JIMI HENDRIX Band of Gipsies RARE UK Orig Puppet Cover.

	£		52
	$		69

Artist or Band: JIMI HENDRIX

Album Title: Band of Gipsies.

Producer(s): ‘Heaven Research’ (Jimi Hendrix).

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Who Knows; Machine Gun; Changes.

Side 2: Power of Soul; Message to Love; We Gotta Live Together.

Label/Format: Track – intense matt black finish. Interesting the two different spellings of Gipsies that vary on label to cover. (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean and attractive and very black indeed. Side one has moderate spindle marks, side two far fewer. Even though these spindle marks are more than I usually like to see, this in no way reflects how this record plays. It has fantastic clean sound, probably the very best I have yet heard from this title. These marks have the classic ‘hole search’ look rather than ‘number of plays’ look. Most experienced record collectors will know what I mean. This is a very nice original copy of this elusive album.

Cat Number: 2406 002.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: A very impressive 140 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: VERY RARE INDEED as a genuine first pressing and including the withdrawn ‘Puppet’ cover (or are they dolls?, I see no strings). This was not available for very long and when reissued, the cover was changed entirely making this one of the most sort-after Hendrix albums ever issued. The famous ‘Puppet’ cover is a much prized, cherished and collectable item from the legend that was Jimi Hendrix. A fragile item also, those that do surface are often in very poor, even badly damaged condition but still command vast prices in the big UK cities even like that. Incredibly prone to price sticker pulls and severe damage from their removal, this is a trait more often seen than not. Clean copies with little to fault are genuinely rare and most are locked away in valuable collections and seldom seen or offered. This one is not perfect but how many ever will be?, it is without doubt one of the very best I have ever seen with miniscule damage and little wear, it looks fantastic and importantly it can be held, viewed and enjoyed. A perfect one may show one day, but I can’t hold my breath that long and in the meantime this will please most collectors I feel – the absolutely perfectionists will have to wait for the near impossible another day (or week, or month, or year…)

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: 2406002 A 1 1 1 6 / 2406002 B = 1 1

Musicians: Jimi Hendrix – electric guitar, vocals; Billy Cox – bass guitar; Buddy Miles – drums, vocals.

Brief Info: Issued when Hendrix was still alive after he disbanded the ‘Experience’, this was the last album under his control and was a live set recorded at the Fillmore East, New York in 1970. The songs were all new. A great performance even if the sound is a little muted and a legendary album famed for its original cover. Known as the ‘Puppet’ cover, it features dolls of Hendrix, Brian Jones, Bob Dylan and DJ John Peel. It was withdrawn very quickly and replaced with totally different artwork, it has become one of the most sort-after covers in rock history and is hard to find in even respectable condition. Obviously the album that came with this sleeve were the true originals. This example has survived nearly forty years in overall very fine condition. It has only tiny sticker blemishes and few marks or creases and remains fresh and highly attractive. A great opportunity to own this famous cover, realistically they rarely show up a great deal better these days. The record itself almost takes second place over the cover but only the earliest pressings were included in this cover design of course. It plays beautifully and is the very best example I have yet heard. Back to the cover, look at my pictures, how many examples could withstand such a close up shot with such little blemishing, rubbing and the colour still very vivid and strong? It is not quite connoisseur standard but most realistic collectors will cherish it. When viewed normally, this has little little to hide or fault and is a delight to see – one that sets the bar high – a lovely piece of Hendrix history.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High+, rarely even seen VG, this exceeds that by a reasonable distance and will better most substantially.

Cover Grade and Format: To grade this lovely rare cover much less than than EX would not really being doing it real justice. So few are seen this good these days. This is a matt finished unlaminated cover and a single format. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press Ltd. The surfaces are totally uncompromising for ringwear and sticker removal and back then, many were non-peelable making so many of these and similar covers vulnerable to pulling and major surface damage. I am delighted to say, this cover has largely avoided such trauma with any tiny and light, more information below.

