Ahh, it doesn't work that way. The hot wax markings you're talking about are the same for every single one of the hundreds of thousands, or maybe even millions, pressed off that stamper. If finding a Hot Stamper was that easy there would be no need for Tom.
This is not the case. My copy of Rumours is exactly the same as my Hot Stamper, right down to the hot wax. The sound however is nowhere near the same.
This comes up over and over again. I've explained it at least twice now in this thread alone. Tom has explained some more on his site. Sadly, even people who read these comments ignore the information and repeat the false narrative. You cannot find a good sounding record merely by looking at it. Only by playing can you tell.
Now as for your finding a really good sounding copy, good luck. I became a Better-Records.com "Good Customer" by letting everyone know how great they are. Someone came back and posted that they bought one based on my review, and they agree it is everything I said it was. Tom saw that and said, "Anything I can do for you?" This all happened around the time I was watching his site daily for Year of the Cat. So I said, can you find me a YOTC?
What he said, That's a hard one. Not a lot of good sounding copies out there. Don't come up that often. Might take a while.
Wound up taking a good 6 months, at least.
So those are your options: search record stores until finally convincing yourself the least crappy one is good (what most do), visit better-records.com at least twice a day using search (I recommend bookmark the Al Stewart search) and if you see one do not hesitate, just buy it immediately! Or devote 3 to 5 hours a day posting millercarbonesque level commentary and see where that takes you.
I would go with checking the website regularly. Search around on it, all kinds of great info, and lots of other great records too.
This is not the case. My copy of Rumours is exactly the same as my Hot Stamper, right down to the hot wax. The sound however is nowhere near the same.
This comes up over and over again. I've explained it at least twice now in this thread alone. Tom has explained some more on his site. Sadly, even people who read these comments ignore the information and repeat the false narrative. You cannot find a good sounding record merely by looking at it. Only by playing can you tell.
Now as for your finding a really good sounding copy, good luck. I became a Better-Records.com "Good Customer" by letting everyone know how great they are. Someone came back and posted that they bought one based on my review, and they agree it is everything I said it was. Tom saw that and said, "Anything I can do for you?" This all happened around the time I was watching his site daily for Year of the Cat. So I said, can you find me a YOTC?
What he said, That's a hard one. Not a lot of good sounding copies out there. Don't come up that often. Might take a while.
Wound up taking a good 6 months, at least.
So those are your options: search record stores until finally convincing yourself the least crappy one is good (what most do), visit better-records.com at least twice a day using search (I recommend bookmark the Al Stewart search) and if you see one do not hesitate, just buy it immediately! Or devote 3 to 5 hours a day posting millercarbonesque level commentary and see where that takes you.
I would go with checking the website regularly. Search around on it, all kinds of great info, and lots of other great records too.