-----Original Message----- From Tom Fine: "how many cutters were there at Motown and what was your system?"
We had a Neumann ES-59 half speed mono system and finally added a stereo system in 1968 when the superb Neumann SX-68 cutter came out.
For the most part we were cutting master prototypes that Randy Kling at RCA in Chicago had to match using their Scully/Westrex systems for the production masters. We only cut production masters when there wasn't enough time to go the RCA route. Typically this happened when an artist got offered a last minute Ed Sullivan Show appearance.
We preferred RCA production masters and plating because they could fix any skipping problems in a day rather than the week it would take using indi plating plants. In the pop music business timing and the ability to put your ducks in a row is frequently the difference between a hit record and a stiff. In the mid '60s RCA was pressing more Motown singles than RCA singles. And that didn't include the reorders which were done by three indi plants, Monarch in LA and two others which were half-owned by Motown!
Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery, Nashville TN Mastering, Audio for Picture, Mix Evaluation and Quality Control Over 40 years making people sound better than they ever imagined! 615.385.8051 http://www.hyperback.com