JOHN LENNON Imagine RARE ORIG UK 1972 QUADRAPHONIC EX++

	£		80
	$		105

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases and will never compromise on solid, safe packing.

Artist or Band: JOHN LENNON – Plastic Ono Band

Album Title: Imagine (mastered in quadraphonic, the complete package with graphic inner, postcard and poster)

Producer(s): John and Yoko and Phil Spector.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Imagine; Crippled Inside; Jealous Guy; Its So Hard; I Don’t Want To Be a Soldier.

Side 2: Give Me Some Truth; Oh My Love; How Do You Sleep?; How?; Oh Yoko!

Cat Number: Q4PAS 10004.

Label/Format and Conditions: Apple – Customised format with the Quadraphonic number and logo. Stunning clean and beautiful examples that show only a couple of super fine and faint spindle traces. This another from the incredibly clean and little played collection. Both these labels look fantastic, just the way any serious collector would want them.

Country of Manufacture: England

Mode / Speed: Quadraphonic (plays perfectly, of course, in stereo) / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 120 grams.

Rarity & Details of What’s Included: This album is relatively common per se, but the Quad UK version is far from that as the price guides now strongly suggest. A very specialised cut for the audiophile, few were made and fewer even sold. The four-channel system failed to take-off in the UK and most Quad records are American. What they offer for the stereo listener is a slightly different mix and presentation of the music – this varies on different albums – some considerably different, some less so. To my ears, this sounds very similar to the standard stereo mix when played on a stereo system. But, as these records were manufactured clearly for the highly discerning collector, they were pressed to very high standards, and this hardly played example really delivers on that account. This offers immaculate sound and I am sure ‘Imagine’ connoisseurs will notice subtle details that I may have missed. The package includes the graphic inner sleeve, post card and poster as per the first issue stereo, except they vary slightly. The poster was printed in France and has a distinctly different shade and paper type, the inner sleeve is American – where Quadraphonic sound was far more popular – and the post card the same. As can be seen on my close-up, the main cover is English and includes the Quad ‘SQ’ logo and is fully laminated. So for Lennon and Beatles related completists, this is an important release and rare. The track listing, as seen above, is the same as the stereo version, barely played and sounds fantastic, this will not be seen or offered often, and seldom better.

Original Year of Release: 1971. This very limited Quad version was issued in 1972.

Matrix Nos: QEX 865 - 3 / QEX 866 - 4

Mothers / Stampers: 1 L / 1 P

Brief Artist & Album Info: Regarded by many as Lennon’s first solo album proper, although the labels still credit the Plastic Ono Band, and a very powerful album it was too – a landmark recording in his amazing career. Here he veered from splitting anger in ‘How do you Sleep’, ‘Give Me Some Truth’ and cruel humour with ‘Crippled Inside’, yet the man was capable of intense romanticism as highlighted in ‘Jealous Guy’ and ‘Oh My Love’. Those who resented Lennon for being part of the Beatles break-up finally forgave him and began to love him again with this collection. The title track alone will stand as a classic of popular song forever. This phenomenal album charted at 1 in both the UK and US, but they were standard stereo pressings. This Quadraphonic version is rare and very limited. As stated above, the UK market never took to the four-channel mode, probably as the equipment was specialist and expensive, and only tiny numbers of best-selling classics were ever pressed or available here. Most-all Quad albums seen are American. The few albums and copies pressed here were of the highest quailty and of ‘audiophile’ standard, and this copy is a beauty. So often I have heard standard UK copies that play less than silent especially that famous opening with the solo piano, often very crackly, even with distortion or clipping, this one is near perfect with breathtaking sound and immense detail. For those who demand quality and even a certain degree of rarity, this immense issue delivers and a very special version for a very special artist and album.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single format, laminated front and back. Printed and made in England. This has the ‘SQ’ Quadraphonic logo on the top right corner as seen in close-up, also all the details on the back.

