Choosing between Reissue and Original pressings

Playpen,
Well stated, I came to that realization several years ago.There certainly is good sound to be found in records but the 'hit and miss' factor is frustratingly high.
Many vinyl records are really just mediocre and not worth the chase and expense.For many years I was a strong vinyl advocate.
Regards,

Punk and independent pressings from 1960's onward are more often than not on flimsy/low quality vinyl. Reissues (except for those pressed in GZ, or at Archer, EKS or Musicol) seem to be better vinyl, though typically are remastered, which is a whole nuther topic.

I listen mostly to jazz from the 1950's and 60's, and original pressings usually sound much better than reissues including the latest reissues by Classic and other labels. Yes, it can be difficult to locate original pressings in good condition. For my tastes, however, I would rather listen to an older copy with a few ticks and pops and a little distortion in the inner grooves than a pristine quiet reissue where the magic has been scrubbed out along with the noise.

Example: I have a stereo 6-eye Sketches of Spain (Miles Davis) that sounds excellent despite a bit of noise and distortion on peaks. I bought a reissue on an audiophile label (I forget which one) and it's quiet and clean, but it doesn't have the natural tonality and coherency of the original.

I have been disappointed with reissues so many times that I hardly ever buy any these days. And don't pay any attention to reviewers who wax poetically about how much better their reissue sounds compared to an original. Without impugning anyone's integrity by suggesting the reviewers simply want to keep the free records coming, let me say instead that the reviewers must prefer quiet pressings that sound flat and uninvolving to less-than-perfect old records that actually sound like music.

I echo most sentiments here. Tick, pops, surface noise or not on original pressings, once the music kicks in the magic begins. With a great majority of reissues, the drive to make a buck on the vinyl revival is obvious - there is no care for the sound quality. Awful vinyl quality, warps, off-center pressings, digital recording and mastering process rendering the record lifeless are the norm in today's offerings. There are exceptions but they are far and few between. My short list is as follows:
- Blue Note "Music Matters" The Definitive 45 Reissue Series. Absolutely flawless. Expensive, but insanely good, and worth every penny.
- Select Mobile Fidelity offerings. These can be hit or miss, but many are tremendous. A few favorites to mention from my collection: Carole King "The Carnegie Hall Concert," Rickie Lee Jones "Pirates," Art Pepper "The Way it Was," McCoy Tyner "Sahara."
- Select Speakers Corner releases. Supertramp "Crime of the Century" is outstanding.

To sum up, my advice would be to seek out original pressings first, and then very judiciously settle for reissues.

I agree with the OP, most of the reissues I've purchased were superior to the original. Most times it's just a matter of the sound being cleaned up, not changed or altered.