful Dead, has not previously purchased any of these records, and can spend $450 on a single record purchase,then by all means. At the very least it is safe to assume these LPs will be pressed well and you won’t have to apply the effort deciding what LPs to purchase.
 
The bigger issue is that all of this stuff (except for Without A Net) was reasonably priced and readily available in 2019. I get the point made by @Mather about availability, Dead vinyl is as sparse as I ever seen it right now based off of Dead.net, Rhino, Amazon and others.

Not to tin foil hat this, but I think everyone knew this set was being released and as such titles have not been restocked. For example, there is no reason for Europe '72 to be out of print and only MoFis (ie outside of Rhino’s control) somewhat available of mainstream titles. Even standards like Workingman's and AB seem out of stock most places. Perhaps this is COVID-19 related, but I think Rhino has intentionally not restocked these. And they know that people intrigued by this set will either pay the price or compile it 2nd hand. I think this is just marketing ploys. I'd bet that by the holiday season this year or 2021, Dead vinyl will be everywhere again.

Tin foil hat off now.
 
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wmeugene said:
The bigger issue is that all of this stuff (except for Without A Net) was reasonably priced and readily available in 2019. I get the point made by @Mather about availability, Dead vinyl is as sparse as I ever seen it right now based off of Dead.net, Rhino, Amazon and others.

Not to tin foil hat this, but I think everyone knew this set was being released and as such titles have not been restocked. For example, there is no reason for Europe '72 to be out of print and only MoFis (ie outside of Rhino’s control) somewhat available of mainstream titles. Even standards like Workingman's and AB seem out of stock most places. Perhaps this is COVID-19 related, but I think Rhino has intentionally not restocked these. And they know that people intrigued by this set will either pay the price or compile it 2nd hand. I think this is just marketing ploys. I'd bet that by the holiday season this year or 2021, Dead vinyl will be everywhere again.

Tin foil out off now.
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It's not all that "tin foil hat" as manufactured scarcity is something that labels rely on these days.
 
Those that bought, how concerned are you about audio quality with this box having all coloured vinyl? The only other VMP "Story Of" box set with colored wax was Ghostly... and that was all digital and pressed at GZ... Every other box was black vinyl...
 
Mather said:
Those that bought, how concerned are you about audio quality with this box having all coloured vinyl? The only other VMP "Story Of" box set with colored wax was Ghostly... and that was all digital and pressed at GZ... Every other box was black vinyl...
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I didn’t buy but colored vinyl never bothers me unless it’s glow in the dark. I haven’t had issues with sound quality that I have noticed. And I have been mostly happy with QRP’s pressings. I do think that these will all get repressed on black vinyl though at some point, just like Ghostly box. VMP seemed pretty vague about it when someone asked. Someone asked if Without A Net would get a reissue soon outside of the box set and they said something along the lines of “this color vinyl is only available in this box set”.
 
MikeH said:
I didn’t buy but colored vinyl never bothers me unless it’s glow in the dark. I haven’t had issues with sound quality that I have noticed. And I have been mostly happy with QRP’s pressings. I do think that these will all get repressed on black vinyl though at some point, just like Ghostly box. VMP seemed pretty vague about it when someone asked. Someone asked if Without A Net would get a reissue soon outside of the box set and they said something along the lines of “this color vinyl is only available in this box set”.
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@Mather @MikeH I'm in the camp of wait for MoFi represses because they seem to repress MoFi Grateful Dead albums a lot. Elusive Disc and a few other sites are hinting that Workingman's Dead will be repressed by MoFi shortly. I've gotten all my Grateful Dead MoFi presses for about $70 Canadian, they are out there, it may just take time. I remember waiting for about a year to get a copy of Mofi - Skull/Roses for a price around $70. I can't imagine they will ever stop pressing these albums because it's basically like printing money.
Now if only AP would repress Terrapin Station....
 
CCKrone said:
@Mather @MikeH I'm in the camp of wait for MoFi represses because they seem to repress MoFi Grateful Dead albums a lot. Elusive Disc and a few other sites are hinting that Workingman's Dead will be repressed by MoFi shortly. I've gotten all my Grateful Dead MoFi presses for about $70 Canadian, they are out there, it may just take time. I remember waiting for about a year to get a copy of Mofi - Skull/Roses for a price around $70. I can't imagine they will ever stop pressing these albums because it's basically like printing money.
Now if only AP would repress Terrapin Station....
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Agreed.

Also the MoFi From the Mars Hotel and Blues for Allah seem readily available. I have the Blues for Allah and it sounds great - probably my 4th favorite GD studio album (after WD, AB and Anthem). Both have lots of classic tunes and would be good pickups.
 
Mather said:
Those that bought, how concerned are you about audio quality with this box having all coloured vinyl? The only other VMP "Story Of" box set with colored wax was Ghostly... and that was all digital and pressed at GZ... Every other box was black vinyl...
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I'm not too worried about it considering it's being pressed at QRP. Maybe I'm just being optimistic but the remastering and pressing quality seems to be one of the selling points for high price, so I'm having faith in that.

The Ghostly definitely was the worst AQ so far by far for the Anthologies. But I've found alot of Ghostly pressings are a bit noisy unfortunately, especially when they're colored. It's why I usually just stick to streaming for them, despite most of their colored variants looking great.
 
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