CAPTAIN BEEFHEART Trout Mask Replica RARE ORIG UK 1969 STRAIGHT LPs PLAYED TWICE

	£		104
	$		137

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Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing nearer the end of the listing.

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ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers will now be blocked at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Album Title: Trout Mask Replica.

Producer(s): Frank Zappa.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Frownland; The Dust Blows Forward ’n’ the Dust Blows Back; Dachau Blues; Ella Guru; Hair Pie: Bake 1; Moonlight on Vermont.

Side 2: Pachuco Cadaver; Bill’s Corpse; Sweet Sweet Bulbs; Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish; China Pig; My Human Gets Me Blues; Dali’s Car.

Side 3: Hair Pie: Bake 2; Pena; Well; When Big Joan Sets Up; Fallin’ Ditch; Sugar ’n’ Spikes; Ant Man Bee.

Side 4: Orange Claw Hammer; Wild Life; She’s to Much For My Mirror; Hobo Chang Ba; The Blimp; Steal Softly Thru Snow; Old Fart at Play; Veteran’s Day Poppy.

Cat Number: STS 1053.

Label/Format/Information: Straight – all have matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: All four are immaculate: indeed the owner of this copy told he only played it once. So ultra fresh, clean and attractive original Straight labels. There are no spindle marks on any label – I even examined them all under my usual bright lamp with a magnifying glass. This album was a curiosity purchase for many from it’s Zappa links and bizarre cover, it proved far too out-there for many – and here another case-in-point. Two records that offer close to flawless sound, the only tiny blemish – three or four light ticks on side three from a tiny speck within the pressing. They hardly get much better being honest.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of these Records: 135 / 150 grams. Straight records had typically variable weights, both here above average, one way above.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: First-pressed UK Straight originals are scarce and quite elusive. Only the more adventurous of record collectors would have bought this album or simply the curious - I guess the cover would have attracted a few buyers and the Zappa link possibly helped. But this record was far too advanced and weird for most, and even today it is still debated and causes divided opinion. Straight Records were not always the best of pressings, this pair sound superb with very little unwanted at all, the total lack of crackle a huge plus. Mention has to be made of the cover: this is one of the most wear-prone made and is rarely seen devoid of significant wear, especially the first ones with the thicker records inside. Most-all are rife with heavy, penetrating ringwear and rubbing. In this respect, this one has faired quite well with only rim rub arcs on the front at the top and bottom. I have not seen too many better than this as a UK ‘Day’ original, even my own copy has cover issues and looks similar. Both records are exceptional and lead you directly into the wonderful world of this, arguably the greatest, most bizarre and out-there album ever issued.

Matrix Nos: STS 1053 A1 / STS 1053 B1 / STS 1053 C1 / STS 1053 D1 [all punched, clear and pronounced] All four sides carry ‘A’ mother codes.

The Magic Band: Bizarre by name – bizarre by nature: the Magic Band members were given outlandish names: Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad): glass finger guitar, flute; Antennae Jimmy Semens (Jeff Cotton): Steel-appendage guitar, flesh guitar; Captain Beefheart (Don van Vliet): bass clarinet, tenor sax, soprano sax, simran horn, musette, vocals; The Mascara Snake (Victor Hayden): bass clarinet, vocal; Rockette Morton (Mark Boston): bass and narration; Drumbo (John French), Uncredited on the original album – drums, percussion. Frank Zappa produces and can be heard on dialogue. All songs written by Beefheart.

Uncredited Guests: Doug Moon – guitar on ‘China Pig’; Dick Kunc - speaking voice on ‘She’s Too Much for My Mirror’ (and engineer); Gary ‘Magic’ Marker – bass guitar on ‘Moonlight on Vermont’ and ‘Veteran’s Day Poppy; Frank Zappa – speaking voice on ‘Ella Guru’, ‘The Blimp’, and Pena’; Roy Estrada – bass guitar on ‘The Blimp’; Arthur Tripp III – drums & percussion on ‘The Blimp’; Don Preston – piano on ‘The Blimp’; Ian Underwood and Bunk Gardner – alto and tenor saxophones on ‘The Blimp’; Buzz Gardner – trumpet on ‘The Blimp’.

