Old Masters (box set)

The Old Masters
Box set series by Frank Zappa
Released	Box One - April 1985 Box Two - November 1986 Box Three - December 1987
Genre	Rock
Label	Barking Pumpkin
Producer	Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa chronology
Thing-Fish (1984) The Old Masters (1985) Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention (1985)
Does Humor Belong in Music? (1986) The Old Masters Box II (1986) Jazz from Hell (1986)
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II (1987) The Old Masters Box III (1987) Guitar (1988)
The Old Masters Box II
The Old Masters Box III

The Old Masters is a box set series by Frank Zappa, released in three volumes on Barking Pumpkin Records from April 1985 to December 1987, consisting of studio and live albums by Zappa and The Mothers of Invention originally released from 1966 to 1976 on other labels, as well as "Mystery Discs" which contained previously unreleased material. The graphics (not including the photo inserts) on all three sets was airbrush illustrated by Larry Grossman. 200 Motels was not included in the series, as it was the only Zappa/Mothers album for which Zappa was unable to secure the rights.^[1]

The box sets contained new masters mixed and edited by Zappa in his Utility Muffin Research Kitchen home studio, prepared for the compact disc format. The albums were remixed and reedited, and are substantially different from their original releases.

The series was well received by critics, although some criticism was aimed at Zappa's alterations, most notably the decision to rerecord the rhythm sections of the albums We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, which provoked a lawsuit over unpaid royalties.