Identifying fakes - Revision history

BalkanMapper: Protected "Identifying fakes": VIP page ([Edit=Allow only administrators] (indefinite) [Move=Allow only administrators] (indefinite))

2025-02-03T02:17:41Z

Protected "Identifying fakes": VIP page ([Edit=Allow only administrators] (indefinite) [Move=Allow only administrators] (indefinite))

← Older revision	Revision as of 02:17, 3 February 2025
(No difference)

Randomatribute20k: /* Hall of Shame */ Another fake has hit my collection.

2024-12-02T06:58:45Z

Hall of Shame: Another fake has hit my collection.

@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 *Unconventional cassette shell and label colors.
 | image4            = NikonemaštoSrbinimade-Fake-side-B-RA20K.png
 }}

Randomatribute20k: fixes

2024-11-17T07:41:30Z

fixes

Randomatribute20k: Cleaned up slightly.

2024-11-16T08:33:18Z

Cleaned up slightly.

Randomatribute20k: Added bootleg

2024-11-16T07:39:29Z

Added bootleg

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 *Very blurry cover
 *Genuine cassette label design, but with different colors
 }}

BalkanMapper: /* Hall of Shame */ added lepi mica images

2024-11-15T22:48:50Z

Hall of Shame: added lepi mica images

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:48, 15 November 2024
Line 62:		Line 62:
	}}{{Multiple image		}}{{Multiple image
	\| total_width = 800		\| total_width = 800
	\| image1 = ~~Placeholder~~.~~png~~		\| image1 = Lepi-Mica-Republiko-Srpska-fake-front.jpg
	\| image2 = ~~Placeholder~~.~~png~~		\| image2 = Lepi-Mica-Republiko-Srpska-fake-side-a.jpg
	\| align = none		\| align = none
	\| image3 = ~~Placeholder~~.~~png~~		\| image3 = Lepi-Mica-Republiko-Srpska-fake-side-b.jpg
	~~\| image4 = Placeholder.png~~
	\| header = Lepi Mića - Republiko Srpska		\| header = Lepi Mića - Republiko Srpska
	\| footer = Notes		\| footer = Notes
Line 72:		Line 71:
	*Back of the J-card blank		*Back of the J-card blank
	*Very sticky and thick cardstock		*Very sticky and thick cardstock
	*Genuine cassette label design, but with ~~very weird~~ colors		*Very blurry cover
			*Genuine cassette label design, but with different colors
	}}		}}

BalkanMapper: added more

2024-11-15T22:38:39Z

added more

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 A lot of times, fine lines on fake tapes will appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.
-Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a badly calibrated inkjet printer.
+Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a badly calibrated inkjet printer. [[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg|left|thumb|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges|302x302px]]On a macro, or even scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.
-On a macro, or even scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.
+Since fake J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, its not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case, and will look crinkled or bent when inserted back into the case. There are also imperfect cuts, where the picture is cut at an odd angle, causing the graphics to stop short. Improper borders don't guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.
-Since fake J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, its not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case, and will look crinkled or bent when inserted back into the case. There are also imperfect cuts, where the picture is cut at an odd angle, causing the graphics to stop short. Improper borders don't guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.
+The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. Some album covers did change between reissues of the same album, but it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by other labels or additions of singer logos. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. Very rarely genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards, but these are usually obscure releases by small labels and not by any big, known labels.
-The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. Some album covers did change between reissues of the same album, but it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by other labels or additions of singer logos. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. No genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards.
+{{Multiple image
-[[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg|left|thumb|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges]]
+| total_width       = 800

Generacide: Expand this article. Still not final.

2024-10-07T18:58:46Z

Expand this article. Still not final.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:58, 7 October 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, ~~it would only make sense if it played~~ a ~~big role in~~ the hyperinflated ~~and sanctioned~~ Yugoslavia.		With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, fake tapes are occasional in war music, especially as a result of the hyperinflated economy in Yugoslavia at the time of the war.