Brief Artist & Album Info: I am always delighted to offer quite possibly the most brilliantly bizarre album ever made, light years ahead of anything else loosely within it’s field – that said there has never been another album, artist or band quite like Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band and Trout Mask Replica – this is true one-off. When I find ‘worthy’ copies to offer, I don’t mind where they were made or their pressing years – I simply want to offer a top playing copy of one of the most famous records ever issued. To offer a twice-played (after my mandatory play-grade) original first-pressed UK Straight is little short of a privilege. This one including one of the least-worn UK covers I have seen for some time and even the original two inner sleeves.

“If there has been anything in the history of popular music which could be described as a work of art in a way that people who are involved in other areas of art would understand, then Trout Mask Replica is probably that work” – BBC disc jockey John Peel.

Produced by Frank Zappa this extravaganza (arguably) features the best ever Magic Band and actually charted in the UK at 21, but did not enter the American charts at all. This is an album of myth and legend: Don van Vliet, Frank Zappa and The Magic Band entered a rented house, which acted as a studio with a few song ideas and what came out was nothing short of remarkable, even up to this very day. A blend of twisted rock, delta blues and free-form jazz hardly even begins to describe the content. Up until then, van Vliet has never been given the freedom of expression he wanted. His old school-friend Frank Zappa was soon to put that right, as producer on his label, he let him perform his music and ideas exactly the way he wanted, and no stone was left unturned. Guitars thrash, barely in tune and totally off key – all quite deliberate – saxes and winds wail, blowing notes that hardly even exist and Beefheart’s vocals rarely sounded more focused or full-on, allegedly he ‘sang’ in a different room altogether. Musically this is as challenging as ‘rock’ music ever gets and van Vliet’s lyrical genius and crazed disjointed tunes never quite sounded this wonderful again. Amongst the playful mayhem there is catchiness and beauty. For those prepared to listen and give it a try, it’s possibly one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever imagine. Matt Groening, creator of ‘The Simpsons’ explained in a TV Beefheart documentary some time ago, about his experience of this album, which exactly replicated my own (and I guess others too). He bought this album simply because it was produced by Zappa and thought ‘it must have something going for it’. First play: what the earth was that all about?, ‘the band aren’t even trying’. Undaunted, second play: Still very difficult, but a chink of light. Third Play: things are becoming a little clearer. After around six plays, the genius of Trout Mask Replica kicks in and gets embedded into the mind. This remains easily in my top five albums ever, I never tire playing it and hearing a super clean vinyl copy is always extra special. The sounds pressed in these very clean UK Straight grooves carry incredible detail and information along with excellent sound quality. Straight pressing quality was, to say the least, variable – the wonderful Tim Buckley pair, incredibly difficult to find with clean sound. Few examples will ever play ‘silent’, but this one almost as close as it gets. Just a tiny white speck on side three omits four light clicks that are largely masked by the music anyway, there is little else. The stereo imagery and wildness is incredible, remember, this is how Zappa wanted this album to sound as well and nothing beats the vinyl experience. I have to conclude this preamble about this landmark, groundbreaking issue by mentioning the late, great, BBC disc jockey John Peel. It’s now been some time since this great man’s untimely death but his memory will never fade. Arguably and in my opinion, the greatest disc jockey ever, he introduced me to a vast array of varied music over the years and I know for certain this album had a special place in his own collection – he adored van Vliet and his music and Trout Mask Replica in particular, is documented as his favourite album of all time. He often featured tracks on his radio shows. And even though the Captain had long since left the music business, they remained great friends.

“I thought it was the worst thing I’d ever heard. I said to myself, they’re not even trying! It was just a sloppy cacophony. Then I listened to it a couple more times, because I couldn’t believe Frank Zappa could do this to me – and because a double album cost a lot of money. About the third time, I realised they were doing it on purpose; they meant it to sound exactly this way. About the sixth or seventh time, it clicked in, and I thought it was the greatest album I’d ever heard” – Cartoonist and writer Matt Groening (The Simpsons).

