Vinyl pressings
by The Mothers 路 1967
Absolutely Free was first pressed on vinyl in 1967. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
22 pressings came out in 1967, the album's first year, in 5 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.
V6-5013 SIDE 1 M饾挗S672Runout side A, variant 1
V6-5013 SIDE 2 M饾挗S673Runout side B, variant 1
V6-5013 SIDE 1 M饾挗S-672Runout side A, variant 2
V6-5013 SIDE 2 M饾挗S-673Runout side B, variant 2
V6-5013 SIDE 1 M鈭係-672 22Variant 4: Side A runout etched [except 22, stamped]
V6-5013 SIDE 2 M鈭係-673 12Variant 4: Side B runout etched [except 12, stamped]
MGS-672Side A label
MGS-673Side B label
V6-5013 SIDE 1 M饾挗S-672Runout side A
V6-5013 SIDE 2 M饾挗S-673 -8 -8Runout side B
MGS 672Label side A
MGS 672Label side B
V5013 Side 1 MG672Side A runout (variant 1)
V5013 Side 2 MG673Side B runout (variant 1)
V5013 Side 1 MG672 12Side A runout (variant 2)
V5013 Side 2 MG673 15Side B runout ( variant 2)
V5013 Side 1 MG672Run-out info [hand-etched] side A
V5013 Side 2 MG673Run-out info [hand-etched] side B
V-5013-S-1 MG-672Variant 2
V-5013-S-2 MG-672Variant 2
V5013 Side 1 MG672Runout etching side A
V5013 Side 2 MG673Runout etching side A
12Runout stamp both sides
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | France | Verve Records 710006First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | Germany | Verve Records 710 006First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | Germany | Verve Records 710 006First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | Germany | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records 710 006First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | Germany | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records 710 006First yearLP, Album, Promo 路 Promo | LP, Album, Promo 路 Promo |
| 1967 | Germany | Verve Records 710 006First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | South Korea | Kum Kang K-1551LP, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial | LP, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial |
| 1967 | UK | Verve Records SVLP 9174 / Verve Records V6 5013First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records V6-5013LP, Album, Stereo, Repress | LP, Album, Stereo, Repress |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V-5013First yearLP, Album, Mono, Promo 路 Promo, Mono | LP, Album, Mono, Promo 路 Promo, Mono |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013 / Verve Records V6-5013First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V-5013First yearLP, Album, Mono 路 Mono | LP, Album, Mono 路 Mono |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013 / Verve Records V-5013First yearLP, Album, Mono 路 Mono | LP, Album, Mono 路 Mono |
| 1967 | US | Verve Records V-5013First yearLP, Album, Mono, Promo 路 Promo, Mono | LP, Album, Mono, Promo 路 Promo, Mono |
| 1967 | Canada | Verve Records V6 5013 / Verve Records V/V6-5013First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Japan | Verve Records MV-1120LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1972 | Japan | Verve Records MV-1120LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1972 | UK | Verve Records 2317 035 / Verve Records 2317-035LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1972 | UK | Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1972 | UK | Verve Records 2317 035 / Polydor 2317 035LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1972 | UK | Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1972 | US | Verve Records V6/5013 / MGM Records V6/5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1972 | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013 / Verve Records V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1972 | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records V/V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1973 | Canada | Verve Records V6 5013 / Verve Records V/V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1973 | Canada | Verve Records V6-5013 / Verve Records V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Unknown | Barking Pumpkin Records BPR 7777-2LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1985 | US | Barking Pumpkin Records BPR 7777-2LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | US | Zappa Records ZR 3835-1LP, LP, Single Sided, Etched, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, LP, Single Sided, Etched, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 2017 | Europe | Zappa Records ZR 3835-1 / UMe 00824302383513LP, Album, Stereo, LP, Single Sided, Etched, Stereo, Mono, All Media, Misprint, Reissue, Remastered 路 Mono | LP, Album, Stereo, LP, Single Sided, Etched, Stereo, Mono, All Media, Misprint, Reissue, Remastered 路 Mono |
| 2018 | Europe | Zappa Records ZR 3835-1 / UMe 00824302383513LP, Stereo, LP, Single Sided, Etched, Stereo, Mono, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered 路 Mono | LP, Stereo, LP, Single Sided, Etched, Stereo, Mono, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered 路 Mono |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Unknown | Verve Records V 5013LP, Album, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | Unknown | Verve Records 2317-035 / Polydor 2317 035 SELECTLP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial |
| ? | Australia | Verve Records V/V6-5013XLP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Germany | Verve Records 710006LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | Italy | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | Italy | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | Italy | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | Italy | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | South Korea | Taedo KGLP, Album, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | UK | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | UK | Verve Records 2317-035 / Verve Records 2317 035LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release 路 Unofficial |
| ? | US | Verve Records V6-5013 / Verve Records V/V6-5013LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial | LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release, Stereo 路 Unofficial |
| ? | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013X / Verve Records V/V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | US | Verve Records V/V6-5013 / Verve Records V6-5013LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
60 vinyl pressings of Absolutely Free are listed here, from 10 countries, released between 1967 and 2018.
The earliest pressings are from 1967, in US, UK, Canada, France and more. One of them is Verve Records V6/5013, released May 26, 1967.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use V6/5013, V/V6-5013X, V/V6-5013, V-5013) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, V6-5013 SIDE 1 M饾挗S672 and V6-5013 SIDE 2 M饾挗S673. 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.
