The Decca dead wax markings

This will come handy to all the Decca fans, collectors and new to the Decca vinyl madness…
“The Decca Matrix can be found at 6 o’clock on dead wax, in this case XZAL-3805-1E, where XZAL indicated a stereo recording. 3805 is a Decca file number for the master tape used for this side (side one) on the record, side two is 3806. The number “1” indicates the running number of the Master Lacquer made in the lathe machine from the Master Tape. The letter “E” identifying the engineer who created the Master Lacquer and supervised the whole process up to the stampers, in this pressing, Stan Goodall.

The letter identifying the Stamper can be found at 3 o’clock on the dead wax. The letter is sometimes difficult to see, but it is there. Decca used the word BUCKINGHAM for numbering of the Stamper. The first Stamper to be made from the Mother has the letter B, the next one has U and so on.


On Decca classical records the ‘Metal Mother Number” is visible at 9 o’clock on the dead wax.” – Saulo Zucchello