Jim

I also bought a TON of 10 NT "cloned" albums (10 NT was, and I think still is, 25 cent 'merican) But I was talking about the actual real deal LP's, not the lower quality Taiwan presses.

I would buy the 10NT album (from EVERY genre) ones I hated I threw or gave away, ones I wasn't sure about I put on reel-to-reel and if I grew to like it I'd buy the real deal, and ones I loved, that I didn't already have on my real-deal wish list, or already own, were added to my go buy list (as money allowed).

For folks who might not know - Taiwan was (is?) notorious in 60's/70's for IP theft (books, tapes, LPs, and other things) as soon as an album was released they had them ready in Taiwan for 10NT. They made a reverse copy of a real, but virgin album pressing, then used that to turn out thousands of the same album with slightly inferior, somewhat softer and THINNER vinyl - a lot more prone to static, scratches, etc. However, if you cleaned them, then "burnt to tape" on first of second listen you could get a a fairly decent and relatively click and pop free recording.

But due to the nature of the vinyl, and probably the QC during the pressing/molding(?), process these albums usually didn't standup to a lot of repeat plays on even the best turntables
tone-arms and styli set-ups. They were great for playing if you'd been drinking (I did a lot back then), or if you were playing at parties/gatherings, etc. becasue you didn't have to pamper them. I also didn't use top 'o the line styli on them becasue some of the worst pressings/copies could ruin a high-end stylus

Oh nostalgia: I do miss those days. I was a dirt poor tow and three "stripper" (airman then "buck" Sgt) but could afford high end booze (10 units a month at the the base package store - booze was rationed becasue most ended up on local black market - I seem to remember Johnny Walker Black was loved the best - personally I can't stand that JW swill), all the books you could read (any and all clones: form the Handbook of Chem and Physics, or CRC tables, entire Encyclopedia of Britannica set, to all current fiction and non-fiction), and hand-made custom tailored civilian cloths and boots & shoes for next to nothing.

A haircut and hot towel straight shave at a corner barber shop was ~25 NT plus tip (so less than a buck). I don't think I shaved myself for a year once I found that little shop.

Larry

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