ABBA: The Studio Albums (Coloured Vinyl Set)

I got an email from Amazon.fr last week saying that the release had been delayed and that the expected delivery date was now between 7 and 10 August... I wonder if the delays are different across the various territories, or should I expect another billet doux from Amazon?

As Hometime says, could be different dates depending on country. Music releases are supposed to be co-ordinated to the same date worldwide, but I think that only applies when there’s new content. With this, there is no new audio.

I think they released the half-speed remaster, the picture discs and the singles boxset for Arrival, The Album and Voulez-Vous on the same day. I would imagine they would do the same for Super Trouper.

The ABBF site still has the 24th as its release date. Amazon.fr haven't mailed me about any further delays, suggesting that the 24th still holds for them too. Fingers crossed, we could have this treat in a fortnight.

Excellent! Fingers crossed that I'll get an email from Amazon.fr tomorrow.

For those who have had this boxset today, what do you think of it? I love it. I think it’s a brilliant boxset. The packaging is amazing and the colours of the vinyl is outstanding. The coloured vinyl for Ring Ring, Voulez-Vous and The Visitors really catches your eyes.

To be honest, I think that the quality of the album sleeves could (and should) have been much better. I've compared them to the original vinyl I have and the sleeves in the box set look rather blurry/grainy (f.e. Arrival outer and inner sleeve). Ring Ring looks rather good but I never had that one on vinyl so I can't compare it to the original. The sleeves artwork should have been top-notch and crystal clear which it unfortunately isn't. Also, a booklet with liner notes or an essay about the albums would have been nice. The coloured vinyl looks great though.
Since I only got this as a collectors item and have no intention of actually playing it (I don't even have a record player) I can't say anything about the quality of the vinyl. But I've read a review elsewhere saying that the sound quality of the original vinyl is far superior to the box set.

I paid 130 euros for the box set.

While I can see that the pictures used on the covers are a bit blurry as compared to the original releases, I have to say that the colour grading is brilliant and gives the albums a fresh look and the fonts are well defined and is aesthetically pleasing.

Has anyone else had problems with the download code not working?

Oh no... Rubber Ball Man gave a very slightly positive opinion of the scans but this is now preparing me for the worst! I don’t get how the quality can be worse than previous issues, particularly Voulez-Vous as that was only out last year. It looks like they never will bother to re-create the artwork, even though (aside from perhaps Waterloo and The Visitors) it shouldn’t be all that difficult to do. Certainly easier than creating it in the first place would have been, with all the technology that’s available now.

Very disappointing to hear this but not exactly unexpected. My bank account is pending the debit from Amazon, so too late to cancel now. On the plus side it’s only showing £122.08. Not sure if this is to do with the UK VAT reduction or whether there’s another £8 to come out.

Michel , I’ve just read that review after reading your post.  Oh dear, this just gets worse.

What surprises me though is that many long-standing UK fans still think the gatefold UK sleeve for The Album was standard (I can only assume they’re referring to that as it wasn’t gatefold anywhere else was it, certainly not the official Polar version?).

I’m actually now half-tempted to send it back, unopened, for a refund (it’s not arrived yet but due today or tomorrow).  This is a luxury item and if it’s not at all luxury then not worth bothering with.

I think it’s worth quoting the review in full:

Half-hearted cash-in

First off, this is a ‘limited edition’. Universal won’t be honest with actual numbers, which should illegal - by law, any company professing an item is a ‘limited edition’ should HAVE to state the actual number on the product. My feeling is this box set is far from limited - just check how easily available this box set is, almost three months after it became available.
That bugbear aside, let’s get to the actual box set. The box is plain, dull, but has some nice holographic text for the title. It’s a slipcase and all the albums are inside a small slip box inside. And this is where we got major problems.
The artwork. It’s appalling. Looking like a cross between a cheap foreign bootleg and a photocopy, the image and colour reproduction is, frankly, dismal. Hold every one of these covers up next to the original or the Japanese pressings. Universal MUST have access to the original photos, yet once again they fail to listen to the barrage of criticism from the black vinyl box set sleeve reproduction, and they’ve used exactly the same (poor quality) scans. It looks and feels pretty bare-bones-basic - the glossy covers are all replaced by a full matt finish that marks every time you handle. The colours on all the sleeves is off - who are they using to ‘ok’ these? And the gatefold sleeve for The Album - replaced (in a pricey deluxe box set) by the bare-bones single sleeve. What are they thinking?!
So that’s the covers, now on to the vinyl.... and the colour choice is, at best, questionable. Bright yellow for The Visitors?! Their darkest and most wintry album on summery jolly yellow? WHAAAAAAT?! A vile dark green for The Album?! In these days of beautiful splatter vinyl and when acts like Taylor Swift issue a gorgeous colour vinyl selection just last week, to see these classic iconic albums pressed on such ghastly colour vinyl is depressing. And please - silver? It’s grey. Gold? It’s dull browny bronze.
A really care-less collection that SHOULD be a definitive, beautiful item.
I’m a lifelong long-term fan and I can categorically state - this isn’t anywhere near what it should be.
The two stars are for the actual albums - the box set would be lucky to scrape one star.
Universal - hang your heads in shame. This is nothing more than a greedy, pointless and carelessly produced cash-in for a loyal fanbase who’s buy anything.
And you know it.

Hmm. While Amazon.fr had the cheapest price (€126), they still haven't managed to ship anything. Reading this, I'm tempted to cancel the order. I've had misgivings about the colours chosen for the vinyl - as with the Agnetha/Frida/B&B reissues, just a little more thought would have made the releases more special. I was caught up in the excitement of an apparently glamorous rerelease package, but now it seems the gods of commerce are offering me a reprieve... 

Sidebar: I may be the only fan that prefers the elegance of the non-gatefold edition of The Album.

Edit: I removed a comment I regret making. It was true, but it should not have been posted here. 

Excellent point about the price.