Cover, front, back & lamination: Although quite a simple cover, it is not one that wears that well mainly due to quite thin card. Both sides retain a super shine, freshness and clarity. Even under light, barely any friction rubs or dulling, but a little gentle rim impression on the back is seen with tilted viewing, this is seldom avoided on this cover, here only light. There are a few fine edge hairline surface creases, but none away from the sides and practically all is fully adhered with barely a lift worthy of mention. One of the cleanest and freshest examples I have seen (in stereo mode of course) I have seen, and this important vintage variant will rarely be found much better.

Top Edge & Bottom Edges: Both dead straight and totally unworn. The laminate covers both folds and is still ultra smooth to the fingertip with no scuffs or cracks. They both even retain the shine of the main front and back faces.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, mostly very sharp with minimal traces of wear, any thickening or burring very mild and faint – a little near the centre of the front seen viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: Nigh-on pristine: solid and straight with any compression very mild indeed. This is fairly thin but all text is perfect and unworn under the solid and clear laminate. Also well centred as seen on my close-up on the fairly narrow depth – these small details make the difference.

Corners: All crisp and very sharp with barely any hint of rubbing or creasing. Shape for all is practically as made.

Cover Summary: A very strong and attractive all-round example of this rare Quad variant. It should please most-all collectors.

The Poster: MINT(-): this is very large indeed at approximately 22 x 33 inches (and not easy to photograph well). Another variant, printed in France on different thick paper and less white than the standard ones. Unmounted, e.g. no pin-holes or tape marks, this is little short of as made.

The Post Card: MINT: yes I will use this word here, this is pristine and guaranteed original. Clean and uncreased, razor sharp edges with ultimate crisp corners. A bizarre insert really with Lennon holding a large pig by the ears while it feeds. Even the back is unmarked, white and untoned, the front is totally devoid of any marks and the printed image is immaculate.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT(-): this is yet another variant, printed in the US and it has an open window so the record labels can be seen when inside which makes this look very impressive indeed. Unlined, no creasing or edge splits (or repairs), this is printed both sides with all lyrics and details. Very nice indeed.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): this being somewhat critical. With point-blank examination under bright angled light a few ultra fine and faint surface trace hairlines are seen. Very clean, shiny, intense black and solidly pressed on top quality vinyl. A copy barely even ‘run-in’ in vinyl terms and typical from it’s source. Visually a very impressive record that should please most-all collectors.

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.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This fantastic record plays even above it’s high visual grading with barely anything to fault. I consider this title to be a difficult record, none more so that the very beginning. This one has strong, totally distortion-free sound with all frequencies sharp and clear. The piano introduction is crisp and fully focused and this makes the difference between average and exceptional. The depth and richess of the sound is incredible, and actually made me stop and listen as the music flowed. I have never heard a quad copy of this on my LP12, this only my second copy ever. I enjoyed every second of this quite brilliant copy which is a gateway into the recording studio itself. The depth of the sound and details are breathtaking and Lennon’s voice has an in-the-room quality. Any variation in the mix are subtle to these ears, but for the ‘Imagine Expert’, anything may notice more. What IS a very noticeable is a loud and dynamic mix that has real power, grace and incredible depth and fidelity, the finest of details are all immaculately gleaned from this almost ‘virgin’ copy. Super clean grooves with absolutely no wear at all – no exposure to damaging heavy stylus for this copy. Clearly EMI pressed these to the highest of standards knowing they were only to be purchased by the serious sound listener or specialist who maybe owned the appropriate equipment to experience the four-channel mode. No casual collectors had this specialised and expensive kit, thus sales were low as, I would be sure, numbers actually made or sold, now reflecting in catalogue values. A very impressive all-round copy that will prove very difficult to find better and merits my highest recommendation.

End Piece: This is such an important album to own, one of the genuine all-time greats and owning this quad mix, UK pressed variation is the icing on the cake. They are not seen too often and rarely with such low usage. The beauty and importance of this phenomenal release is beyond any doubt and this one does it strong justice, a rare alternative, do not lose this one.

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 8,000+ items sold in over 10 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] = £4.25

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 (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 (£17 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’.