Alexander Skip Spence (Moby Grape) "OAR" Orig. 1969 LP CS 9831 "1C/1C" PROMO NM-

$

260

If you intend to buy more than one item you can save some cost on the shipping by using the shopping cart before paying for items individually. This will allow me to send one combined invoice for the auctions and the shipping. Voice of Vinyl

ALEXANDER "SKIP" SPENCE

"OAR"

Label: COLUMBIA "360 Stereo" (CS 9831)

Format: 33 rpm 12" 1 x LP Stereo

Country: US pressing

Year Released: 1969

Other Notes:

• This is Spence's only solo album. It was recorded after he was released from Bellevue Hospital in 1968 for attacking the other members of the Moby Grape with a fire ax. It was released in May of 1969 and was not promoted by Columbia. The few radio station promos that were distributed are perhaps the only marketing this LP ever received. It was deleted from the Columbia catalogue in May of 1970. Some music critics claim it is a work of minimalist psychedlic-folk genius and others claim it is just the musical ramblings of a mad man- either way, if you are a collector of 60's psychedelic music this is a must-have for your collection.  
• Radio Station Promo- The timing strip was nearly falling off so I removed it completely.
• Outstanding NM- condition- I picked this up from my college radio station as a sealed copy in 1974 and just held onto it as a sealed piece. 16 years ago I sold it to an audiophile friend who only played it a few times to record it. Recently it appeared in my mailbox. It was lovingly taken care of (thanks Andy).
• Columbia "360 STEREO"
• XSM139778-1C / XSM139779-1C matrix. The "1" indicates a first tape and the "C" indicates a 3rd lacquer cutting. Matrix numbers are not a reliable indication that the pressing is of good audio quality since you don't know whether the stamping is early (when the stamper is fresh) or late (when it is worn after 2,500 pressings). In other words, the most important determinant of vinyl  audio quality remains the place of a record between the first off a fresh stamper and the last off a worn stamper, the stamper grooves being progressively deformed by pressing repetition. The only good indicator of first or early place  in stamper life is the test pressing, and possibly, initial run of promotional copies. Other than this, there is no way of predicting audio quality better than simply listening. That said, a promo copy is a good indicator that a record (pressing) is faithful to the master lacquer.
• Original Columbia inner sleeve

Vinyl Grade: (NM-)  Play graded on both sides and this album sounds fantasttic. The sonics are clear and crisp and the bass is actually very tight. All sides play very quiet....and there are some extended soft passages. The only mark I can find is a light paper scuff on track 1 on side two which probably explains a few light tics in the middle of that track. No spindle marks on the labels.

NOTE: All my records are now treated with my Milty Zerostat on both sides and brushed with a carbon fiber brush before play grading. This treatment helps to eliminate static on my discs.

Jacket Grade: (VG++) The jacket is in excellent condition. Clean, crisp and shiny with no shelf wear I can see. Very slight crunches on three of the corner points. A small amount of wear at the top of the front cover. A slight bit of foxing on the right side of the back paste.

The timing strip was nearly completely coming off the jacket so I carefully removed it without damaging the jacket or the strip.

It was stored in a 3 mil. poly jacket protector.

Sleeve Grade: (VG++) Original Columbia markeing sleeve is slightly yellowed from 45 years of age- they did not use acid free paper on sleeves so this would be normal and expected for paper this old. A few folds in the corners. The record is being kept in a MOFI Master Sleeve to protect it from paper scratches and static.

This LP will have to be insured for full auction value.

Shipping: Album will be placed inside new 3mm poly sleeve. Shipped in pro-quality #200 LP mailer w/padding when necessary.

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Grading Terms I Use and What They Mean:

