Carl Lindström GmbH

German recording, mastering, vinyl pressing and cassette duplication company that emerged in 1951 (effective 26 November 1951), when the Carl Lindström A.-G. was transfomed into a GmbH (it already was a GmbH between 1904 and 1908). In September 1953, the company decided to move from Berlin to Köln-Braunsfeld, on the same premises as the Electrola Gesellschaft m.b.H. headquarters. The company was the vinyl pressing and cassette duplication plant for Electrola, Columbia, Odeon, Imperial (2), Harvest, Gloria (2), etc. until 1972 (30 November 1972), when both companies were merged by ultimate parent EMI Ltd. to form EMI Electrola GmbH. Also credited as: Carl Lindström Ges.m.b.H. Carl Lindström Ges. m.b.H. Carl Lindström Gesellschaft m.b.H. A recording and enlarged mastering studio complex was opened in 1956, adjacent to the pressing plant. Music cassette production facilities were installed in 1966. The German matrix system: The matrix system for the Electrola inhouse labels is as follows: 1. Format and channel prefix 2. Label identifier 3. Matrix number 4. Cut number where: 1. Format and channel prefixes are: 7 T = 7" (17 cm) EP, Mono, 45 7 X = 7" (17 cm), Mono, 45 7 Y = 7" (17 cm), Stereo, 45 0 X = 10" (25 cm), Mono, 33 (0 may appear as O) 0 Y = 10" (25 cm), Stereo, 33 (0 may appear as O) 2 X = 12" (30 cm), Mono, LP 2 Y = 12" (30 cm), Stereo, LP 2. German label identifiers are: AV = RCA BE = Odeon CR = Columbia KC = Imperial RA = Electrola SM = MGM Records 3. The matrix number 1 to 5 digits Notes: - The numbers are usually (but not necessarily!) sequential on releases. - 1 and 2 digits denote re-releases from Shellac repertoire. - 3 and 4 digits denote German artists and repertoire. - 5#### numbers indicate takeovers from foreign repertoire. 4. The cut number is usually -1, -2, or higher (on both sides). So, the 7" matrix prefixes can be decomposed into: 7 TRA = Electrola 7", EP, 45, Mono 7 TYRA = Electrola 7", EP, 45, Stereo 7 XRA = Electrola 7", 45, Mono 7 TBE = Odeon 7", EP, 45, Mono 7 TYBE = Odeon 7", EP, 45, Stereo 7 XBE = Odeon 7", 45, Mono 7 TCR = Columbia 7", EP, 45, Mono 7 TYCR = Columbia 7", EP, 45, Stereo 7 XCR = Columbia 7", 45, Mono 7 XSM = MGM 7", 45, Mono 7 TSM = MGM 7", EP, 45, Mono 7 XKC = Imperial 7", 45, Mono 7 TKC = Imperial 7", EP, 45, Mono 7 XAV = RCA 7”, 45, Mono Other formats can be broken down as follows: XBE = Odeon / Imperial 10", 33, Mono XBEX = Odeon LP, Mono YBEX = Odeon LP, Stereo 2 XCR = Columbia LP, Mono XR = Columbia 10", 33, Mono YR = Columbia 10", 33, Stereo YRX = Columbia 12", 33, Stereo XKC = Imperial 10", 33, Mono Capitol Records: Since 1 January 1957 Electrola distributed Capitol, so that is also when Lindström started to press the records (previously they were pressed by TELDEC). Lindström took over the matrix system from Teldec Press, CAP-45 #####, and only changed the cat# system from Telefunken's CF to Electrola's F. From April 1960 onwards the cat# system was changed to K ## ###. MGM Records: MGM records were pressed from 1953 until September 1959 (and then went to Deutsche Grammophon), using a Lindström specific matrix sytem. Cornet Records: Cornet was distributed and pressed since 1966. Not being an Electrola label, Lindström applied a different matrix system, using COR ####, where #### is identical with the cat. no. This lasted until ~1971 (then pressing was transferred to Sonopress). Contract pressings (non-Electrola labels, e.g. Deutscher Schallplatten-Club, Impression, Fono-Ring, Schwann): 7 PAL (7”s) 10 PAL (10", Mono) 12 PAL (12", 33 1/3) followed by 4 unique stamper digits, ascending by side (e.g. 1815 on side A and 1816 on side B), and followed by -SM: Stereo but also Mono playable -ST: Full stereo (no suffix indicates a Mono release). This system was in place between 1960 and 1972 and was then replaced by 7 F 60.#### for 7"s and F 60.### for LPs. For international matrix codes and matrix examples, please refer to the Carl Lindström Knowledge Thread.