LED ZEPPELIN IV A3/B4 Early RED/PLUM Press INCREDIBLE Final Upgrade AUDIO MINT-
£
252
$
334
£ 252
Sold For
Feb 25, 2024
Sold Date
Feb 15, 2024
Start Date
28
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. Led Zeppelin IV A3 / B4 Early Red / Plum Press
This red / plum pressing is one of the finest examples I have ever listened to. In essence there is no interference and the clarity, depth, power and resonance of the audio is exceptional. I cannot overstate how well it plays and there is not a single click or pop to be heard. The sonic quality is outstanding and as always I have played every track in full so as to provide a 'complete' grading, it is easily a FINAL UPGRADE pressing. It has what might well be the finest version of the classic 'Stairway To Heaven' that I have ever heard.
The iconic cover has been so well preserved and has hardly any wear, it is stunning. The original inner sleeve is split along the bottom but nevertheless remains very clean with barely any marking.
This is known as Version 8 where everything is correct on the labels. Production credits, no inverted feather and 'Hop' is spelt correctly.
2401012 ## A // 3 1 3 4 (PECKO DUCK etched)
2401012 B // 4 1 1 5 (PORKY etched)
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The gatefold is Near Mint-
The lyric inner sleeve is VG+
The labels are Ex+
Visual description
The vinyl is in excellent condition and still has a very strong glossy sheen and no marks or scratches. Only when looking under a bright light can I see some faint hairlines plus one on S1 that is a little more obvious on the final two tracks but I reiterate it is only a hairline and obviously has no impact on the audio. Under a more forgiving light the vinyl looks pristine! The run out grooves are very clean and the red / plum labels have only very minimal spindle wear. At first I though they were unmarked but there is a very small name 'alan' written in the Atlantic white band. Maybe with careful work it could be removed.
Play Grading
The 'Black Dog' intro where Page is 'warming up his guitar' is perfect with not one dust tick and Plant's opening vocal is just as clean. Page's first 'riff' is of the same standard and from then on it plays with great power and definition and the brief quieter 'moments' also play with impeccable precision. Every vocal and instrumental piece could not play any better basically and Page's final solo is a prime example of that. There is no distortion and what stands out across the entire track is the sheer depth of the music, something you only find on the red / plum pressings, well a clean one anyway! The fade out has no background and I am confident in grading this as Mint it is such a strong start to this classic album.
The percussive intro on 'Rock And Roll' has no intrusion and as Page comes in the sonic quality is phenomenal. The first vocal is equal to that and it continues in exactly the same way. The clarity of sound is stunning and it's not often you hear this classic playing so clearly. The mid instrumental is so deep and strong and there is just no 'muddiness' to the sound - you can easily turn it up to max without fear of distortion. The piano on the final third is so high in the mix and that again is a measure of the clarity on offer here. Once again Mint is deserved.
The quiet build up on 'The Battle Of Evermore' plays beautifully with no interference and Plant's opening vocal more than keeps up the standard. It continues to play with exceptional clarity and Denny's vocal of course adds so much to the overall sound. The mandolin here is so clean and fresh and again every section plays flawlessly. There is so often some static distortion on this track but not here, another sign this vinyl has not been overplayed. The long fade out is 'as new' and again I have no hesitation in saying Mint it is a stunning version. Let's hope the next all time classic is just as good!
And it does not disappoint! The entire intro on 'Stairway To Heaven' plays with remarkable clarity - there is literally no intrusion - I do not think I have ever a cleaner intro! The first two verses are equal to that with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks and I do mean barely audible! The first instrumental / makes me wonder section is perfect and the next two verses exude warmth and depth oh and perfect clarity! We're up to 4 minutes now and I cannot emphasise enough just how STUNNING the quality of the music is! As Bonham comes in there is no let up in quality and the fifth verse is as good as the preceding ones as is the following makes me wonder passage. The next verse is faultless and the 'jangly' guitar section from Page is again so clean and free of distortion, a genuine rarity. His next solo is incredibly strong and there is zero distortion on the top end. Plant's high octane vocal again shows just how infrequently this vinyl has been played - the sonic quality is just breath-taking and again there is no distortion. The entire passage is just phenomenal and you will not be surprised to hear that the final quiet vocal ends this classic with sublime clarity and no intrusion. What you want from this classic is clarity, depth and warmth and of course real power and it has all those factors in abundance. I have not heard many Mint versions of this but we certainly have one here!
