Stones: Sticky FIngers.....

Viridian, I wish they had released S.F. in the SACD format.
The Stones SACD's for the mostpart are fantastic examples of digital done right, too bad Sony gave up on the software side of things.

I generally reguard Begger's Banquet and Let It Bleed as the best Stones releases sonically but lately even Their Satanic Majesty's Request has been sounding pretty good to me(I found an older one with the 3D cover) Sticky Fingers definitely has it's sonic high points as well. I now need to reevaluate the sonics of my Tatoo You copies as I've recently come to realize they were done at Masterdisc by Robert Ludwig(usually a real good sign) It's been too long since I played this one to comment on sonics.

I was given an ' old box of records' from my buddy's garage. There were Japanese 'mint records' pressings of Aftermath, let it bleed and beggars banquet! As well as 1st pressings of exile, ya ya's and let it bleed.
I can say those Japanese pressings are head and shoulders above the rest.

I've never heard a really good one. Both CD and vinyl copies I have are mediocre.

I have what I am pretty sure is a Canadian first (or at least very early) pressing: COC 59100 Matrix W 59100-S1 3 on side one and COC 59100B-1A on side 2. No "Rolling Stones Records" in the deadwax on my Sticky Fingers unlike what I also to believe is a very early or first Canadian pressing of Exile which I also have.

This version of Sticky Fingers sounds absolutely superb, much better than Exile IMO which is cut much hotter and the record I have is stone mint with the exception (unfortunately) of a huge dimple in the middle of Can't You Hear Me Knockin on side one and bisecting Dead Flowers and Moonlight Mile on side two. Caused by the zipper and obviously some heat that the record was exposed to at some point in time. A common problem with this record (it's the second copy of this early or earliest pressing I've had having this problem in exactly the same spot) and unfortunately these tracks are a write off.

But if you can find this pressing in mint condition it is worth it. IMO it sounds not just "acceptable" but very good and, as I say, much better than Exile which can be pretty aggressive in terms of sonics.

Just be on the lookout for zipper problems and, if you do buy the record, undo the zipper so that if there are problems that develop with heat/storage they will be in the label area as opposed to playable areas of the disc.