Cover Front: Almost without doubt one of the most famous covers in the history of rock, one rarely seen or offered because of its very quick withdrawl from sale in the UK. Firstly, it was clear there had once been a fairly large sticker placed on the front near the top right corner. This had been removed in the distant past with just a tiny surface pull mark, so small and light it appears as a tiny surface rub or graze which is little short of remarkable. There was some residue left behind however, that with great care, and no false modesty, skill, removed by myself with the utmost care and time. But it was worth it, the potentially diastrous price sticker damage has pretty much been averted and this tiny blemish is the only one of (minor) significance on this wonderful front. There are a few ultra fine and faint surface creases that barely even show and any marks are tiny and faint and only show with scrutiny under angled light. This is fresh and clean and the artwork looks brilliant with full, rich colour retained. No ugly indentations or pressmarks and the lack of ringwear is remarkable with a high and heavy Track record inside all these years. This is a lovely example of the cover we were not supposed to have and it should give pleasure to the new owner for many years to come.

Cover Back: Really, really nice and just look at the Hendrix doll picture. A few more blemishes than the front but only very light with very modest visual impact. A very small fine and thin sticker pull near the top left corner is almost as small as any surface blemish of this type ever gets. Near the bottom right corner there is a fairly faint sticker residue mark but NO pull or surface damage, this is indeed light and not even in the area the eye is attracted too. There is very light and minor rubbing near the top edge atop the inner flipback which most all of these will have as the very least. Any grubbiness is very light and mild and the lack or ringwear is little short of remarkable. Again colour is rich and the artwork remains very attractive with few other marks or real note. Creasing is even less than the front with none away from the edges. Given all the facts both sides will be hard to find significantly better and believe me, the majority around now will be significantly inferior.

Top Edge: Very light, slightly patchy rubbing.

Bottom Edge: Consistent light+ rubbing, but this has not encroached on to the important front and back faces.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, quite sharp with little wear and no feathering. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: A splendid spine overall: Solid, quite straight with minimal compression but slightly darkened with age. All text is perfect and unworn bar the ‘O’ in ‘Of’ which has clipped. Again this cover and similar ones often suffer horrendous spine wear often with the text or design fully eroded, this again as stood the test of time well.

Corners: The corners have rubbed in comparison to their respective edge, none substantial and they all retain very fine shape and definition.

Cover Summary: A much prized item, elusive and in great demand and justifiably so. Still a very strong all round example and with such modest wear and minimal sticker flaws – this one has largely avoided damage from the wretched things – the real curse of unlaminated covers. This beautiful item should please many collectors but not the perfectfionists maybe, most realistic collectors will treasure it I feel sure.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX+ with just light whispy surface marks visible under light. These have no sound whatsoever and this record plays beautifully. A very fine visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and heavily pressed. A copy modestly played on all the evidence and these playing surfaces will be quite difficult to find better as a genuine first pressing. Visually a super record that should please many collectors again.

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 snippetts 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This rare first pressed record plays evey above its visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is as good as it gets, but not the most outstanding in terms of dynamic range but a more typical live album production for this period. Devoid of any noteworthy surface sounds and no pops or clicks were recorded. Overall, a very clean pressing for a fairly difficult album that does have some very quiet passages. Few copies will outperform this earliest pressing significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. This copy will prove difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended.

End Piece: I am delighted to be able to offer this rare original album with the Puppet cover. With artwork of major historic significance and when they show up in such delightful condition it’s a privilege. I have seen this in the past being offered in London in three times less grading condition than this one for huge prices – and I guess they sell. All proving just how rare any example is at or close to EX condition. Just look at my pictures, they do not lie, the close-ups prove just how clean this one really is, the overall lack of wear is unusual and the potential sticker damage has largely been averted. A real surviver and looking great – a genuine real opportunity – do not let this one slip the Net again – a timeless classic.

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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: I now offer the fastest possible posting, mostly the very next day after payment is received or within 48 hours maximum. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT mailers) with the record(s) 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 TWO thick stiffners for even extra protection. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. Printed address labels are used for clarity and well as sender label. 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. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but NOT surface mail abroad. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with the total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional extra insurance’ P&P – ALL UK and Russian packets go out non-negotiable Recorded Delivery. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.1 per percent based on over 4,000+ items sold in over 7 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

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

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: ALL EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (any part); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£35).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

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 neccessarily 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’.