Smiths Solid Center 7" Discussion

jeff992

Member
The subject of Smiths 7" singles with solid centers was touched on and asked about in one or two threads recently but the discussion didn't get too far. I know that Passions lists these variations for the most part and I can look there to see which singles have both versions available or which might just have push-out centers. However, I'm wondering if anyone truly knows how much rarer the solid ones are than the push-out ones? Or perhaps it depends on the particular single? I am asking because I've noticed that a lot of ebay auctions for solid centers have sold for a lot of money lately. Is this because they are truly that much more scarce? Or are those sellers just smart enough to mention that these are solid centers and that they are supposedly much rarer so that drives the bidding up? It seems like many sellers wouldn't even know about there being different variations so you could be on the lookout for solid center singles that aren't specifically listed as such and get a bargain (kind of like getting a Heaven Knows 12" A1 pressing by asking a seller for the matrix number instead of bidding on one where the seller knows exactly what they have)

Anyways, I just was hoping some of the people who are more of an expert than I am would weigh in on this and discuss whether they think these are really rare enough to deserve selling for $40 to $100+ or if these prices are a little out of whack. Thanks.
 
It's still a bit cloudy and no one I've spoken to has a definitive answer. From my experience, most people arnt bothered if they have a solid centre or 4-pronger, as long as they have the single in their collections they arnt too fussed. I can't tell u why some are rarer than others but I can tell u which ones i think are most common to least common,

Panic
That joke isn't funny
Shakespeare's sister
Shoplifters
How soon
Boy with thorn
(All pretty common)

William (green)
I stated something
Miserable now
Sandie shaw HIG
(Gettin tricky to find these)

Sheila
Ask
What diff w/Capitol logo
(Not quite needle in a haystack but getting there)

Girlfriend in a coma
Last night I dreamt
(I personally have only seen one of each, I own the last night but can't get hold of Gf)

Bigmouth solid
(Never seen)

I might have missed a few but it's a nice challenge for completists and every time I've had a few spares, they've always sold for a decent price.
 
Thanks for the info. I've kind of vaguely been aware of solid center vs. push-out ones until recently. But, as you said is the case with most people, I didn't really give it much thought as long as I had a copy of the single. But now I've started paying attention and wouldn't mind collecting a set of each. But not enough were I'm going to pay $50 or $100. But if I see them cheap, I'll get them.

I did notice that Passions said there were no known copies of a Bigmouth solid center. But I bought one on ebay today. Definitely looks solid center in the picture.

It's still a bit cloudy and no one I've spoken to has a definitive answer. From my experience, most people arnt bothered if they have a solid centre or 4-pronger, as long as they have the single in their collections they arnt too fussed. I can't tell u why some are rarer than others but I can tell u which ones i think are most common to least common,

Panic
That joke isn't funny
Shakespeare's sister
Shoplifters
How soon
Boy with thorn
(All pretty common)

William (green)
I stated something
Miserable now
Sandie shaw HIG
(Gettin tricky to find these)

Sheila
Ask
What diff w/Capitol logo
(Not quite needle in a haystack but getting there)

Girlfriend in a coma
Last night I dreamt
(I personally have only seen one of each, I own the last night but can't get hold of Gf)

Bigmouth solid
(Never seen)

I might have missed a few but it's a nice challenge for completists and every time I've had a few spares, they've always sold for a decent price.
 
So I checked all my singles and they are mostly push-out. The solid centers I have are:

- William It Was Really Nothing (Billie Whitelaw pressing)
- That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
- Hand in Glove (but I don't think that one really is the same situation since the first pressing and the London address/Sleeve by Morrissey are both solid, which are the 2 I have).
- Shakespeare's Sister. But it's the one with A-Side solid, B-side push-out. So I suppose there are also both side pushout and both side solid versions that I'm missing?

I also am supposed to have The Boy with the Thorn and Bigmouth on their way to me.

It's still a bit cloudy and no one I've spoken to has a definitive answer. From my experience, most people arnt bothered if they have a solid centre or 4-pronger, as long as they have the single in their collections they arnt too fussed. I can't tell u why some are rarer than others but I can tell u which ones i think are most common to least common,

Panic
That joke isn't funny
Shakespeare's sister
Shoplifters
How soon
Boy with thorn
(All pretty common)

William (green)
I stated something
Miserable now
Sandie shaw HIG
(Gettin tricky to find these)

Sheila
Ask
What diff w/Capitol logo
(Not quite needle in a haystack but getting there)

Girlfriend in a coma
Last night I dreamt
(I personally have only seen one of each, I own the last night but can't get hold of Gf)

Bigmouth solid
(Never seen)

I might have missed a few but it's a nice challenge for completists and every time I've had a few spares, they've always sold for a decent price.
 