1. "SPOTS": Small cloudy blotches usually caused by old poly linings in inner sleeves- sometimes known as "sweating". They usually play through with no noise or effect on the sonic's.
2. "HAIRLINES": Those faint wispy surface marks visible under strong halogen sidelight. They are usually caused by the paper sleeve. They usually play through with no noise or effect on the sonic's.
3. "PAPER SCUFF": A faint surface mark visible under strong halogen sidelight on an area of the LP that is usually caused by the paper inner sleeve. They usually play through with no noise or effect on the sonic's.
4. "STATIC": A faint and occasional background noise that is heard in quieter passages. In most cases this is caused by dirt or dust that is deeply imbedded in the grooves. It can usually be removed with a deep and thorough cleaning.
5. "CRACKLE": A consistent surface noise that is caused by many things including dirty grooves and grooves with deposits stuck to the groove walls. This type of noise is often difficult to remove.
6. "SIBILANCE": A term I use to describe distortion caused by early groove wear. It usually shows up first as a sort of buzzing in the higher scale notes on a piano or a female vocalist. This can only be found by play grading. A record with overall groove wear results in distortion of most of the music. There are many causes for this including the use of too light a tracking force in a newer tonearm and cartridge. Older tonearms and cartridges used very high tracking forces (greater than 5 grams) and can cause groove wear on an older LP. Groove wear cannot always be easily spotted by a visual inspection and is best determined through play grading.
7. "SCRATCH": A surface mark usually caused by the phonograph needle. These are not always heard, especially on older, heavier pressings that have deeper groove cuts. On newer, thinner pressings, they may result in a tic or pop but not a skip.
8. "NEEDLE SCRATCH": The worst kind of surface mark caused by the phonograph needle. These marks usually disturb the vinyl surface to such a degree that they cause loud pops and in rare cases they may cause a skip.
9. "JACKET RASH": Sometimes called ring wear by other sellers but I use it differently to describe an overall spotty wear that is caused by the wear on the high spots of the paste caused by the bumps in the cardboard under the paste. This is common on older 1950's and early 1960's jackets. It's the earliest sign of wear on a jacket.
10. "FLAKES": Older coated jackets from the 1950's have a heavy coating on the slick that is prone to cracking and flaking when it dries out and ages.
11. "SPLITS": These flaws are physical separations in the jacket halves. Sometimes the older coated jackets can have cracks in the coating that look like splits when the jacket is actually structurally sound.

Vinyl Grading Standards

Play Grading on a high quality system is the only way to be sure that a record meets a grade standard....

For More Information about VOICE OF VINYL RECORDS and AUDIO and why play grading is so important visit my ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Voice-of-Vinyl-Records-and-Audio?_rdc=1

(M) (SS) (M-) Mint, Still Sealed or Mint Minus: “Mint” indicates perfect in every way, certainly never played. Only factory sealed records will be deemed "Mint". "Mint Minus" is a grade I am reserving for factory sealed records that I opened to inspect the contents for rarity. This grade also gaurantees that the record has never been played. I may also use a "Mint Minus" to grade a sealed record that has corner bumps or tears in the shrink wrap.

(NM) Near Mint: A near perfect, rarely-played record. May play with some very light and occaisional static that is heard in the quietest passages. The record shows no obvious sign of wear, appearing unplayed. It looks clean with the factory shine and there are no visible scratches, scuffs or spindle marks. An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other obvious signs of wear. Ring wear should be almost invisible. No punch holes or other discount marks.  Very minimal corner dents. Artist signatures are the only acceptable forms of handwriting for this grade. Basically, "Near Mint" looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.

(NM-) Near Mint Minus: Same as above, yet shows only faint paper scuffs or one or two very light surface scratches which have no effect on the sonic quality. The record will have its factory “rainbow luster” with only light spindle marks. One jacket crease is acceptable. Ring wear is minimal. Vinyl grading “Near Mint Minus” may have a jacket with discount cuts or sales stickers, which will be noted. Artist signatures and minimal owner marks are the only acceptable forms of handwriting for this grade.

(VG+) Very Good Plus: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show signs of use and may have slight sleeve scuffs or very light surface scratches that only reveal themselves in the quietest of passages and don't detract from the overall sonic quality. Most factory shine is still present. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK and will be noted. An LP jacket may have some signs of ring wear and shelf wear and a small corner bump or two these are minimal and acceptable for this grade. Punch holes, cuts or other discount and out of print marks are acceptable for this jacket grade. A small seam split is also acceptable and will be noted. Owner signatures, DJ marks and other forms of handwriting are acceptable for this grade. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be a showcase piece. All but the most discriminating collectors will find a “Very Good Plus” record highly acceptable.

(VG) Very Good: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc but it is still a keeper. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade. Groove wear will start to be audible and a random click or soft pop may be evident but will not detract from the enjoyment of the recorded material. The jacket may have a seam spit or ring wear and labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. A small light stain or some discoloring may be evident. The cover may exhibit a combination of these flaws but they will not overwhelm the piece.