	~~This article aims~~ to ~~showcase ways on how~~ to ~~identify pirated media from~~ that ~~time~~, as it ~~was very widespread and sometimes even pulled off well~~. ~~Im going to primarily talk about cassettes but~~ the ~~same things~~ can be ~~applied~~ to ~~CD's as well~~		Fake tapes (or 'Bootlegs') are somewhat of a mixed blessing for collectors. Obviously the authenticity of the material is destroyed, since the tape, j-card and labels are not genuine, but it is possible to get higher quality audio from a fake tape than a real one. Some duplication houses (where the albums were transferred from their masters onto cassettes to be sold in stores) had notoriously bad quality, with cheap tapes that are nearly impossible to find in good condition.

			Fakes however, may have been recorded onto higher quality ''consumer'' tapes, meant for home recording. That means it's possible to have a fake tape that's effectively a 'snapshot' of an undegraded tape from the 90's. A bootleg could give you higher quality audio than an original version of the tape, especially if found today, as many of the originals have degraded.

			To be clear, bootlegs are a gamble and can be wildly inconsistent, but a bootleg of a rare album is much better than not having the album at all.

			This article will provide ways of identifying bootlegs, and will show what to look for if you believe a tape is fake.

	== Cover ==		== Cover ==
Line 7:		Line 13:
	The easiest step in identifying a fake cassette is also the first thing you see, the cover.		The easiest step in identifying a fake cassette is also the first thing you see, the cover.

	The most obvious ~~indication~~ is the colors of the ~~print, they~~ will either be washed out and very pale or extremely vibrant and bright. ~~In any case, the~~ blacks will have ~~a very distinct shine~~ to them. In some cases, the color will be missing entirely and ~~it will be~~ a ~~classic~~ black and white cover, or a ~~different consistant color depending~~ on the ~~color~~ of the ~~paper its~~ printed on.		The most obvious indicator of a fake tape is the colors of the printed J-card. Fake tapes will either have washed out and very pale colors or be extremely vibrant and bright. It's also possible that blacks and darker colors will have an odd sheen to them, that's different from the otherwise matte paper. In some cases, the color will be missing entirely and you'll get a black and white cover, or black with whatever odd color paper the cover was printed on.

			On most genuine cassette covers, the paper will have a general sheen across the entire card, and won't have parts that look matte while others reflect light.

			A lot of times, fine lines on fake tapes will appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.

			Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a badly calibrated inkjet printer.

	~~A lot of times~~, ~~fine lines~~ will ~~appear very blurry~~, ~~this can~~ be ~~best seen on~~ letters ~~and graphics~~, ~~but also pictures of the artists turn blurry~~.		On a macro, or even scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.

	Since ~~these~~ J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, its not rare to see white edges ~~where~~ the ~~graphic stops~~ and the ~~opposite~~, where the picture ~~cuts prematurely or~~ the ~~J-Card~~ is ~~straight up too small or too big~~ for the ~~case~~.		Since fake J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, its not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case, and will look crinkled or bent when inserted back into the case. There are also imperfect cuts, where the picture is cut at an odd angle, causing the graphics to stop short. Improper borders don't guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.

	The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes~~, whether~~ the ~~entire back~~, a ~~spine~~ or a ~~simple typeface~~.		The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. Some album covers did change between reissues of the same album, but it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by other labels or additions of singer logos. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. No genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards.
	[[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]~~, notice~~ the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges]]		[[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges]]

BalkanMapper: WIP

2024-09-21T18:46:40Z

WIP

New page

With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, it would only make sense if it played a big role in the hyperinflated and sanctioned Yugoslavia.

This article aims to showcase ways on how to identify pirated media from that time, as it was very widespread and sometimes even pulled off well. Im going to primarily talk about cassettes but the same things can be applied to CD's as well

== Cover ==
[[File:Example of shining on a pirated tape.jpg|thumb|Here you can see the distinct shine when held angled to a light]]
The easiest step in identifying a fake cassette is also the first thing you see, the cover.

The most obvious indication is the colors of the print, they will either be washed out and very pale or extremely vibrant and bright. In any case, the blacks will have a very distinct shine to them. In some cases, the color will be missing entirely and it will be a classic black and white cover, or a different consistant color depending on the color of the paper its printed on.

A lot of times, fine lines will appear very blurry, this can be best seen on letters and graphics, but also pictures of the artists turn blurry.

Since these J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, its not rare to see white edges where the graphic stops and the opposite, where the picture cuts prematurely or the J-Card is straight up too small or too big for the case.

