Customer Reviews

The Tiffany Transcriptions

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The music in this box set is undeniably great. Alas, unlike the German company Bear Family for which liner notes writer Rich Kienzle more frequently writes, this set was thrown together from the Tiffany Transcriptions already released twice in the past two decades, by Kaleidoscope in the 1980s on vinyl and Rhino in the 1990s on CD. There is nothing new here for true Bob Wills fans that they haven't already heard, which is unfortunate considering that there are nearly 140 more Tiffany Transcriptions that may never see the light of day now because Collector's Choice didn't care about a comprehensive, complete set of this important music. Are the rest of the Tiffanys as good as this? Well, having heard them, probably not. But there are at least 50-60 recordings that are just as strong as what's released here, perhaps more, and even the bottom of the barrel is high-quality Wills music with fabulous instrumentalists and the incomparable Tommy Duncan. The sad fact is that this box will be looked as a definitive, all-inclusive set, even though it isn't, and people who truly care about this music will never see the complete Tiffany set that they have for so long dreamed. If Collector's Choice really wants five stars for this set, it needs to augment this set with separate releases of the remaining Tiffany tracks. Until then, it's really just slapping its own label and packaging on somebody else's truly conscientious hard work. To me, that's just plain lazy and amateurish with music as historically significant and wonderful as this. True professionalism and quality can be found in Bear Family's two Bob Wills box sets. Too bad BF didn't get this project. That company would have done it right. If pressed on the matter, I'm sure even Kienzle would agree.

A great collection and great value, about 11 bucks apiece for discs that are twice that individually. Try before you buy-- check out sample cuts from the individual albums on Amazon. Play the clip of Crazy Rhythm from Vol. 3, Basin Street Blues. It kills. Hot licks, you bet. There's so much here, blues, jazz, swing, pop, the McKinney sisters yodeling on Vol. 10 fer crying out loud, and a little bit country, too. The entire gamut of American music is here and you will love every bit of it.

If you're reading this, you don't need to be told that the music's great ... it's Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys with Tommy Duncan at just about their best. The presentation is pretty good as well ... each CD is in a gatefold sleeve based on the original LP sleeves with notes by various former Texas Playboys, except one where the notes are by "Honorary Playboy" Merle Haggard. Volume 10, featuring the McKinney Sisters, has liner notes from Dean McKinney who married Playboy fiddler Tiny Moore. All housed in a very neat and attractive CD-sized flip-top box with an excellent booklet to augment the sleeve notes.

Of course, these are straight reissues of the original LPs with the same track listings. The content could easily have fitted on half-a-dozen CDs rather than ten. An even better alternative would have been to fill the ten CDs with bonus tracks from unissued Tiffany recordings. That said, it's still a very nicely presented little box set.

But ... Collectors' Choice Music spoilt it by their poor quality control. My factory-sealed copy was opened to reveal one gatefold sleeve badly creased and a CD with two bad scratches on it. As it was clearly their fault and not the sellers', I contacted Collectors' Choice several times. Their customer service matched their quality control ... as it hadn't been bought from them they didn't want to know. Never mind that they produced it. That's why I've only given a 3-star rating when it could so easily have warranted a "5" ...

Based on most of the few reviews about this box set, I had passed on this for a couple of years without having read them. However, recently I read how good the Tiffany Transcriptions were, and after having heard the samples, I will definately get this box set, once I've saved up some pennies!
But I really wish that people wouldn't mislead others who only want to enjoy the music (I've also come across this problem regarding reviews with other albums by other artists), because of their misfortunes regarding damaged CDs, unsympathetic customer service, etc. I fully sympathise with those customers regarding such unpleasantries, and I would be annoyed too, but I've only ever had great service from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.UK- next time try e-mail, instead of phoning!
My experience with Amazon is such that if I receive anything damaged or whatever, they'll replace it, and continue to replace it until I get a proper box set that works, looks, and is packaged perfectly, or they'll give me my money back! Also, even if it doesn't have every single song from all those radio recordings, if it's still great, then it still rates 5 stars, especially with such a vast amount of music and book. Sheesh!

The music that's here is 5 stars! Its an updated of the previous Rhino 10 disc series. Maybe if you buy they will put out the rest? Sales always encourage more 'product'.

When I ordered The Tiffany Transcriptions, the price was $116.99, but a week later the price was $99.99. When I called Amazon to ask for a price adjustment, I was told that Amazon no longer made such price adjustments. I complained, and told the person that they were not the only game in town and that without such a price adjustment they would have no more of my business. The Amazon sales rep made it clear that she would not change her position, and that she wanted to end the conversation. I have given Amazon a lot of business over the years, but no more. Goodbye, Amazon!