(G+) Good Plus, (G) Good: “Good” means acceptable…not crappy. The grade I usually reserve for listing the rarest of records. A record in “Good” or “Good Plus” condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have audible surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear. A jacket or sleeve has larger seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object.

Special Note:

(+) Plus: An extra "plus” may be added occaisionally to a grade to highlight the finer points of some better grades.

Shipping Cost and Terms

Domestic/U.S.A. Shipping (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)

Domestic Buyers Please Note: Shipping costs to Alaska and Hawaii will have to be based upon actual weight. A handling charge of $1.85 (USD) will be added to the final shipping fee to help cover the cost of the high quality materials I use in the preservation and shipping of my records. Packages over $50 will have to be shipped with tracking and full value insurance. Packages will be shipped only to a confirmed Paypal address.

 USPS Media Mail (Tracking included, no insurance)

• Media mail rate stated in listing
• Cost for additional LP's in a combined purchase are calculated by weight.

USPS First Class (Tracking included, no insurance)

• First Class mail rate stated in invoice
• Cost for additional LP's in a combined purchase are calculated by weight

USPS Priority (Tracking and Insurance included)

• Priority mail rate stated in invoice
• Cost for additional LP's in a combined purchase are calculated by weight

International Shipping

 International Buyers Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and other Customs charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. I declare full value for customs- this is a US and International government regulation.Tracking is included now in all shipments. Insurance is required for packages over $50. For packages under $50 the insurance and tracking is optional but, I will not refund payment for damaged or lost items without insurance and tracking.

Shipping Cost Calculate by Exact Weight: USPS pricing is constantly changing for almost all international locations. In order to provide a fair international shipping cost (to me as well as the buyer) I calculate all shipping charges by exact weight rather than a flat “per LP” rate as I do for domestic USA shipments.

First Class Air Mail (Tracking included, insurance optional)

Allow 2-4 weeks delivery time depending on your country's customs. First Class Air Mail International includes online tracking. If order is over $50 it will be shipped Priority Air Mail. Packages weighing more than 4 pounds will automatically be shipped by USPS via Priority Air Mail at a roughly $10-15 increase.

Priority Air Mail (Tracking included, insurance included)

Allow 5-14 business day’s delivery time depending on your country's customs. Packages over $50 or over 4 pounds will be shipped via Priority Air Mail.

Ordering Multiple Items, Double LP’s and Boxed Sets

If you are ordering more than 1 item, please wait to submit your payment until you receive a combined invoice to ensure you are charged the exact amount of postage. All international orders over $50 or over 4 pounds must be shipped USPS Priority Air Mail with tracking. Double LP’s, boxed sets, etc. are heavier and will incur additional shipping costs.

Shipping Insurance and Tracking

Some buyers may not see it my way but, experience on Ebay has taught me that it is in both the seller's and the buyer's best interests to have the item arrive safely. Packages over $50 will have to be shipped with tracking and full value insurance. In some cases this may require USPS Express Mail. I reserve the right to make this decision for the buyer. If the buyer refuses and requests that the package is shipped uninsured and/or without tracking, the buyer assumes all risk for loss and damage once it is marked "shipped".

Payment Terms

Winning bidders will be notified within 3 days of the end of the auction. Payment must be made within 3 days after purchase or after being notified. I can, at my option, file a non-paying bidder claim with Ebay after 5 days. In accordance to Ebay policies I will offer the runner up bidder a chance to purchase the item if I do not receive any contact with the winning bidder 3 days after the auction ends. The same applies if no payment by the winning bidder is received after the mandatory 7 days. I am trying hard to provide a 5-star experience, please be considerate of my needs for timely payment.

Customer Service and Return Policy

A five star rating is important to me and I will work with a reasonable buyer who is not satisfied. You can buy with confidence because I provide a thorough assessment of a record. In a case where a buyer feels that I have provided a record below what has been described or I missed a major fault, please contact me through Ebay within 2 weeks of receiving your item, explain your problem and If we agree, the I will take the item back and provide a full refund. Buyer must pay return shipping. Sealed records must be returned still sealed to be eligible for a full refund.

Bidding Agreement

When you bid on an item in my auction you agree that you have read my terms and are agreeing to my policies.

Thank you.