how were copies of vinyl made in "third-party" countries

Yeah, Lynne sure has a "signature" sound. Every album he produces ends up sounding like an ELO record! The one album he did that I love is the little known Something Peculiar by Julianna Raye. 

@bdp24 Has mentioned "cooldown time" which is VERY important. The shorter the time, as in most "pop" records back then, the worse the lasting power of the record. Longer times meant better quality, but when an album was popular, it had to be out "right away" to sell the million copies. Remember, they were $4.98 back then...or sometimes less!

Cheers!

@richopp: Yeah, in the 50’s/60’s/70’s/80’s LP’s weren’t being made for audiophiles with high end audio systems, they were being made for record changers, TV/hi-fi consoles, cheap Japanese turntables, etc. Labels like Analogue Productions/QRP, Speakers Corner, MoFi, VMP, Intervention, Sheffield, Reference Recordings, etc. are making LP’s to be played on high quality turntables/arm/cartridges, by people who are willing and able to pay $40-$150 per LP.

When I started buying LP’s (1963), stereo LP’s retailed for $3.99, mono $2.99. I bought mostly mono. A dollar was a lot of money to a kid back then! 7" 45 RPM singles sold for 49 cents.

In Hungary, an LP was around 500 forints ($10) in the early 80s. A month’s salary was about 5000 forints. (same for a doctor as for a bus driver). Our collection grew by about 3 LPs a year around Christmas. (a gallon of milk was about 10 cents, same for a loaf of bread) 

"Apologists" for current LP prices make the case that adjusted for inflation, $35 now is actually cheaper than $5 was in the late-60’s. Is there an economist reading this who can confirm or refute that assertion?

While audiophile reissues are around $35 and up (with many at $40), non-audiophile new release LP’s can be had for as low as $20-$25, which adjusted for inflation is actually cheaper than the price of LP’s in the late-80’s, if I’m not mistaken. And used LP’s can be obtained for mere peanuts, as low as $2 if you look hard enough. Even at the more common $5-$10, that’s less than many LP’s sold for new. The challenge is finding them in Near Mint/Mint - condition.

I recently bought a U.S. Island Records pressing of State Of The Union by The Long Ryders (they were part of the Los Angeles-based Cowpunk movement of the 1980’s. Drummer Greg Sowders was married to Lucinda Williams at the time.). The Discogs seller listed the LP with a Near Mint grading, but when I removed the LP from it’s sleeve I found a big ’ol scratch across the first track on one side. I notified the seller that was unacceptable, and he refunded my entire purchase price ($10 plus shipping and state tax).

But there was another problem with the LP, one not of the sellers making: looking closely at the surface of the LP under harsh light (my normal procedure), I could see flaws in the PVC itself, manufacturing imperfections. On one side there were tiny little "pimples", on the opposite side the same size "dimples". The little holes may have been large enough for the tip of a stylus to become lodged in, and there was no way I was going to find out by playing the LP!

I went on Discogs and found a UK Island pressing, priced only $5 more ($15). The album was recorded in England, produced by Will Burch, the drummer of Power Pop group The Records. It just arrived, and is in Mint condition and free of any manufacturing defects. Another case of a UK pressing being superior to a USA pos LP.