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'Misty Mountain Hop' plays with great quality from the get go. The intro has just one minor static tick but is so quiet you could easily miss it. The opening vocal is faultless and it progresses in the same way. This is a powerful 'busy' track but again the audio is so clean and 'fresh' and there is nothing to detract from the overall sound. I only noticed another couple of mega light statics so I will grade as Mint- I think that is fair.
The intro on 'Four Sticks' plays with that by now familiar clarity and depth and the first vocal is just as strong. The first instrumental / 'chorus' section where Jones' bass is so high in the mix is just phenomenal! The power and depth of the audio is second to none and it continues to play with outstanding quality through every vocal and instrumental section. This truly is audio of the highest calibre and I cannot compliment it highly enough. The keyboard section near the end can only be described 'as new' and that applies to every section. A Mint version from start to finish and is the most 'complete' version I have heard in a long time.
The intro on 'Going To California' has no background and the first vocal is just as impressive. This acoustic track continues to play with wonderful clarity with no ticks, clicks, pops or static. A couple of dust ticks maybe and just a hint of barely audible static towards the end but there is certainly nothing that gets in the way of the audio. A relatively quiet track of course and yet you cannot fault the clarity here and Mint- is well deserved.
The entire intro on the classic 'When The Levee Breaks' plays with stunning precision and has no inner groove distortion which makes a change. No intrusion at all. Plant's opening vocal is again so clean and the clarity of sound here is so much better than what you normally hear. Yes I have upgraded my stylus recently so that might have something to do with it but the power and definition of the audio is so impressive. I'm up to half way now and I am confident in saying I have detected no distortion at all. Perhaps just a light touch of static during the mid instrumental but so so minor and it hardly deserves a mention. The next vocal is perfect and the final section has only the bare minimum of distortion I would say but again it does not impact on the quality of the listen. This is a fine version and Mint- is an honest assessment of the audio in my opinion and is easily one of the strongest versions I have ever heard. A stunning album.
In summary this album plays to an incredible standard with no interference as simple as that. You can see from my audio grading just how 'clean' the audio is and it easily qualifies as a FINAL UPGRADE archive pressing. This is a vinyl that has very well preserved and not often played and that has helped it retain its original sonic quality considerably. So often it's 'Stairway To Heaven' that you find heavily played and the clarity, definition and power here is 'high end' to say the least, it is a genuine highlight. In conjunction with a lovely cover this will add to any collection.
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The cover is in great condition condition and has retained its original shape and structure so well with only the bare minimum of wear. Nothing stands out at all. Only the bottom edge of the back cover has a little rubbing but you don't really notice it because it kind of blends in with the colour anyway and the 'wide' spine remains strong and only slightly angled. All corners are very clean with hardly any wear and the opening edge has no handling wear at all. The front cover is stunning and has no marking and the back cover almost as good with only a couple of tiny faint marks and some very minor abrasion lines. The inside of the gatefold for once is immaculate with none of the fading around the edges that you so often see. A superb example of this iconic cover.
The original lyric inner is extremely clean with only a handful of small faint marks on the lyric side in one small area. Admittedly the bottom edge has totally split but it is a clean break and you don't really notice it unless you 'open' it. There is just one small side split but there is barely any creasing and the flipbacks are still very much in place. When you first look at it you think Ex but even with the bottom edge split I still think VG+ is deserved because the rest of it is very clean indeed.
2401012 ## A // 3 1 3 4 (PECKO DUCK etched)
2401012 B // 4 1 1 5 (PORKY etched)
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / 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
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++++
Another stunning LP from this very reliable and helpful seller.
Very quick delivery. Album exactly as described. Excellent packaging. Once again all perfect. Thanks!!!
Great item and seller (no.1), many thanks from ITALY !!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic! Record as Described! Excellent Packaging and Fast Overseas Shipping!
One of the best on Ebay!
Another amazing record from this exceptional seller. Absolutely delighted!
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 : £5.95 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £15.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £24.95 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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