JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS A Hard Road 2A/2A Mono Press Superb COVER/AUDIO
£
72
$
95
£ 72
Sold For
Aug 24, 2025
Sold Date
Aug 14, 2025
Start Date
15
Number Of Bids
Great Britain
Country Of Seller
eBay
Auctioned at
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Description
I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges. However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale. No shipping to Russia currently. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers : A Hard Road 2A / 2A Mono Press 1968
This very early mono pressing plays to the highest standard possible with no intrusion at all. As always I have played every track in full and clarity, depth, warmth and power of the audio is sensational. There is just no background of any kind, not even a minor static tick, and I cannot overstate just how pristine the audio is. This classic album has been so well preserved and it easily qualifies as a FINAL UPGRADE archive pressing. It has that full, deep rich mono sound and as you would expect the vinyl itself is in great condition also.
The laminated cover is in superb condition with barely any wear and it has retained its original shape and structure perfectly. The original inner sleeve (dated 9-68) is so clean also with only minimal creasing. A phenomenal album in so many way, it's incredible to think it is over 57 years old!
LK 4853 // ARL-7652-2A BG 1 // ARL-7653-2A BH 1
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The Robert Stace cover is Near Mint- The inner sleeve is Ex++
The labels are Mint
Visual description
The vinyl is in lovely condition and still has a superb glossy sheen with no marks or scratches. Under a bright light I can only see a small number of faint hairlines and very minimal 'spotting' which again is very faint, nothing stands out. When you look at the vinyl in 'normal' light it is pristine, a stunning example. The run out grooves are super clean and the red Decca labels are immaculate with no marking or spindle wear.
Play Grading
The run in on S1 is perfect, there is no static etc, and the intro on 'A Hard Road' then plays with stunning clarity. Mayall's opening vocal is just as clean and the mid instrumental can also be described 'as new' I am confident in saying as there is not even a single dust tick let alone anything else. The final vocal section and fade out play with impeccable clarity and warmth and it has to grade as Mint as the audio quality cannot be faulted in any way. A STUNNING start to the album.
'It's Over' is of the same high end standard with no ticks, clicks, pops or static. Pure crystal clear audio from start to finish with no sign of any intrusion. Mint
Green takes over vocal duties on 'You Don't Love Me' and the clarity, depth and resonance of the audio is second to none. Once again I cannot emphasise how pristine the audio is and Mint is 100% deserved.
'The Stumble' keeps up the good work and plays with phenomenal audio with no sign of any intrusion. This instrumental of course features super work from Green and McVie's bass sounds so strong here also. Great definition and power throughout. Another Mint track.
Running out of superlatives already as 'Another Kinda Love' once more shows just how infrequently this vinyl has been played. Once or twice maybe?! The power and depth is stunning and that final vocal 'note' from Mayall is a case in point - played loud the sonic quality is amazing! The fade out is perfect also. Mint
'Hit The Highway' features sublime piano work from Mayall and it plays with stunning precision throughout. The audio is so clean and 'fresh' for a mono recording and put simply there is no background. I look for examples and the final long note is a prime example of that clarity - not one dust tick at all. Mint all the way.
'Leaping Christine' ends the side with STUNNING audio once more. Seriously I cannot praise it highly enough - it's a powerful 'busy' number and for a final track the clarity of sound is incredible! The mid instrumental demonstrates that in spades - I played it loud and the audio definition is SUPERB with no distortion on the top end. The most 'complete' version you are ever likely to hear and that applies to the entire side truth be told! Every note here is so sharp and precise and Mint is again richly deserved.
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The powerful intro on 'Dust My Blues' plays with great power and depth and perhaps even more impressive is the complete lack of distortion, a genuine rarity for this intro. The opening vocal section is equally as strong and it continues in the same precise way. The rhythm section of Dunbar and McVie are very much at the forefront on this track - no 'muddiness' to the sound, just perfect from start to finish. Mint
With total silence in the dead wax the slow build up intro on 'There's Always Work' plays to perfection and this harmonica led number then plays 'as new' with no intrusion right through to the end of the fade out. Once again I am left speechless at the clarity on offer here! Mint
The sonic quality on 'The Same Way' is outstanding! From the very first note the depth and warmth of the audio is typical of a clean mono record and it delivers on so many levels here. Every note so clean and succinct. Yet another Mint classic, the first one penned by Peter Green and sung by him also.
'The Supernatural' plays with breathtaking quality with no background of any kind. The clarity and depth of the audio is incredible and Mayall himself considered this one of the strongest tracks on the album. Sublime guitar work from Green. Again. Mint
'Top Of The Hill' provides more evidence (if it were needed!) of a vinyl so well preserved and plays with wonderful clarity through every section. A relatively sparse track it plays so clearly and the depth on the audio is STUNNING! So warm and deep - sensational! Mint
No need to prevaricate 'Someday After Awhile' plays with genuine quality for a penultimate track. Once again there are no negatives, the power and depth of the audio are 10/10 and the clarity cannot be faulted either. Mint
The intro on 'Living Alone' is clean, deep and strong with no intrusion and Mayall's opening vocal section is just as impressive. The harmonica interlude plays perfectly as is the next vocal and the remainder plays with such quality for a final track. No fighting for space here, every instrumental is clear and precise and there is no interference to be heard. In essence it could not play any better and Mint is once again the only honest grade I can give. What. An. Album!
The Cover & Inner Sleeve
The cover is in lovely condition with hardly any wear. The most obvious is one small rough area of laminate in the bottom right corner but it certainly doesn't detract from the overall look. The edges and thin pinched spine are in fantastic shape and the corners are so clean also with barely any wear. The opening edge has hardly any handling wear and the front cover is exceptionally clean with only that one small section of laminate wear. Aside from that the laminate is in superb condition with only a couple of minor creases around the edges. The back cover is so clean which is very impressive as it isn't laminated of course. The white background is so clean with barely any marking and the foldover laminate strip by the right edge is very clean with only minimal marking running down the edge. This is a stunning example of this Robert Stace printed cover and Near Mint- is a fair grade in my opinion.
The original poly-lined inner sleeve (dated 9-68) is also in great condition as you might expect. There are no side splits or tears, no marking and only a little creasing here and there.
LK 4853 // ARL-7652-2A BG 1 // ARL-7653-2A BH 1
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT VM-95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
Recent Feedback
THIS IS WHAT A SELLER SHOULD BE LIKE ON HIGH END VINYL! Exactly as described if not better ! I could not be a happier customer .. well packed for international flight .. and shipped and received very fast .. No worries here this guy is the topsGREAT AS DESCRIBED BEST SELLR OF ALL THE UK PEOPLE AND I HAVE BOUGHT FROM ALL OF THEM
Beautiful record as described, fast safe delivery, top seller. Cheers Steve.
Another fantastic LP from this seller - condition exactly as shown and the audio as described! Fast delivery, vinyl properly and carefully packed. Very highly recommended A++++
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Great seller and great vinyl record, professionally packaged. I’m very satisfied with my purchase and will certainly buy again!
Postage & Packaging
I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping. This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage. The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered. Any over-payment will always be refunded.
The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD). An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known. Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing. Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Many thanks.
All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection. They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection. I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.
The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each. There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up! Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!
UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £22.95 then £2.50 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £21.95 then £2.50 per extra
If you are not entirely happy with your purchase please contact me before leaving feedback and I will always resolve any issue, 100% guaranteed. If you would prefer to send the item back I will also pay the return shipping cost if I am at fault, I am only human after all!!
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