it has the right Cat-number on the spine and the cd.......but it didnt have the sticker on the back and front......but was factory sealed....can u fake a factory seal?

Yes, you can fake a factory seal.

kewlschool said:

Yes, you can fake a factory seal.

intresting.....but it does look real....even has the cat-number imbedded on the cd....yanno on the side that the laser touches....just on the edge by the see-threw plastic bit..in tiny print.....hmmmm..what ya think?

But if it is a USA version CD the sticker was on the factory seal (Shrink Wrap).

kewlschool said:

But if it is a USA version CD the sticker was on the factory seal (Shrink Wrap).

no it was german - Cat - 9362-45793-2....so im wondering if theres was also..hmmm

Do you really need a sealed one? Besides, I tend to see them used in Cd shops for about 8 bucks.

I do own 1 sealed Black Album CD that I bought when it was released. As I have a spare for every Prince Cd release.

FYI: As for the Gold Experience-I have bought some fakes on ebay and promptly returned them.

kewlschool said:

Do you really need a sealed one? Besides, I tend to see them used in Cd shops for about 8 bucks.

I do own 1 sealed Black Album CD that I bought when it was released. As I have a spare for every Prince Cd release.

FYI: As for the Gold Experience-I have bought some fakes on ebay and promptly returned them.

well im gonna buy a used 1 now..with teh sticker on ebay..just 2 make sure haha

kewlschool said:

Do you really need a sealed one? Besides, I tend to see them used in Cd shops for about 8 bucks.

I do own 1 sealed Black Album CD that I bought when it was released. As I have a spare for every Prince Cd release.

FYI: As for the Gold Experience-I have bought some fakes on ebay and promptly returned them.

The same thing happened to me, but with Diamonds and Pearls instead. I bought a copy brand new, but it turned out to be both fake and defective (Live 4 Love and Insatiable wouldn't even play).

Top is fake, bottom is real copy I bought later

PurpleMedley122 said:

kewlschool said:

Do you really need a sealed one? Besides, I tend to see them used in Cd shops for about 8 bucks.

I do own 1 sealed Black Album CD that I bought when it was released. As I have a spare for every Prince Cd release.

FYI: As for the Gold Experience-I have bought some fakes on ebay and promptly returned them.

The same thing happened to me, but with Diamonds and Pearls instead. I bought a copy brand new, but it turned out to be both fake and defective (Live 4 Love and Insatiable wouldn't even play).

Top is fake, bottom is real copy I bought later

I have to disagree with you here. WB released (picture disc) promotional only copies D&P, GB & for retail and radio only. These were not made for commercial release. You may have a promo copy, if so it is a rare item.

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/026.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/025.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/024-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

there are tons of 1994 cds still factory sealed so I doubt it is faked.

This is a great thread-very informative and the cd shots are cool too-very nice

G3000 said:

PurpleMedley122 said:

The same thing happened to me, but with Diamonds and Pearls instead. I bought a copy brand new, but it turned out to be both fake and defective (Live 4 Love and Insatiable wouldn't even play).

Top is fake, bottom is real copy I bought later

I have to disagree with you here. WB released (picture disc) promotional only copies D&P, GB & for retail and radio only. These were not made for commercial release. You may have a promo copy, if so it is a rare item.

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/026.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/025.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/024-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

Hmm...interesting. Is there any way to know exactly if my copy is in fact a promo cd? Other than the cd itself, the booklet and inserts look no different than the retail copy and Live 4 Love and Insatiable won't play on my cd player.

One on the right is the retail copy I got in a longbox, left is picture disc version

^ Lovely

Hmm...interesting. Is there any way to know exactly if my copy is in fact a promo cd? Other than the cd itself, the booklet and inserts look no different than the retail copy and Live 4 Love and Insatiable won't play on my cd player.

One on the right is the retail copy I got in a longbox, left is picture disc version

Hmm...I'm looking at my copy right now, it doesn't say promo on the disc like the other two. I got this copy when I worked at Radio and I have the commercial copy as well.

Does it say on the label and inner circle printing (silver side)...Manufactured By Discovery Systems?

nursev said:

This is a great thread-very informative and the cd shots are cool too-very nice

whats the sound like on your guys retail copy of the black album??........see it said it was released in 1994.......but it isnt as loud as the album Come?......it sounds lower even on the highest volume......so could any1 check that 4 me please?....but then again it has the cat number imbedded on the disc itself not the label side......so im not 2 sure....but if it was new....why would they take teh stickers off?

Optimus2 said:

G3000 said:

Hmm...interesting. Is there any way to know exactly if my copy is in fact a promo cd? Other than the cd itself, the booklet and inserts look no different than the retail copy and Live 4 Love and Insatiable won't play on my cd player.

One on the right is the retail copy I got in a longbox, left is picture disc version

Hmm...I'm looking at my copy right now, it doesn't say promo on the disc like the other two. I got this copy when I worked at Radio and I have the commercial copy as well.

Does it say on the label and inner circle printing (silver side)...Manufactured By Discovery Systems?