The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes, whether the entire back, a spine or a simple typeface.
[[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg|left|thumb|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]], notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:41, 17 November 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, fake tapes are an inevitability in war music, especially as a result of the hyperinflated economy in wartime Yugoslavia.		With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, fake tapes are an inevitability in war music, especially as a result of the hyperinflated economy in wartime Yugoslavia.

	Fake tapes (most commonly known as "bootlegs") are somewhat of a mixed blessing for collectors. Obviously the authenticity of the material is destroyed since the tape, j-card and labels are not genuine, but it is possible to get higher quality audio from a fake tape than a real one. Some duplication houses (where ~~the~~ albums were transferred from their masters onto cassettes to be sold in stores) had notoriously bad quality control, ~~with~~ cheap tapes that are nearly impossible to find in good condition.		Fake tapes (most commonly known as "bootlegs") are somewhat of a mixed blessing for collectors. Obviously the authenticity of the material is destroyed since the tape, j-card and labels are not genuine, but it is possible to get higher quality audio from a fake tape than a real one. Some duplication houses (where albums were transferred from their masters onto cassettes to be sold in stores) had notoriously bad quality control, producing cheap tapes that while authentic, are nearly impossible to find in good condition.

	~~Fakes however may~~ have ~~been~~ recorded onto higher quality ''consumer'' tapes (cassettes produced and sold in the consumer market for the sole purpose of home recording). That means it is possible to have a fake tape that is effectively a 'snapshot' of an undegraded tape from the 90's. A bootleg could theoretically give you higher quality audio than an original version of the tape, especially if found today, as many of the originals have degraded.		On the other hand, bootlegs have the possibility of being recorded onto higher quality consumer tapes (cassettes produced and sold in the consumer market for the sole purpose of home recording). That means it is possible to have a fake tape that is effectively a "snapshot" of an undegraded tape from the 90's. A bootleg could theoretically give you higher quality audio than an original version of the tape, especially if found today as many of the originals have degraded.

	To be clear, bootlegs are a gamble and can be wildly inconsistent, but a bootleg of a rare album is much better than not having the album at all.		To be clear, bootlegs are a gamble and can be wildly inconsistent, but sometimes a bootleg of a rare album is much better than not having the album at all.

	This article will provide ways of identifying bootlegs, and will show what to look for if you believe a tape is fake.		This article will provide ways of identifying bootlegs, and will show what to look for if you believe a tape is fake.

	== ~~Cover~~ ==		== Identifying fakes by cover ==
	[[File:Example of shining on a pirated tape.jpg\|thumb\|Here you can see the distinct shine when held angled to a light]]		[[File:Example of shining on a pirated tape.jpg\|thumb\|Here you can see the distinct shine when held angled to a light]]
	The easiest step in identifying a fake cassette is also the first thing you see, the cover.		The easiest step in identifying a fake cassette is also the first thing you see, the cover.

	The most obvious indicator of a fake tape is the colors of the printed J-card. Fake tapes will either have washed out ~~and~~ very pale colors or be extremely vibrant and bright. It's also possible that blacks and darker colors will have an odd sheen to them, that~~'s different~~ from the otherwise matte paper. In some cases, the color will be missing entirely and you'll get a ~~black and white~~ cover, or black with whatever odd color paper the cover was printed on.		The most obvious indicator of a fake tape is the colors of the printed J-card. Fake tapes will either have washed out, very pale colors or be extremely vibrant and bright. It is also possible that blacks and other darker colors will have an odd sheen to them that contrasts from the otherwise matte paper when put under a light source. In some cases, the color will be missing entirely and you'll get a monochrome cover, or black with whatever odd color paper the cover was printed on.

	On most genuine cassette covers, the paper will have a general sheen across the entire card, and won't have parts that look matte while others reflect light.		On most genuine cassette covers, the paper will have a general sheen across the entire card, and won't have parts that look matte while others reflect light.
Line 19:		Line 19:
	Fine lines on fake tapes will often appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.		Fine lines on fake tapes will often appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.

	Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a poorly calibrated inkjet printer. [[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges\|302x302px]]~~On a~~ macro, or ~~even~~ scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.		Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a poorly calibrated inkjet printer. [[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje\|''Zbogom oružje'']]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges\|302x302px]]In terms of macro photography or on a scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.

