GRUPO CIRUELA #d mexico lp REGRESO AL ORIGEN prog psych

$

42

hello again, i am back with another large round of auctions. hope you will enjoy some of the selections i will be pulling out of the archives over the next few months...

first off, i use the strict goldmine grading scale as the basis of my system (please see below), which means that my m- lps will look practically new and my vg+ will look like most others' ex or m-! i have finally relented and incorporated the ex grade into my system, despite my disdain for the ambiguity with which it is so often applied. i reserve this grade for those lps which aren't quite truly m-, but are so close that vg+ just doesn't do them justice. in nearly all the instances in which i've actually allowed myself to purchase an 'ex' record on ebay, it's been vg at best according to my standards. i assure you that will not happen here; except for a few mega-rare pieces, nothing i own is less than vg, most not less than ex. i am an critical audiophile with a very sizable collection, and have always let the condition of an item be the determinant of whether or not I should acquire it (other than it must be an original, of course) - you have to draw the line somewhere; mine is drawn at ex! many of the lps I will be listing over the next several months will be from my private collection. you can bid with confidence and security every time.

my lps are listed cover first, then the vinyl. following this i will describe with my usual microscopic precision all the possible flaws the item may have, no matter how small. i want there to be no issues. the records from my collection have for the most part only ever been played twice, as i always recorded everything to preserve the original lp (you have to play it through once first before it is in its optimum state). please email me if you ever have any questions.

shipping within the us is $4 for media mail or $6 for priority, each additional lp is $1. insurance is optional, and is $1.30 for items up to $50, $2.20 for $51-$100, and $1 for each $100 after that. registered mail is $8, with insurance included for the declared value.

canada and mexico are $6 ($2 for each additional), europe is $12 ($4 for each additional), and asia is $14 ($5 for each additional).

for all locations, double lps & multi record sets will count as 2 or more lps. the shipping charge includes the cost of a new mailer. the records are packed with great care so that they arrive safely. the lps are never shipped in their covers.

i accept paypal, money orders, cash (sent at your own risk), and checks. personal checks must clear before the item is shipped. i normally function within a relatively quick turnaround schedule. if you have any special requirements, please let me know. also feel free to write with any questions you may have. happy bidding, and good luck!

***my grading scale***

all lps are graded under a 100 watt spotlight for ultimate accuracy. i do not believe in play-grading a record, since it is usually unnecessary and at best is just one more needless play which degrades it that much more, no matter how slightly that may be. i have been visually grading all my lps for twenty years now, and haven’t had a single complaint yet! with mediocre pressings, even a new lp will never sound m, or even vg+ in some cases, but that’s not the point, it would still be m- in my book. i know my pressings, and will always let you know the relativity of what it is you are looking at. my grading is as follows:

M- (the highest grade, except for sealed): vinyl is visually perfect, no scratches or marks at all. flawless, museum-quality piece, which will never need to be upgraded!

EX+: record has just a few faint paper sleeve marks that do not affect play at all; visually they should be barely noticeable. still retains all the original surface gloss.

EX: record has been handled or played carefully, and may have some very light paper marks or other very minor flaws that barely affect play, if at all. should still play clean with very little or no surface noise. still retains nearly all of the glossy surface.

VG+: record has been played, has some light, hairline-type scratches, but nothing that stands out without close inspection or that can be felt (ie, nothing deep). really should only be noticed between songs or possibly in very quiet spots, and then should not be distracting or continuous. must still have most of the original gloss.

VG: record has been well played, has some scratches, possibly small nicks, perhaps some minor groove wear. there will be some surface noise, occasional clicks or pops, but no skips or jumps! still has much of the original gloss.

VG-: record is fairly scratched, has surface noise, and some wear. still should play without skips or jumps. some original gloss remains.

G: poor condition, much crackling, possible skips, and lots of visual surface wear. little or no gloss remains.

-----------------------------------

this is a rare limited reissue of a rediculously rare Mexican prog psych lp, REGRESO AL ORIGEN by GRUPO CIRUELA. described as the Mexican Black Sabbath with loads of fuzz guitar leads and heavy riffs, the original of this is virtually impossible to find. this repressing isn't exactly common either; it is numbered 498 out of 500!

condition: VG+ / EX

the cover is quite nice. there is some wear on the very corners, and the top spine shows a fair bit of whitening as well (there are also a handful of small light creases descending from it as well). there is a very light hint of ring wear in a few spots, as well as some darkening along where the flaps are glued in the back. it is still sharp, crisp and tight; really quite nice indeed.

the lp still retains all of its gloss, sheen and lustre, and honestly doesn't look like it has seen much play at all. there are only a couple of very light hairline scratches and paper marks, none of which will affect play in any way. there is some sort of series of stitching marks on the first few tracks on one side, which considering this is an old Mexican pressing is not too surprising, but i really don't think those will be audible either. overall, this is one nice and glossy copy.

a rare limited Mexian pressing of a mega-rare early fuzz classic! good luck!