[Whip Wilson]

200 variants is how manynthey made for each of last Friday's releases and they were both runs of 1000. I can't imagine this is only 1000 copies. Honestly though, the black looks pretty sick. And this score is so long overdue. Mondo has really been nailing it lately.

[reelybored]

Oh Mondo, Mondo how my wallet despises you yet my heart yearns for you

[dumaisaudio]

Now this is one I'd want the variant on, guess I'll have to order two. Luckily I have a few extras laying around of other releases ready to trade if that doesn't work out.

[hncreature]

Them taking back the Blue Sunshine VHS gets me the Omen Lp...TY Mondo!

[hugeworm1224]

I got my Here comes The Devil and Blue Sunshine records in the mail today. I ordered two of each and ended up with one Here Comes The Devil variant and the other three were regulars. I know it's a long shot but I'd be willing to trade both a Here Comes The Devil and Blue Sunshine regular for a Blue Sunshine clear blue variant if anyone's interested.

[layneharvey]

@hugeworm1224 - that's always a bummer to get no variant when you bought two of the same record. that happened with me when i bought DRIVE. good luck tracking down the blue transparent. my copies should be arriving monday. i'll post pictures with what i end up with.

btw, that HERE COMES THE DEVIL looks ace.

[deathwaltz]

Do you guys not get pissed off buying doubles of all this stuff ?
It's gotta work out crazy expensive ...
That's why I don't like the lucky dip method , sure em you sell more but something just seems a bit off to me .

[Re-animated Cat]

^^Seconded. I don't like the 'lucky dip' strategy at all, it takes the piss.

To me, buying doubles is totally crazy. There are so many other records coming out all the time! Each to their own though.

[layneharvey]

i used to buy doubles of mondo's stuff to try to get the variant. if i lucked out and got two variants, i would sell one and recoup the money. if i got two blacks, i would do the same. but starting with DRIVE, i got two blacks, tried to sell one and ended up getting less than i paid for it. at that point, i said, "no more!", and have bought one copy of each release, and just be happy with what i get. i mean, the variants always look great, but honestly, for instance, the black version of HALLOWEEN looks way more cool to me with the artwork than the orange. i thought the orange was a bit boring, personally. i have loads of orange records... same with BLUE SUNSHINE - blue transparent? nothing special about that. i'll be just as happy or happier with the black. now, if i get the blue, i'll probably keep it, don't get me wrong. but my days of buying two copies of something to try to get the variant are over.

[freshoj]

@deathwaltz yes, it is annoying.

To me, it makes sense to sell the variants to the heads hitting f5 on drop day, and send out the regulars to shops (and to the heads after the variants run out).

[deathwaltz]

That's kind of my point . I mean I know we do a sub edition which is different and if you want to go support your local shop then you can go buy that one but it's a clear choice . I personally don't have the room to have doubles of every release (or the inclination) if I get a double it goes to my girlfriend as she collects too. I just want the music if I get a fancy colour that's all well and good .
This is just a personal opinion and I am not bashing companies that use this strategy at all.

[freshoj]

a follow-up clarification to my suggestion above - is to sell the variant separately to the heads (maybe at a small premium) so folks know what they are buying when they add something to their cart. this stress, buy, wait and see thing is for the birds.

Mondo sells poster variants separately, they should do the same with the vinyl. (ditto Waxwork)

[Re-animated Cat]

That's exactly how I feel. Getting a fancy colour is a bonus, it's not essential at all.

From a collector's point of view, a lot of these variants will never increase in value (if that's what people are buying them for). Most are too expensive to begin with to see any real increase. Also these days there's normally more than enough copies to go around, considering all the different versions being pressed.

[reelybored]

Variants look cool but im more interested in the music. Most of the time said variant is hidden away in the sleeve/cover anyway. Pulling it out may be a wonder to your eyes or whoever may be present, but i usually find myself laying on the couch with my headphones on and listening to the music without really paying much attention to the record spinning in my turntable, unless of course until i have to flip it over

[chandler75]

I don't usually buy multiple copies, but when I do, it's for different reasons:

- Some releases simply look and sound so stunning that I want to own more than one copy, e.g. DWR's "Maniac".

- I sort of collect John Carpenter and buy at least two variants from DWR when available.

- Some releases are so rare or look so pristine that I want an extra "working copy" that I can play the hell out of.

- I like to support the label or artist. I've been buying both variants of OWS because they're cool and starting up, but in the future it will probably depend on the releases. I might just stick to the sub.

As for the lucky pot game, I too prefer to know what I'm actually buying. I've been buying two copies of Waxwork's releases, but that's mainly because I've got the variants all three times. If I suddenly end up with 2 regulars, I might reconsider this (especially considering the high postage cost from the US to EU).

