Test pressings are made to check that the stampers are free of errors and that the cut sounds as intended. Sample CDs are taken out of the production line before the labels are printed for checking. More information can be found in the Test pressings document. Please contact me if you own a test pressing, even if the release is already covered below. Most information on the test pressings is handwritten, so it would be nice to document all variants.
Test pressing of the original US pressing of Bleach.
Rejected test pressing of the 1992 reissue. Side B was re-cut and tested together with side B of another record.
Combined test pressing of the recut B sides of Bleach and a Steven Jesse Bernstein promo sampler.
Test pressing of the 20th anniversary reissue.
Test pressing of the second batch of mother plates used to press the 20th anniversary reissue.
French test pressing on black vinyl.
UK test pressing on dirty white vinyl.
Australian test pressing.
Australian test pressing to check the etching on The Saint's limited edition of Grain Of Sand, featuring side B of Bleach.
Test pressing of the original US pressing of Nevermind.
White label pressing made while warming up the press and adjusting the cycle time. A-1/B-1 matrix.
Test pressing of the audiophile pressing by MFSL. A-2/B-2 matrix.
Test pressing of the original ORG pressing, made in the USA by RTI.
Test pressing of the original ORG pressing, made in the USA by RTI. It is identical to the previous test pressing, except for the stamped date.
Test pressing of the first Simply Vinyl issue.
Test pressing of the second ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the third ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the European Back To Black 20th anniversary reissue. Only the first vinyl has been found so far.
The first South American test pressing to surface.
The first test pressing by RTI had an error on side A, and had to be recut.
New test pressing of the recut side A. While successful, it was not released.
Test pressing of the released record, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the original US pressing of In Utero.
Test pressing of the first ORG pressing, made in the USA by RTI.
Test pressing of the second ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the third ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the original US pressing of Unplugged In New York.
Test pressing of the first ORG pressing, made in the USA by RTI.
This British pressing must have been cancelled for some reason, as a retail copy has never surfaced.
Test pressing of the second ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing of the third ORG pressing, made in Germany by Pallas.
Test pressing for the 2016 reissue.
Test pressing for the 2015 reissue.
French test pressing of Nirvana's first EP. Came with a release sheet.
The only known test pressing, half red and half blue. Any collector not in possession of this record is not a true collector.
Test pressing of Nirvana's first single. Six different copies are pictured!
Test pressing of the American release of the single.
Test pressing of the UK 7" release of the single, pressed in France.
One of the more common test pressings, this white label was also used for promotion.
Test pressing of the The Fluid/ Nirvana split single.
Test pressing of the Nirvana/ The Melvins split single.
7" test pressing of the British single.
12" test pressing of the British single.
An uncommon picture disc test pressing, as most picture discs are tested on black vinyl.
Test pressing of the French pressing of the Jesus Lizard/ Nirvana split single.
Black vinyl test pressing of the Australian picture disc release, pressed in the USA.
The compilation includes Nirvana's Spank Thru.
Test pressing of the 7" compilation which includes Nirvana's Mexican Seafood.
American test pressing of the Kiss covers compilation which includes Nirvana's take on Do You Love Me?.
French test pressing of the Kiss covers compilation which includes Nirvana's take on Do You Love Me?.
Test pressing of the The Velvet Underground covers compilation which includes Nirvana's take on Here She Comes Now.
Test pressing of a later repressing of the compilation, featuring Nirvana's Beeswax.
Test pressing of the Wipers tribute compilation, featuring Nirvana's take on Return Of The Rat.
Double-sided test pressing of the July and August releases.
Unsuccessful cut of Mark Lanegan's solo album.
Re-cut and approved test pressing.
Test pressing of the collaboration between Kurt Cobain and William S. Burroughs.
White label pressing of the collaboration between Kurt Cobain and William S. Burroughs, most likely used for promotion.
Kurt Cobain lazily produced the record and played guitar on one track which appears on this test pressing.
Kurt Cobain appears on a few songs on the album, but his vocals are buried in the mix.
Kurt Cobain appears on this song with Earth. An unverified test pressing from the second pressing also exists.
Printed sample disc made in Sweden sometime between 1994 and 1997.
Sample disc from the 2002 reissue. Some were used by the distributor to presell the album to retailers.
Sample disc from a pressing from 1994 or slightly later. Endless, Nameless is included.
Sample disc from the original Canadian pressing. The discs came with custom printed front inserts.
Sample disc from the original Canadian pressing. The disc came with a laser printed back insert.
Sample disc from UK, unfortunately the only existing photograph is quite poor.
Sample disc from the original German pressing of the single. Some were used by the distributor to presell the single to retailers.
Sample disc of the promo pairing the live and album versions of All Apologies.
Sample disc from the original Canadian pressing. The disc came with a laser printed insert.
German sample disc.
American sample disc.
German sample disc.
American sample disc.
American sample disc.
Sample disc of the stand-alone DVD release.
Sample disc of the Live At The Paramount DVD included with the super deluxe edition.
Sample disc of the BD release.
American sample disc of the live disc released for the 20th anniversary of In Utero.
German sample disc of the live disc released for the 20th anniversary of In Utero.
These two pages cover test pressings which are rumored to exist but have yet to be documented, and counterfeit records made to look like authentic test pressings.