GROUNDHOGS Scratching the Surface RARE ORIG UK 1968 EX++ HARDLY PLAYED STEREO LP

	£		173
	$		229

ONEADAYRECORDS – Serving-up a Christmas & New Year Feast of Entertainment

In this most difficult year, I hope these varied quality albums bring some seasonal cheer.

Over the Holiday Period, I am offering some interesting Christmas ‘Crackers’ – lovely albums – some rare – ENJOY!

And as ONEADAYRECORDS enters its 20th year selling on Ebay – I would like to wish all my customers – regulars and newcomers – a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A SAFE, HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Postage: UK £4.95. Europe (including Russia) £12.95 (£1 per extra record). Rest of World £19.95 (£2 per extra record). All my records are sent in boxes and the price of them has increased over time and these are my first price increases for nearly 10 years. Royal Mail prices have also gone up again. I will never compromise on quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all, and records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time as most record buyers will already know. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS including full side protection and bubble wrap, the records removed from the covers of course. All this very safe packing means I lose money on every box I post, but safe delivery is, and will always be paramount. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives. Also, I will pay for 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 if possible. PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT send any item, no matter what its value without a Royal Mail or courier tracking number. ALL my items must be trackable to comply with Ebay delivery rules. Please do NOT ask me to make any exceptions to this rule as no country offers reliable service without it.

Artist or Band: GROUNDHOGS

Album Title: Scratching the Surface

Producer(s): Mike Batt

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Rocking Chair; Early in the Morning; Waking Blues; Married Men; No More Doggin’.

Side 2: Man Trouble; Come Back Baby; You Don’t Love Me’ Still a Fool.

Label/Format: Liberty, first press blue format with fairly matt gently textured surfaces.

Label Conditions: Two amazing looking labels. Ultra clean and as fresh and clean as when issued with only a couple of very light, fine and faint spindle traces and no wear around the hole area. Yes, another purchased new by one owner who put his records to tape. This sensational record appears hardly handled, let alone played, he had no intention of scratching the surfaces of this beauty. The sleeve cover protected as well and looking fantastic.

Catalogue Number: LBS 83199

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps or Lateral Movement: Assume all records I offer have no significant warping or lateral movement to cause sound or tracking issues. All should play fine even on budget turntables.

Weight of this Record: 138 grams.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Scarce, in this condition rarer. Few surface better than this, and scratches? What scratches?

Original Year of Release: 1968

Matrix Nos: LBS 83199 A//1 420 & LBS 83199 B//1 420 [an absolute first stereo issue with no stamper digits (420 being the UK code)]

Musicians: Tony McPhee – guitar, vocals; Steve Rye – harmonica, vocals, some lead vocals; Peter Cruickshank – bass; Ken Pustelnik – drums.

Brief Info: The debut album by the blues-rock band Groundhogs. The original line-up included Steve Rye, but departing before their second album ‘Blues Obituary’, and most of their early output was as a power trio. Certainly this debut features more blues-based material – as they developed, their music became more rocky and even drifted into progressive territory with more effects and experimental. Fronted by the hugely talented guitarist Tony McPhee, who had already established his blues reputation prior to forming Groundhogs, this is a highly accomplished first album with his new band. Not a major seller however – the front cover unusually, lacking any text could not have helped sales – but slowly they gained popularity with rock fans and peaking with their classic ‘Split’ album in 1971. This an amazing stereo original with a gorgeous cover and barely played record on the rarer original blue label. More fans discovered this one as their reputation grew, but by then, the blue label had changed to the new black format Liberty label, so these originals are scarce. For collectors, this one is unmissable and merits my highest possible recommendation.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single fully laminated format, the back includes a stereo sticker to emphasise their is a stereo record inside. Arguably, this album sold more in mono on issue, before that mode was deleted. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press Ltd. Includes the 098 (1968) date-coded inner sleeve.

Lamination – Front & Back: A superb looking cover with the laminate retaining very fine shine and clarity, any dulling light mostly near the top and bottom from the rim seen under light. Any creasing minimal, very few, fine and faint and this has no large lifts which can spoil the beauty of this cover. Any on this one is very fine and thin, it being on the edges and on the front top, but has fine and gentle as it gets, and few fully older full laminates will avoid totally or have less. I do not consider lifting as ‘wear’ as such, it’s a natural trait as laminate tightens with age, and often covers even included it from new (as I clearly remember myself). The stereo information sticker on the back is very neat and clearly has never been removed or picked at. This cover will prove very difficult to find better.

Top & Bottom Edges: Both thin, but very straight with very smooth virtually intact laminate (a tiny peel on the bottom right corner end). .

Right Edge(s), and Type: Mostly sharp with any thickening little and light. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Again thin, but solid, straight with any compression light and patchy, the ends pinched in manufacture. The text is unworn, and nicely centred under the solid and uncracked laminate.

Corners: Any tip rubs minuscule with better than excellent shape retained with no knocks.

Cover Summary: A highly impressive all-round example of this scarce original 1960’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better. This beautiful item should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: the Philips style polylined inner is date-coded 098, meaning it was manufactured in September 1968. It includes the dual British Patent No. 800513 & 973939. The paper moderately lightly darkened with age, mostly near the adhesive seam areas, but little else overall. Both window circles pristine as-made, the lining still quite clear, any paper creasing light and few, all edge folds naturally intact.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): arguably better, side two has a mega fine hairline seen with scrutiny under light. A superb 52-year-old visual copy that is very clean with superb shine and solidly pressed. A copy appearing hardly played on all the evidence with any surface traces very few, ultra light, wispy and faint as seen critically under bright light. No penetrating stylus scratches, viewed in average room light, hardly anything even registers. Visually a super record that should please many, if not most 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 equipment, all listed further down.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This rare first press Groundhogs album plays even above it’s high visual grading with barely anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and this is a very clean pressing with no tracking issues* or inherent pressing noises. Few available copies will match or outperform this early original I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been very well stored and carefully handled within a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this lovely record. It will prove very difficult to find significantly better and merits my highest recommendation.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams. Records are a ‘contact’ format, and few will avoid the odd minor sound blemish.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 the item being offered with no digital enhancements. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 17­ 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. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.