RCA Records Pressing Plant, Hollywood

Pressing plant in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California (USA). Built in 1928 and acquired by RCA in 1930, RCA Hollywood occupied a full city block and included pressing, assembly, manufacturing and distribution offices plus several recording studios. Recording here ceased around 1947, but the pressing and distribution hub operated until April 1976, when the plant was closed to consolidate operations to the Indianapolis plant. The lot was subsequently bought by Allen Zentz who built Allen Zentz Recording on it (opened in 1978). Identification: • "H" stamp in runouts, often sideways or parallel to the label. (Do not confuse with etched "H" from Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Hollywood.) • 2.75" (70mm) "deep groove" pressing ring through 1970; 1" (25mm) ring 1970 - 1976. Note: After this plant's closure, Motown titles mastered and pressed in Hollywood had stampers shipped to Superior Record Pressing Corp., Somerdale, NJ, and Superior Record Pressing Corp., Tempe, Arizona, for repressing; these can be identified by the struck-through "H" stamp and dual-plane pressing rings. Use "Plated At" LCCN credit in these cases. 78 rpm pressing identification: 78RPM discs were pressed between Fall 1937 and early 1954.: ▶ Victor 'Scroll' labels citing "RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc.," at bottom: A small capital "H" in the scroll work at the top of the label = Hollywood pressing (e.g., Victor 24892). ▶ Bluebird Buff labels citing "RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc.," at bottom: A small capital "H" at the top of the blue ring around the margin = Hollywood pressing (e.g., Bluebird B-6943). ▶ Victor & Bluebird 'Ring' labels citing "RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc.," at bottom: Two equally long concentric label arcs broken at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock = Hollywood pressing. ▶ Victor, RCA Victor & Bluebird 'Ring' labels citing "RCA Victor Division of Radio Corporation of America" at bottom: Two concentric circles, broken at top AND nearly touching small RCA circle = Hollywood pressing. ▶ 45 rpm records identification: Double hyphen (=) between "His Master's Voice" = "Red Seal" in upper-right copyright text at edge of labels. Known to have pressed for: • Cadence Records, Inc. - 'H' was Cadence's code for lacquers to go to RCA Hollywood (e.g., The First Family). • Capitol Records - "RCA" etch with metalwork supplied by Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Los Angeles (e.g., I Feel Fine / She's A Woman). • Mercury Records (e.g., Salisbury). • Tamla - with lacquer from Kendun Recorders (e.g., Innervisions). • Fantasy (e.g., Bayou Country). • Poppy (e.g., The Light Side: The Dark Side). • Prestige (e.g., Child's Dance). • Liberty (e.g., Shut Downs & Hill Climbs). General RCA mastering information: • The first alpha in runouts (for all plants) indicates year of mastering (between 1955 and 1977 - pre 1955 records have slightly different codes): F - 1955 | G - 1956 | H - 1957 | J - 1958 | K - 1959 | L - 1960 M - 1961 | N - 1962 | P - 1963 | R - 1964 | S - 1965 | T - 1966 U - 1967 | W - 1968 | X - 1969 | Z - 1970 | A - 1971 | B - 1972 C - 1973 | D - 1974 | E - 1975 | F - 1976 | G - 1977 • The 2nd alpha indicates size/speed: K=7" 45, L=7" 33⅓, P=10" 33⅓, R=12" 33⅓. • "4" indicates lacquer cut from tape supplied, and "5" indicates lacquer supplied to RCA. Either of these digits in front of the 2nd alpha = January to June, and behind the alpha = July to December of the year indicator. • The 4th alpha indicates whether a record is mono ("M"), stereo ("S"), or even quadraphonic ("T"). (e.g., "R4KM" prefix would be a 7" 45, cut between January and June 1964 from tape supplied.) For more information, see RCA Victor Master Serial Number Codes - 1942-1980s.