	Since fake J-~~Cards~~ were cut by hand most of the time, it is not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case giving a crinkled or bent look when putting it back in. There are also imperfect cuts in which there are missing parts of the cover due to being cut at an odd and inconsistent angle. Improper borders don't necessarily guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.		Since fake J-cards were cut by hand most of the time, it is not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case giving a crinkled or bent look when putting it back in. There are also imperfect cuts in which there are missing parts of the cover due to being cut at an odd and inconsistent angle. Improper borders don't necessarily guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.

	The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. ~~Some album~~ covers ~~did change~~ between reissues of the same album, ~~but~~ it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by ~~other~~ labels ~~or additions of singer logos~~. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. Very rarely genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards, but these are usually obscure releases by ~~small~~ labels and not by any ~~big~~, ~~known labels~~.		The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. While some authentic copies did have alternate covers between reissues of the same album, it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by a foreign distributor, releases by state media labels, and reissues between different label which was already uncommon to begin with. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. Very rarely genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards, but these are usually obscure releases by smaller independent labels and not by any prominent labels like RTS, Jugodisk, and Jugoton.

	== Cassettes ==		== Cassettes ==
	[[File:Brano-Trifkovic-Srbin-je-ponos-fake-cassette-side-a-balkanmapper.jpg\|thumb\|302x302px\|A fake [[Srbin je ponos]]. The cassette itself has an entirely different label than any genuine copy. Also the printing of the blank TDK tape used for the bootleg can be seen to the right]]		[[File:Brano-Trifkovic-Srbin-je-ponos-fake-cassette-side-a-balkanmapper.jpg\|thumb\|302x302px\|A fake [[Srbin je ponos\|''Srbin je ponos'']]. The cassette itself has an entirely different label than any genuine copy. Also the printing of the blank TDK tape used for the bootleg can be seen to the right]]
	As cassette labels are hard to scan, bootlegs often lack sharpness and detail. This can be seen in letters having gaps in them or by being very blurry. To avoid that, bootleggers sometimes opt to remake the tape labels, creating a new design. These ones are very obvious to spot as they differ substantially to known originals. They can lack rights texts, relevant information like publishers, logos, catalog numbers and can use different typefaces or side indicators. In some cases bootleggers will have their own sophisticated label templates for the cassette labels. For example some [[Slušajte dok vas ne uhvate za .....\|Srpski Talibani]] bootlegs have an "In Moorton Benson" text with a logo of two seahorses over a fake catalog number, a template used for many bootlegs of various albums. The color is also a big indicator, as most genuine releases have labels printed on white paper, while a majority of bootlegs will print genuine graphics on bright colors like red or yellow.		As cassette labels are hard to scan, bootlegs often lack sharpness and detail. This can be seen in letters having gaps in them or by being very blurry. To avoid that, bootleggers sometimes opt to remake the tape labels, creating a new design. These ones are very obvious to spot as they differ substantially to known originals. They can lack rights texts, relevant information like publishers, logos, catalog numbers and can use different typefaces or side indicators. In some cases bootleggers will have their own sophisticated label templates for the cassette labels. For example some [[Slušajte dok vas ne uhvate za .....\|Srpski Talibani]] bootlegs have an "In Moorton Benson" text with a logo of two seahorses over a fake catalog number, a template used for many bootlegs of various albums. The color is also a big indicator as most genuine releases have labels printed on white paper while a majority of bootlegs will print genuine graphics on bright colors like red or yellow.

	The cassette used for bootlegs can often vary. Very rarely they are recorded over actual blank cassettes from factories, making them look more official. A lot of times it will be recorded over a blank consumer cassette. This will be visible, for example when shining a flashlight at the cassette and seeing the pad printed text of the blank cassette (logos, side indicator, etc.) coming through the paper labels. If that is the case, the tape length can also exceed the albums length, creating way too much blank space with just noise after the songs of the side end. It is also common for bootleg cassettes to be taped over other official releases. This can either be seen by bootleg labels being glued on the previous labels, or over a previously pad printed release.		The cassette used for bootlegs can often vary. Very rarely they are recorded over actual blank cassettes from factories, making them look more official. A lot of times it will be recorded over a blank consumer cassette. This will be visible, for example when shining a flashlight at the cassette and seeing the pad printed text of the blank cassette (logos, side indicator, etc.) coming through the paper labels. If that is the case, the tape length can also exceed the albums length, creating way too much blank space with just noise after the songs of the side end. It is also common for bootleg cassettes to be taped over other official releases. This can either be seen by bootleg labels being glued on the previous labels, or over a previously pad printed release.