Yes it does, it says "MADE IN THE USA BY METATEC/DISCOVERY SYSTEMS"

PurpleMedley122 said:

G3000 said:

Hmm...interesting. Is there any way to know exactly if my copy is in fact a promo cd? Other than the cd itself, the booklet and inserts look no different than the retail copy and Live 4 Love and Insatiable won't play on my cd player.

One on the right is the retail copy I got in a longbox, left is picture disc version

Hmm...I'm looking at my copy right now, it doesn't say promo on the disc like the other two. I got this copy when I worked at Radio and I have the commercial copy as well.

Does it say on the label and inner circle printing (silver side)...Manufactured By Discovery Systems?

Yes it does, it says "MADE IN THE USA BY METATEC/DISCOVERY SYSTEMS"

That's what my copy say's also. You may have a limited edition promo only copy, not a bootleg. Don't understand why it doesn't play the two tracks. I don't have a problem with my copy, but then I never played it much because it's a rare item. I would hold on to it if I were you.

I forgot this, a few of my cd players back then would not play the first 30 or so seconds of Thunder. It sounded like it was scratched up. I though it was just a prince being weird (like the opening of America that made me think my tape deck was eating my tape). But then i heard it on another player and it was fine.

Check this out! Click on More Images and read the discription page.

http://www.discogs.com/Pr...se/3144223

[Edited 8/1/12 14:56pm]

Here's another i found just googling around. if you dig, you may find more info.

http://991.com/Buy/Produc...Friendly=1

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Optimus2 said:

whats the sound like on your guys retail copy of the black album??........see it said it was released in 1994.......but it isnt as loud as the album Come?......it sounds lower even on the highest volume......so could any1 check that 4 me please?....but then again it has the cat number imbedded on the disc itself not the label side......so im not 2 sure....but if it was new....why would they take teh stickers off?

The sound is poor. There were bootlegs that sounded better.

well thats abit fucking shit isnt it?

kewlschool said:

But if it is a USA version CD the sticker was on the factory seal (Shrink Wrap).

Every copy I own (4 - all USA) has a sticker on the jewel case itself, which wasn't t too common for CDs in 1994, iirc.

G3000 said:

PurpleMedley122 said:

The same thing happened to me, but with Diamonds and Pearls instead. I bought a copy brand new, but it turned out to be both fake and defective (Live 4 Love and Insatiable wouldn't even play).

Top is fake, bottom is real copy I bought later

I have to disagree with you here. WB released (picture disc) promotional only copies D&P, GB & for retail and radio only. These were not made for commercial release. You may have a promo copy, if so it is a rare item.

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/026.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/025.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r606/WKRP-FM/024-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

I'm with G3000 here - it's a promo, albeit defective. I don't think Diamonds and Pearls is widely pirated like TBA or TGE since there are so many copied on the used CD market. Just check e-bay. You can find about 100 of them for sale under a $1.00 each!

By the way, what's up with that Graffiti Bridge promo picture CD? What is that supposed to be a picture of anyway? Lol!!

Diamonds and pearls was a widely bootlegged CD. Infact, I remember the media making a huge deal on how many bootleg D&P that they were selling in the streets/swap meets etc. Just like the do designer knock offs they did Cds/tapes, more apt to do a popular ones and sale them for 6 bucks or less. I couldn't tell the difference at first glance.

This is kind of fascinating. I'd never realized that D&P was heavily bootlegged. I would have thought that the holography would make that difficult.

But what this thread made me think of was the CD of The Black Album that I bought back in 1990. The cover was from the Dirty Mind tour, it was on "Klub MusiK - Korea," the disc was labelled as simply 'Dauphin,' and it was tracked as only three tracks. "Le Grind" through "Dead On It" was Track 1, "When 2 R In Love" was Track 2, and Side two was Track 3. Coming right after the single-tracked Lovesexy, I didn't even question it.

Sorry, I just got a little nostalgic.

^ Never knew it was so heavily bootlegged like that

therighteous1 said:

This is kind of fascinating. I'd never realized that D&P was heavily bootlegged. I would have thought that the holography would make that difficult.

But what this thread made me think of was the CD of The Black Album that I bought back in 1990. The cover was from the Dirty Mind tour, it was on "Klub MusiK - Korea," the disc was labelled as simply 'Dauphin,' and it was tracked as only three tracks. "Le Grind" through "Dead On It" was Track 1, "When 2 R In Love" was Track 2, and Side two was Track 3. Coming right after the single-tracked Lovesexy, I didn't even question it.

Sorry, I just got a little nostalgic.

I have that exact same one! It's the first unauthorized Prince CD I ever got. Can't seem to get rid of it either, I guess for sentimental reasons.

Optimus2 said:

I have a copy of the German Black Album too. The sound is quite low (same as Sign O The Times) The stickers however are on the disc case itself.

whats the sound like on your guys retail copy of the black album??........see it said it was released in 1994.......but it isnt as loud as the album Come?......it sounds lower even on the highest volume......so could any1 check that 4 me please?....but then again it has the cat number imbedded on the disc itself not the label side......so im not 2 sure....but if it was new....why would they take teh stickers off?