gold records questions

[Ulrich Grepel <uli@intellektik.informatik.th-darmstadt.de>]

Hi,

Chris answered my question about gold records:

>     * You can buy almost any recently awarded gold record
>     from the RIAA.

Are these those that are actually presented to the artists
or do these just look the same? What is the RIAA?

>  
>     * Record companies order them by the dozen and give
>       them away to big
>       record stores, radio stations, coke dealers, etc.
>  
And to those who appear on the records. Any way to decide
which one of these is the one that lies before you?

>     * They aren't actually _made_ of gold, just
>     electroplated vinyl.
>  
then buying a single and melting it would be a winner, at least
for a while ;-) Have you ever used a blue Mauritius as just
a bit of paper?

>     * The "Gold Record" isn't even an actual copy of the
>       record awarded.
>       It's just some record that the plating plant uses.
>       Really. Whenever I see a "gold record" I count the
>       bands. I've yet to find _one_ that matches the
>       number of bands on the record to tracks on the label.

Is that true for those that are presented to the artists?

>  
>     * The gold or platinum plating _ruins_ the sound.

or your record player needle... But: would you really PLAY such a
valuable item? Or would you just take the CD with the same
song and don't reduce the value of your Kateollection?

All these things are questions, not some sign of deeper knowledge,
but a sign of deeper understanding - noooo, a sign of deeper
curiosity.

Bye,

Uli