Vinyl pressings
by Neil Young · 1981
Re·ac·tor was first pressed on vinyl in 1981. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
27 pressings came out in 1981, the album's first year, in 20 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
HS1-2304-S8-RE1 dg #3 CAP.W. + SLM + ─◁ △921Side A runout, variant 2
HS-2-2304-S6 dg #2 CAP.W. + SLM + △921-XSide B runout, variant 2
HS-1-2304-S1-RE-1 ─◁ dg + SLM + △921Side A runout, variant 3
HS-2-2304-S5 dg 6P + SLM + ─◁ △921-X CAP WSide B runout, variant 3
HS-1-2304-S2 RE1 dg + SLM+ Δ921 SUBMO#2 SUBMA#2 #4 39348-A SM#1Variant 1, side A runout
HS-2-2304-S4 #7 dg 39348-B SM#1 SUBMA#1 SUBMO2 + SLM+ Δ921-XVariant 1, side B runout
HS-1-2304-S2 RE1 dg + SLM+ Δ921 SUBMA#1 SUBMO#1 #5 39348-A SM#1Variant 2, side A runout
HS-2-2304-S2 dg #5 39348-B SM#1 SUBMO#2 SUBMA#1 + SLM+ Δ921-XVariant 2, side B runout
54116-A5xxxx Ø [etched] STRAWBERRY (C) [stamped]Runout var 1, Side A
54116-B5x Ø [etched] ·STRAWBERRY (C)· [stamped]Runout var 1, Side B
54116-A5xxx STRAWBERRY (C) ØRunout var 2, Side A, etched; 'STRAWBERRY (C)' stamped
R/S Alsdorf 54116 B-5XXX •STRAWBERRY (C)• -5- -R- ØRunout var 2, Side B, stamped; 'XXX', '-5-', and 'Ø' etched
HS-1-2304-S3-RE1 dg R/S 54116 A-5 dg +SLM + Δ945A side, etched (R/S no. and SLM+ stamped)
R/S 54116 B-4XX HS-2-2304-I-4 dg +SLM + Δ945 54116-B4-B side, etched (R/S no. and SLM+ stamped)
MX199173A Label
MX199174B Label
MX199173 HS1-2304-I SI-RE1 dg + SLM + Δ945A Disc, engraved
MX199174 HS-2-2304-I-1-2 dg + SLM + Δ945-XB Disc, engraved
HS-1-2304-I·54-RE1 dg 54116-A4x- + SLM+ △945Side A runout
HS-2-2304-I·3-RE1 dg 54116-B5- Ø + SLM+ △945-xSide B runout
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Austria | Reprise Records REP K 54116 / Reprise Records REP 54116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Brazil | Reprise Records 24.033 / Reprise Records 34.039First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Brazil | Odeon 24.033LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 1981 | Canada | Reprise Records XHS 2304First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Canada | Reprise Records XHS 2304First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | France | Reprise Records REP K 54116 / Reprise Records REP 54116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Germany | Reprise Records REP 54 116 / Reprise Records REP K 54 116First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Germany | Reprise Records REP 54 116 / Reprise Records REP K 54 116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Greece | Reprise Records 54116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Greece | Reprise Records 54116LP, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing | LP, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing |
| 1981 | Israel | Reprise Records BAN 54116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Italy | Reprise Records W 54116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Italy | Reprise Records W 54116 / Reprise Records REP K 54 116First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Japan | Reprise Records P-11083RFirst yearLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| 1981 | Japan | Reprise Records P-11083RFirst yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Europe | Reprise Records 9362-49079-0 / Reprise Records 2304-1LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2018 | US | Reprise Records 2304-1LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Italy | Reprise Records W 54116LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Netherlands | Reprise Records REP 54 116 / Reprise Records REP K 54 116LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
36 vinyl pressings of Re·ac·tor are listed here, from 23 countries, released between 1981 and 2018.
The earliest pressings are from 1981, in US, UK, Australia, Austria and more. One of them is Reprise Records HS 2304.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use HS 2304, K 54116, REP K 54116, 24.033) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, HS1-2304-S8-RE1 dg #3 CAP.W. + SLM + ─◁ △921 and HS-2-2304-S6 dg #2 CAP.W. + SLM + △921-X. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