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:33, 16 November 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, fake tapes are ~~occasional~~ in war music, especially as a result of the hyperinflated economy in Yugoslavia ~~at the time of the war~~.		With cassette piracy being rampant in the 80s and 90s, fake tapes are an inevitability in war music, especially as a result of the hyperinflated economy in wartime Yugoslavia.

	Fake tapes (~~or 'Bootlegs'~~) are somewhat of a mixed blessing for collectors. Obviously the authenticity of the material is destroyed, since the tape, j-card and labels are not genuine, but it is possible to get higher quality audio from a fake tape than a real one. Some duplication houses (where the albums were transferred from their masters onto cassettes to be sold in stores) had notoriously bad quality, with cheap tapes that are nearly impossible to find in good condition.		Fake tapes (most commonly known as "bootlegs") are somewhat of a mixed blessing for collectors. Obviously the authenticity of the material is destroyed since the tape, j-card and labels are not genuine, but it is possible to get higher quality audio from a fake tape than a real one. Some duplication houses (where the albums were transferred from their masters onto cassettes to be sold in stores) had notoriously bad quality control, with cheap tapes that are nearly impossible to find in good condition.

	Fakes however, may have been recorded onto higher quality ''consumer'' tapes~~, meant~~ for home recording. That means it's possible to have a fake tape that's effectively a 'snapshot' of an undegraded tape from the 90's. A bootleg could give you higher quality audio than an original version of the tape, especially if found today, as many of the originals have degraded.		Fakes however may have been recorded onto higher quality ''consumer'' tapes (cassettes produced and sold in the consumer market for the sole purpose of home recording). That means it is possible to have a fake tape that is effectively a 'snapshot' of an undegraded tape from the 90's. A bootleg could theoretically give you higher quality audio than an original version of the tape, especially if found today, as many of the originals have degraded.

	To be clear, bootlegs are a gamble and can be wildly inconsistent, but a bootleg of a rare album is much better than not having the album at all.		To be clear, bootlegs are a gamble and can be wildly inconsistent, but a bootleg of a rare album is much better than not having the album at all.
Line 17:		Line 17:
	On most genuine cassette covers, the paper will have a general sheen across the entire card, and won't have parts that look matte while others reflect light.		On most genuine cassette covers, the paper will have a general sheen across the entire card, and won't have parts that look matte while others reflect light.

	~~A lot of times, fine~~ lines on fake tapes will appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.		Fine lines on fake tapes will often appear blurry. This is easy to notice on letters and graphics, but can also affect the main cover photo. Blur on cards is easier to notice in person, because scanning nearly any J-card can introduce blur in some areas. If you notice blur on the J-card as you hold it, that's a sign of a fake tape.

	Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a ~~badly~~ calibrated inkjet printer. [[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges\|302x302px]]On a macro, or even scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.		Speaking of lines, you may also see odd and faded parallel lines that cut through the entire J-card, indicating it was printed on a poorly calibrated inkjet printer. [[File:Zbogom-oruzje-fake-j-card-front-balkanmapper.jpg\|left\|thumb\|A fake [[Zbogom oružje]]. Notice the very vibrant colors, blurry image and excess white at the edges\|302x302px]]On a macro, or even scanner level, the dots that make up the picture on a genuine J-card will look much different than the grainy, coherent texture of a card that was produced by an inkjet. The text and logos on real J-cards will often be much sharper than pictures, so if your letters don't look clear in your scanner, you may have a fake.

	Since fake J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, ~~its~~ not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case~~, and will look~~ crinkled or bent when ~~inserted~~ back ~~into the case~~. There are also imperfect cuts~~, where~~ the ~~picture is~~ cut at an odd angle~~, causing the graphics to stop short~~. Improper borders don't guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.		Since fake J-Cards were cut by hand most of the time, it is not rare to see white edges of blank paper around the perimeter of the card. In some cases, this can make the card too big for the case giving a crinkled or bent look when putting it back in. There are also imperfect cuts in which there are missing parts of the cover due to being cut at an odd and inconsistent angle. Improper borders don't necessarily guarantee a tape is fake, but they are an additional feature to look for if you are already noticing some of the aforementioned signs.