I've put in my first Mondo orders this time around - 2 of each - just to see what happens (and because they weren't too expensive, even with postage).

[ghostfires]

To Spencer's point - I think that's why Mondo's newer releases are not selling out very quickly at all. People aren't going for two or three copies at once like they use to.

Everyone seems to realize that it's a scheme devised by Mondo to keep the variants a secret insert, knowing obsessed collectors will buy up as many as they have to in order to arrive at a variant. I think there are too many other great releases coming out on vinyl, people don't want to tie up their money in multiples of Mondo releases, especially when they're not as exciting as what other people are doing.

I know some will disagree with me - but I think the last few rounds of Mondo have been nothing in comparison to what has been released musically and packaging-wise from OWS, WW, and DW. I believe vinyl soundtrack buyers are wanting to put more of their money toward quality rather than quantity. Am I wrong?

[freshoj]

I don't think the Mondo vinyl has been selling more slowly, they just are pressing more. (Drive being an anomaly on many fronts). By pressing more, it probably slows down the mayhem because Mondo releases are not hard to get anymore, so the time sensitivity is gone - thank goodness. There are exceptions, but I think their vinyl business model has changed which I think accounts for any market changes.

As far as quality goes, I do agree that while Mondo's releases are very nice, they are not in the same league as what those guys are doing as far as packaging, but I don't think they are trying to be - which is totally cool. The artwork almost always rocks and the music is usually very interesting.

Similarly, Finders Keepers continues to quietly release amazing soundtracks, no variants, no fuss, no spot varnish, etc. Not even trying to be like DW, which I think is great. I think I might prefer the Finders Keepers approach as it makes me less stressed and hurts my wallet less.

[ghostfires]

I don't agree that Mondo isn't trying to compete with all the other labels, simply because they're charging us like they are. If I pay the same money for a mondo record shipped as I do for a DW record from LITA...I would expect the same quality for the price.

[skate]

I purchased two each of the recent Mondo releases - partly in an attempt to obtain a variant, but primarily because I wanted to minimise the ratio of the postage to the cost of item. If they'd only released one record, purchasing a single copy and paying the same amount in postage (to the UK) is 'painful'. However, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with the additional copies - sell them I suppose. That said, having ordered two copies of each, its possible they may contact me to request additional postage - if they do, I'll cancel two of the items.

For the past day or two, I've been mulling over my whole outlook on vinyl (and non-vinyl) purchasing. So many good records are currently being released or reissued (both soundtracks and non-soundtracks), along with 'already released' records that I'd like, that I'm now questioning the cash I'd planned to spend in obtaining some of the more expensive limited items - whether that be colour variants, 'deluxe' packaging, expensive out of print records, or collecting all releases from specific labels simply in order to be completist.

I also agree with layneharvey - in some cases, black vinyl can look better - for example, with the forthcoming Omen release, the pic of the black vinyl looks superior as far as I'm concerned, due to the contrast with the red label.

[reddye6]

I'm going to be the slight voice of dissent and say that I kind of like the lucky dip. For the reasons that Spencer mentioned, I'm not going to buy doubles of an album to hopefully get a variant, so when I buy from Mondo, my thought is to just see what happens and be happy with what I get. There is no pressure to be the hitting the F5 button to be the first of 200 to get something special, or waking up at a particular time to beat out others. I like variants, but I don't have to have one; however, for some reason, I do get caught up in the pressure and hype of clicking first and quickly for the "first 200 get special variant" sales, when, in the end, I really don't need to be.

[reddye6]

In other words, I feel no disappointment when I get a regular release in a buying model over which I have no control. I get more stressed and annoyed when I get a regular release in a buying model that gives me some small measure of control, even though I have no idea how realistic it'll be for me to get one of the special variants.

[freshoj]

good points @reddye6

I guess I really just wish I was more laid back about just 'getting what I get'

@ghostfires not sure how you think Mondo should price, but $20 seems pretty reasonable to me for their level of quality.

The more interesting thing for me is what a bargain it is buying DW from LITA!!! they have creeped up from $20 to $23 in the last couple months, but they are still a far cry from $33+ that the same release costs on the DW site. (shipping costs excluded from all of this discussion and granted exchange rates muddy the waters, but still!)

[seb]

Yeah, to each his own. Every label has it's style and philosophy regarding variants.

At OWS we're keeping our current system, we get a lot of posi feedback on it.
It's simple because you either buy a black version or a color version, completely your choice.

When you buy a OWS variant there is always the surprise witch one you gonna end up with. Unless you are a static club member: then you can choose.

[NMA]

...and yet another (third) Omen variant...

http://blog.mondotees.com/2014/02/27/mo ... sale-info/

[jgibbs4053]

yea i def cant afford to buy more than 1 variant of an album with all these other releases coming out in the next 2 months