LED ZEPPELIN I A1/B1 2nd PRESS RED/PLUM SUPERB COVER FINAL UPGRADE AUDIO MINT-
£
460
$
610
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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.
Led Zeppelin I A1 / B1 Red/Plum Label
This second pressing on the very collectable red/plum label is in my top 3 ever! It plays to a standard that you so rarely find today with a clarity, depth and power that is out of this world! There is NO interference at all, not one tick or click and no background static either not even on the S2 intro. The sonic quality is stunning and it has clearly hardly ever been played - the visual quality of the vinyl and the lack of spindle wear provides more evidence of that. It is without question a FINAL UPGRADE pressing in that you will not need to purchase another in order to try and find better audio. I cannot overstate just how clean and precise the audio is, it is STUNNING through every section, through every track.
The cover with the silver band/stripe along the bottom is in great condition with barely any shelf wear and the original inner sleeve has also been very well preserved.
As this is a second pressing it has the 'Warner Bros/7 Arts...' publishing credit on one line. It also has the corrected matrix number on the run out grooves - the stamped 8 is replaced with an etched 8.
588171 (2nd 8 corrected) A // 1 1 2 3
588171 ( 2nd 8 corrected) B // 1 1 3 2 4
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The cover is Ex
The original 'plastic bags...' inner is Ex+
The labels are Mint-
Visual Grading
The vinyl is in superb condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen with no marks or scratches and no dulling of the surface and no 'bag rash' either. Under a strong light I can only seem faint sleeve removal hairlines that obviously have no affect on the pristine audio. Under another light the vinyl looks 'as new'! The run out grooves are very clean and you can easily read the matrix info and the red/plum labels have no marking/writing either. They have retained their original red/plum colour perfectly and have hardly any spindle wear.
Play Grading
The intro on 'Good Times Bad Times' plays with stunning clarity with just the one minor static tick and Plant's opening vocal is equally as strong with no 'background' at all. It continues in the same precise way and there is no distortion not even during Page's solo. The opening track on any vinyl from this era can often be affected by sound issues but this has retained its original sonic quality for sure and the fade out has no 'background' either. The audio definition is so strong and Mint is an easy grade to give. A superb dynamic start to this classic album!
With complete silence in the dead wax you get an idea of the clarity on offer here. The acoustic intro on 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' plays perfectly and the first vocal is faultless. The first 'up tempo' section is 'as new' and the next vocal section has no interference and you can very clearly hear the infamous 'baby cry' around the 1.40 minute mark. This is a STUNNING version - every quiet instrumental section plays beautifully with no intrusion and the 'high octane' moments have a strength and depth of sound that is so impressive. Plant's vocals have lost none of their original clarity and power and the super quiet end section plays to perfection, the clarity is amazing! Not even a single dust tick. Rarely does this track grade as Mint but with no interference from start to finish I truly believe it deserves it.
'You Shook Me' continues this fine form and plays with impeccable quality throughout with no intrusion. I cannot emphasise enough just how strong and clear the audio is and the mid instrumental is a prime example of that. It has no 'background' and each section plays with great precision and depth. No ticks, clicks, pops or static and Page's solo just could not play any better and that applies to the entire track! Plant's 'high octane' vocal at the end is phenomenal and again I am confident in grading this as Mint as it reaches the heights later pressings are unable to!
The iconic bass intro on 'Dazed And Confused' is as 'clean' as it was back in '69 and the opening vocal is just as impressive. It continues to play with sublime clarity and power and this standard is maintained throughout. The quiet mid instrumental plays to perfection and as the volume increases there is no decrease in quality, the playback is phenomenal! This has to be one of the most 'complete' versions of this classic that I have ever heard and this is why the red//plum pressings are so collectable today - you only find sonic quality such as this on these early pressings. The clarity, definition and warmth of the audio is quite simply on another level. Another Mint track and wow what a side!
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As any Led Zepp collector knows the 'Your Time Is Gonna Come' organ intro will always have some static and it is just a matter of how much. I am pleased to say this is probably the 'cleanest' intro I have ever heard! A handful of barely audible dust ticks that is it, the clarity is incredible. There is no 'background' not even towards the end of this section where it is quieter! As Bonham comes in the audio is flawless and it progresses in the same way with no intrusion. Each note is so sharp and precise and I don't think I have ever graded this track as Mint- from start to finish but it truly deserves it here and to be honest I'm not even sure the minus is required!
The segue into 'Black Mountain Side' is perfect and this instrumental then plays 'as new' with not one solitary dust tick let alone anything more. I keep on about clarity but that is how any vinyl should be judged of course and you won't find better clarity than this! This is Mint from the first note to the last.
'Communication Breakdown' plays with a power and precision that you rarely find on these early pressings. It often has a 'tinny' distorted sound but that is not the case here. There is no distortion whatsoever and there are no negatives. Plant's vocals are so strong and Page's solo near the end provides another example of a rarely played vinyl that has been so well cared for down the decades. Mint
The vocal only intro on 'I Can't Quit You Baby' has literally no 'background' and proceeds to plays with imperious quality through every section. It's the sheer clarity of sound that really stands out and Jones' deep bass adds so much to the 'mix'. Page's first extended solo is 'as new' and Bonham's work is magnified on such a clean vinyl. The quieter moments play with a clarity that could not be beaten and, you know the grade - Mint in every way.
The bass intro on 'How Many More Times' plays perfectly and Plant's first vocal in unison with Page's classic riff has no 'background' either. From then onwards it plays with exceptional quality and...no interference. Despite being the final track there is no inner groove distortion during the more powerful sections (quite a number of them!) and the quieter passages again have a clarity that is second to none. I cannot believe what I am listening to here, the playback is awesome! The 'Oh Rosie' section is a case in point and plays 'as new' and the final section more than keeps up the standard. Plant's soaring vocal and Page's stunning work accompanied by the rhythm section of Bonham and Jones has never sounded stronger or any clearer. Up there with the best I have ever heard it ends this album with immaculate Mint audio.
In summary this second red/plum pressing plays to an unbelievable standard with no intrusion on either side. Each track is a highlight! This is clearly a FINAL UPGRADE time warp classic and may well be the finest example of this classic album that I have ever encountered. Even on a super clean vinyl you might expect to find one click, some light static perhaps, but there is literally no 'background' not even during the 'Your Time Is Gonna Come' intro and I can't begin to tell you how rare that is! This vinyl has been so well preserved over the years and that is reflected in its stunning visual quality also. This will no doubt command a lot of interest and I am certain the winning bidder will be just as impressed as I am. This is about as good as it gets basically, a phenomenal album in every regard.
The Cover & Inner Sleeve
The laminated MacNeill cover not surprisingly is in lovely condition with only very minimal shelf wear. The edges and thin pinched spine are in fantastic shape with no rubbing/marking and there is barely any corner wear which is so rare. The opening edge has no handling wear either. The front cover is so clean and has only one tiny crease on the Zeppelin and one more crease near the lower left corner. There is also some minor laminate lift either side of the spine but this is very common and much less than you usually see. The back cover is just as impressive with only a couple of small and very faint laminate and some of the usual fading/marking around the edges. So minor and hardly worth a mention! A superb example overall.
The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner sleeve (dated 0770) is in great condition with no side splits or tears and only minimal age related fading and creasing.
588171 (2nd 8 corrected) A // 1 1 2 3
588171 ( 2nd 8 corrected) B // 1 1 3 2 4
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a 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
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Postage & Packaging
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