Well, I just realized those two I bought on ebay (The Boy with the Thorn, Bigmouth) are the Rhino re-issues. Just wasted my money I guess but I guess I'll add them to the collection since I don't have them other than in the deluxe box.

So I checked all my singles and they are mostly push-out. The solid centers I have are:

- William It Was Really Nothing (Billie Whitelaw pressing)
- That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
- Hand in Glove (but I don't think that one really is the same situation since the first pressing and the London address/Sleeve by Morrissey are both solid, which are the 2 I have).
- Shakespeare's Sister. But it's the one with A-Side solid, B-side push-out. So I suppose there are also both side pushout and both side solid versions that I'm missing?

I also am supposed to have The Boy with the Thorn and Bigmouth on their way to me.
 
I ll check my Smiths 7" Singles and let you know what I have....yes I have read that solid centers are rarer compared to push out ones, but that's all I know.....

Cheers Moz
 
Here are the solid ones I have :

Shoplifters , The Boy with the thorn,HIG London Address ,HIG Manchester Address, William (Billie Whitelaw pressing) This Charming Man (Glad Hips Music , Manchester) and HIG without any address and yes Shakespeare's Sister. But it's the one with A-Side solid, B-side push-out.

Cheers Moz
 
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How is that even possible?

Obviously, they're referring to the re-labelled push-out centre, which has the engineer/credits corrected with a solid centre type label stuck over the original center.
 
It's still a bit cloudy and no one I've spoken to has a definitive answer. From my experience, most people arnt bothered if they have a solid centre or 4-pronger, as long as they have the single in their collections they arnt too fussed. I can't tell u why some are rarer than others but I can tell u which ones i think are most common to least common,

Panic
That joke isn't funny
Shakespeare's sister
Shoplifters
How soon
Boy with thorn
(All pretty common)

William (green)
I stated something
Miserable now
Sandie shaw HIG
(Gettin tricky to find these)

Sheila
Ask
What diff w/Capitol logo
(Not quite needle in a haystack but getting there)

Girlfriend in a coma
Last night I dreamt
(I personally have only seen one of each, I own the last night but can't get hold of Gf)

Bigmouth solid
(Never seen)

I might have missed a few but it's a nice challenge for completists and every time I've had a few spares, they've always sold for a decent price.

I'd say that it's more intriguing than you guys are making it out to be, especially for enthusiasts/completists. Don't forget that there are even alternative solid centers, the UK pressed solid centers and the so-called Irish pressings, which have striking differences. Definitely agree that Bigmouth is the rarest but I'd say that it must exist (somewhere). It's just a question of in what quantities?

Similarly, the Swedish 7" pressings and also the Morrissey Aussie 7" pressings also seem quite scarce but are great fun to own (even if they're very frustrating to collect).
 
Getting close to filling a set of UK Rough Trade 7" singles, if anyone has any of the last few please PM me with prices if your willing to part with them, I'm only looking for EX+,NM,M examples though.

This Charming Man x 3 1st withdrawn, glad hips publishers/no anti slip/capitol logo/push out, rubber stamp logo/glad hips/solid centre

Heaven Knows solid centre

William re-issue push-out

Ask solid centre

Girlfriend solid centre

Last night solid centre
 
Getting close to filling a set of UK Rough Trade 7" singles, if anyone has any of the last few please PM me with prices if your willing to part with them, I'm only looking for EX+,NM,M examples though.

This Charming Man x 3 1st withdrawn, glad hips publishers/no anti slip/capitol logo/push out, rubber stamp logo/glad hips/solid centre

Heaven Knows solid centre

William re-issue push-out

Ask solid centre

Girlfriend solid centre

Last night solid centre

My last night is on it's way to Ireland but I have the first three if the offer's right.
 
rumour was, there is only 1 girlfriend, 1 last night & 1 bigmouth.

But the spotted versions of Girlfriend and Last Night bear striking differences. One has anti-slip serrations, one doesn't. Is that relevant? There must be others, mustn't there? Having said that, Bigmouth solid centre seems entirely AWOL
 
Here are the ones I have. The Girlfriend In A Coma one has the anti-slip serrations and when I bought it around the time of release P1070905.jpgP1070885.JPGP1070886.JPGP1070887.JPGP1070891.JPGit came in a plain sleeve.
 
Also, the following
 

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Finally, these ones. I've included two with the cursive font. Don't know if it is age but one of the labels is much lighter than the other and the text is almost black
 

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