	The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. Some album covers did change between reissues of the same album, but it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by other labels or additions of singer logos. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. Very rarely genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards, but these are usually obscure releases by small labels and not by any big, known labels.		The last obvious indicator is when the design of the cover changes. Some album covers did change between reissues of the same album, but it was a fairly rare practice outside of releases by other labels or additions of singer logos. Another dead giveaway in this regard is when the back off a J-card is completely blank with no text. Very rarely genuine albums have been found without text on the back of their J-cards, but these are usually obscure releases by small labels and not by any big, known labels.
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	== Cassettes ==		== Cassettes ==
	[[File:Brano-Trifkovic-Srbin-je-ponos-fake-cassette-side-a-balkanmapper.jpg\|thumb\|302x302px\|A fake [[Srbin je ponos]]. The cassette itself has an entirely different label than any genuine copy. Also the printing of the blank TDK tape used for the bootleg can be seen to the right]]		[[File:Brano-Trifkovic-Srbin-je-ponos-fake-cassette-side-a-balkanmapper.jpg\|thumb\|302x302px\|A fake [[Srbin je ponos]]. The cassette itself has an entirely different label than any genuine copy. Also the printing of the blank TDK tape used for the bootleg can be seen to the right]]
	As cassette labels are hard to scan, bootlegs often lack sharpness and detail. This can be seen in letters having gaps in them or by being very blurry. To avoid that, bootleggers sometimes opt to remake the tape labels, creating a new design. These ones are very obvious to spot as they differ substantially to known originals. They can lack rights texts, relevant information like publishers, logos, catalog numbers and can use different typefaces or side indicators. In some cases bootleggers will have their own sophisticated label templates for the cassette labels. For example some [[Srpski Talibani]] bootlegs have an "In Moorton Benson" text with a logo of two seahorses over a fake catalog number, a template used for many bootlegs of various albums. The color is also a big indicator, as most genuine releases have labels printed on white paper, while a majority of bootlegs will print genuine graphics on bright colors like red or yellow.		As cassette labels are hard to scan, bootlegs often lack sharpness and detail. This can be seen in letters having gaps in them or by being very blurry. To avoid that, bootleggers sometimes opt to remake the tape labels, creating a new design. These ones are very obvious to spot as they differ substantially to known originals. They can lack rights texts, relevant information like publishers, logos, catalog numbers and can use different typefaces or side indicators. In some cases bootleggers will have their own sophisticated label templates for the cassette labels. For example some [[Slušajte dok vas ne uhvate za .....\|Srpski Talibani]] bootlegs have an "In Moorton Benson" text with a logo of two seahorses over a fake catalog number, a template used for many bootlegs of various albums. The color is also a big indicator, as most genuine releases have labels printed on white paper, while a majority of bootlegs will print genuine graphics on bright colors like red or yellow.

	The cassette used for bootlegs can often vary. Very rarely they are recorded over actual blank cassettes from factories, making them look more official. A lot of times it will be recorded over a blank consumer cassette. This will be visible, for example when shining a flashlight at the cassette and seeing the pad printed text of the blank cassette (logos, side indicator, etc.) coming through the paper labels. If that is the case, the tape length can also exceed the albums length, creating way too much blank space with just noise after the songs of the side end. It is also common for bootleg cassettes to be taped over other official releases. This can either be seen by bootleg labels being glued on the previous labels, or over a previously pad printed release.		The cassette used for bootlegs can often vary. Very rarely they are recorded over actual blank cassettes from factories, making them look more official. A lot of times it will be recorded over a blank consumer cassette. This will be visible, for example when shining a flashlight at the cassette and seeing the pad printed text of the blank cassette (logos, side indicator, etc.) coming through the paper labels. If that is the case, the tape length can also exceed the albums length, creating way too much blank space with just noise after the songs of the side end. It is also common for bootleg cassettes to be taped over other official releases. This can either be seen by bootleg labels being glued on the previous labels, or over a previously pad printed release.