Etta James "At Last"; LPS 4003 (record), LP 4003 (album cover)
$
29
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Description
Up for sale is a highly collectible and much sought after Etta James record. This is an original ARGO pressing of "At Last", produced in the early 1960s in stereo. The album cover, which reads STEREO across the top, has an identification number on the front of LP 4003. The record inside, as can be seen from the photographs, is numbered LPS 4003.
I wish I could say that this estate sale purchase was in remarkable or excellent condition...but unfortunately I can't. It has seen its better days. Still, given the relative scarcity of these original vintage Etta James records, I believe it is a good "placeholder" in a collection until a cleaner copy might be located.
I will try to provide you with a complete description of the album cover and vinyl so you can assess your interest in advance of bidding.
Album cover: This is the more difficult of the two areas to assess, in terms of providing a "Goldmine rating". When I acquired the record, the top and left edges of the cover were covered with masking tape. The bottom edge had also been taped, but this tape had come off. What I found confusing about the tape on the top and left hand seams was that in spite of the fact that they were taped, both of those edges underneath the tape seemed to feel "tight" - there was no obvious indication that they were splitting prior to being taped. In fact, the tape had come somewhat loose at both the top left and bottom left corners of the album cover, and there was no evidence that either of the seams was separating in those areas. Further, the bottom edge, which is split approximately 2/3 of the way across the seam from right to left, had tape applied across its entire length, in spite of the fact that the split (today) doesn't extend nearly as far as the tape that had been applied, presumably, many years ago. It almost appeared as though the bottom edge might have started splitting, so a prior owner had taped all three edges as a precaution...but this is just conjecture. Not wanting to leave potential bidders with a question in their minds regarding the seams, and to also resolve in my own mind the condition of the seams, I very carefully began removing the dried out masking tape. I discovered that both the top seam and left seam are intact, as can be seen from the photographs. What might not be evident in the photographs, however, is that there is a residue from the dried masking tape along each edge of the front of the album cover, that can be seen when the cover is held at certain angles in relation to a light source. I did not want to experiment with trying to remove the residue and risk any further damage to the album cover face. Compared to the front of the album cover, you can see the tape residue more clearly on the back of the album cover. I did nothing to attempt to remove the residue on that side. Additionally, I attempted no repairs to the bottom seam of the album cover which, as I previously mentioned, has torn approximately 2/3 of the way across beginning at the lower right hand corner. Following is a good source for ideas to address this deficiency. http://lpcoverlover.com/restoration-tips/
The damage to the upper right hand corner of the face of the album cover is self evident, so I will not discuss that any further. There is writing on the backside of the album cover, which I have also disclosed in the photographs. The backside has a signature for A.E. Buchanan as well as an inscription to Liana (?) Padden (?) from Gene (?). I have no idea who any of these individuals might be...though my imagination runs to the unlikely prospect they might be "important" in some way. There is also a minor crease, perhaps visible in the photo, on the album cover front extending approximately 4-5 inches from the middle of the top edge down toward the center of the cover and then curving to the right. Also, three of the songs in the song list on the backside of the album have been "circled". Finally, the last negative is that there is a faint ring, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter, just to the right of the printed "ARGO LP 4003" on the album face.
To end the album description on a positive note, there is actually very little ringwear, or other loss of "pictoral color" on either the face or the reverse of the album cover. Further, in spite of its deficiencies, the album cover (I believe) presents rather well for its age. Overall, I would rate the album cover as being in Good- condition...however, I defer final "judgement" of the condition up to the reader after taking all stated factors into consideration.
Vinyl: I listened to the entire record...it put a smile on my face. The record presents itself very well. Yes there is some surface noise, but nothing that takes away from the listening experience. Hopefully, the photographs I have provided will let you see that there are some scuffs on the vinyl surface, but none of those affected the play of the record. It goes without saying that there was NO skipping throughout the play. I rate the vinyl condition as Good+.
The Goldmine ratings that I am using to assess and rate the condition of the album cover and the vinyl are noted below.
Shipping to the United States of America is $4.00 (media mail). I will consider shipping the record overseas, but overseas bidders should contact me prior to bidding to confirm the shipping cost to their respective country.
Thanks for looking, Dan.
Goldmine Record Rating Standard (excerpt)
- Near Mint (NM or M-): A nearly perfect record. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like. Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.
- Very Good Plus (VG+): A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint.
- Very Good (VG): Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
- Good (G), Good Plus (G+): Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white). A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. It is a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But, if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it...but keep looking to upgrade.
- Poor (P), Fair (F): The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, crinkled, and written upon.
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