It’s been a long matter of debate between collectors and music critics about this album – 28 songs of genius or the greatest musical joke of all time? Well I cannot end the debate – it’s simply a matter of opinion of course, but for me it’s the former. I adore this album (and like Groening, it took me several plays to fully appreciate it). If anyone says they enjoyed this album on first play, I will simply refuse to believe it. Pop music is often instantly likeable, and, equally, often instantly disposable too – sometimes just too easy to like a record on first play and get bored with it very quickly, but Trout Mask Replica is NOT pop music, it’s challenging, inventive, daring and at times difficult, but ultimately rewarding and original – you cannot be bored with this. Hugely complex and I would be certain, very difficult to even play – this Magic Band were very talented musicians and special mention has to be made on John French’s drumming which often holds the entire piece together. An album of legendary status – it even pops up periodically in newspapers and magazines for reassessment and debate – and how many albums ever do that from artists that many still are even unfamiliar with? It always features high in any list of all time greats, and so it should, but that statistic is made even more remarkable given the fact it’s so weird and light years out of the mainstream. When an album like this can actually claim a full page re-review in an English Sunday Newspaper some 38 years after issue, that has to tell it’s own story. Rock music has it’s eccentric and strange characters, often manufactured for appeal, fashion or publicity. But van Vliet was genuinely weird, a unique and bizarre character. Most listeners would run a mile or simply switch off on hearing ‘Pena’, ‘Ella Guru’, ‘Neon Meate Dream…’ or ‘Hair Pie’ and most of the others come to that, but they are wrong and you are right. Also one of Zappa’s finest productions, this earliest cut proves that beyond doubt. This UK Straight original encaptures all the fine details, all the weirdness and sounds that make this masterpiece so special. Not all records sound the same – only the earliest pressings offer that real X-Factory in fidelity the audiophile listeners crave, and this one does exactly that. In 2011, the album was even added to the United States National Recording Registry – a massive achievement of recognition for such a piece. If your collection is still missing Trout Mask Replica, it must put it right and be prepared to be mesmerised – ‘Fast ’n bulbous, got me’!

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: (compared to most seen, this is somewhat above average for a first-made cover). An unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces. Also made with thin card in the UK, hence most are seen VERY tatty with heavy ringwear and rubbing, and few will ever escape – fact – even my own prized copy has it. Printed and made in England by the E. J. Day Group. It has the Straight logo and original Cat. No., so beware of Reprise substitutions that look practically the same bar the new number and imprint. Also included are the original plain inner sleeves, these are lovely condition.

Cover Front: Like the contents inside, a truly unique item. The fish head is not even a trout, it’s a carp. A notoriously difficult cover to find even in decent VG on the ‘standard’ unlaminated versions. As most per most, it shows rim arc rubbing at the top and bottom – fine at the top, more moderate below. But when some are seen full full circle ringwear that penetrates deeply into the card, this can really be considered light. Minimal creasing with the odd fairly light thumb crease towards the right and a mere hint on the spine edge that hardly even shows. The colour still fresh and bright, this also often fades which has been avoided, any marks tiny, very few and ultra faint. Overall, this is a very fine front – “that’s right the Mascara Snake”.

Cover Back: Just look at the Magic Band, possibly the weirdest group in the history of ‘rock’ – and not sure they were even trying to be. This back has little to fault at all, any very gentle rim impression or dulling very gentle and faint (even under light). All very impressive, this will take a fair degree of beating.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside has nothing to really fault at all, quite why ‘Drumbo’ (John French) fails to get a credit, I really do not know.

Top Edges: A little light patchy rubbing and both straight.

Bottom Edges: Again, these storage edges seldom escape wear. These have mostly moderate less patchy rubbing, again straight.

Right Edges, and Type: Clean and mostly sharp with little wear, any thickening or burring gentle and light as seen viewed end-on. Records entered on these edges that are guaranteed untrimmed – the entire cover has no enhancements at all.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with minimal compression, a gentle trace near the top. Folded square – again, not all were – so the edges meet up closely together and near parallel. A little patchy rubbing, but most ink is retained with just a little natural fading as red ink does. But all the text is fully present and very well centred as seen in the picture.

Corners: Mainly moderate tip rubbing with fine, and mostly very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A cover as famous as the music itself, this is a highly respectable example and somewhat above average compared to many I have seen. Notoriously wear-prone, shame it was never laminated in the UK, double gatefold cover albums rarely fair well and this one especially so. With all that taken into account – and I would like a perfect UK one myself to match my pristine Mint US version – this is very fine example that should please many, and possibly most collectors.

The Inner Sleeves: EXCELLENT(++): practically as made in fact and undergraded really. Only really marked down for natural toning or darkening of the seam adhesive. A mirror image pair, unlined plain white with no edge splits and immaculate window circles. No creasing and the genuine pair this album came with. These are exceptional, the old adage of clean inners – clean records rarely applied more.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++) / MINT(–): a superb visual pair that have now been played twice after my mandatory (and highly pleasurable) play-grade. Any surface traces minimal, super-fine, few and faint as seen with utmost scrutiny under bright angled light. One tiny white speck on ‘Big Joan’ on side three emits four light clicks, even these mostly masked by the frenzied music – there is little else to fault on the entire album – they hardly get much better. All surfaces very clean with genuine lustre and shine, solidly/very solidly pressed on top quality vinyl. Barely run-in in vinyl terms and four ‘A’ mother stampers that offer ultimate clean, crackle-free sound with all the detail and dynamics retained. The production and mix is almost as bizarre as the music itself, some deliberately low-fi and all uniquely Zappaesque. It could appear a jump is heard on ‘The Dust Blows Forward’, but no, it is totally correct as it was recorded – all are the same of course. Some of the spoken tracks are clearly edited and spliced together deliberately crudely. This pair up there with the very best I have offered to date, also the earliest. If the minuscule blemish on side three is not an issue – and being honest, will any copy be 100 per cent pristine dating back to 1969? – this pair could be as good as they truly get and should please most-all collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: “It’s the Blimp Frank, It’s the Blimp!!!” and even today, most would still run a mile from this – this is NOT easy-listening pop music – I am delighted to say. This exceptionally preserved and pressed pair play even above their visual grading with practically nothing to fault bar the aforementioned tiny few gentle clicks on side three. As stated, Straight Records could be variable in pressing quality, but these have no issues in terms of crackle, unwanted 'invisible' pressing sounds or tracking problems. Just that tiny speck. These play with very clean sound that’s strong and distortion-free, all frequencies are sharp and clear as when recorded. Sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound, the simultaneously played saxes on ‘Ant Man Bee’ can be heard with this stunning clarity and lovely channel separation, they have an in-the-room feel about them that is lacking from the CD version. Musically as complex and difficult as music gets, the skill of this Magic Band is so often understated – how many other bands could actually play this material? This could have only be achieved with a special focus and understanding of van Vliet’s mind and music. They played Beefheart’s mind-twisting tunes just the way the man wanted. Special mention must go to John French, the unsung musical genius within the Beefheart legend. Few others could have beat the skins to keep the pace and rhythm of the mayhem better and his brilliant percussion is evident throughout these compositions. Obscure fractured guitar riffs blend with crazed wailing saxes and winds that rasp and tear at the speaker-cloth – when the Captain bellows nothing holds back. His backing vocals on ‘Pena’ are little short of scary. On a previous play-grade for a different copy for a past listing, my son (who rarely passes any comments on the music I play) entered the room to say: ‘Dad what the heck is that’? – ‘It’s the worst record you have ever played, who on earth would want to buy that?’ How can I begin to explain? – he just looked me with a blank stare – I did even know where to begin. As I have said: few records have divided opinion like this. A difficult set in all respects with some very quiet passages and bizarre dialogue, but all plays as near perfect as vinyl ever will, this has exceptional clean sound for practically all it’s duration. Hearing this set again (and I have heard this album many times, is still an amazing experience, I never tire hearing a worthy vinyl copy and this goes well beyond ‘worthy’, this is STELLA. Nothing of any real spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this evergreen classic. Records are still the definitive way to experience this mind-bending album, still for me the most ‘Out There’ album of all time – “What do you run on Rocket Morton?” [say beans] – “I run on lazer-beams”. Heady crazed brilliance, few albums entertain like this one. Produced by Zappa – he gave Beefheart poetic licence to make music just as he wanted without any constraints or worries about commercial potential – that was what Straight Records were all about – most deemed ‘loss-leaders’, and this against the odds did quite well in the UK. The combination of the two brilliant minds – nothing quite like this had ever been heard before, or since – it’s totally unique. These two records, will prove difficult to find better. Nothing beats a Straight copy wherever it’s pressed, but the UK pressings are very special indeed, especially this clean and near blemish-free. Unreservedly recommended — Open your mind and “Just dig it”.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.