LED ZEPPELIN IV SCARCE UK 1972 A/B DUAL MATRIX PRESS, HARDLY PLAYED, SUPER SOUND

	£		20
	$		27

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: LED ZEPPELIN

Album Title: Led Zeppelin (IV)

Producer: Jimmy Page

Executive Producer: Peter Grant

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Black Dog; Rock and Roll; The Battle of Evermore; Stairway to Heaven.

Side 2: Misty Mountain Hop; Four Sticks; Going to California; When the Levee Breaks.

Label/Format: Atlantic – new green and orange format, pressed by CBS. These have matt surfaces with a very gentle hint of texturing.

Label Conditions: Both are very clean, fresh and attractive with only a very few fine, very light and faint spindle traces. This copy appears little played and sounds fantastic throughout.

Catalogue Number: K 50008

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: 120 grams. This a quite typical weight for this record, issued at a time of the great oil shortage when vinyl was used far more sparingly. But this one very pure and offering absolute top-quality sound.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: The album itself is quite common, predictably selling in vast numbers. Pressing quality can be an issue however, and this album was pressed many times with several label variants. This copy on offer is one of the more elusive. It being the first issue on the new colour Atlantic label, now pressed by CBS. It has the new Kinney catalogue number and matrix numbers, these have the unnumbered A / B types and also include the original Philips matrixes and run out inscriptions. These were pressed in considerably lesser numbers compared with the Plum label copies. Subsequent pressings dropped the dual matrixes and added digits to the A and B. The pressing quality of this record is immaculate also, this was a genuine thrill to play-grade and actually outperforms many plum label copies I have heard. I have found over time, those could be a lottery, often with crackle and even distortion which this totally lacks. The cover is just the same, being matt, later printings had a more shiny surface. This also includes the rarer pale grey (or cream) colour inner sleeve, this still made with the quite soft card, and fragile. Again, later ones became more rigid and robust, the card thicker and less susceptible to wear and edge splits. This inner is also far more elusive than the darker first issues. This 1972 pressing is very collectable for Led Zeppelin vinyl fans and is not seen so often.

Original Year of Release: 1971

Matrix Nos: K 50008 A [2401012 A // 3 1 1] & K 50008 B [2401012 B // 4 1 2] (All machine punched, and very clear and distinct as seen on my pictures)

Run-Out Groove Etchings: ‘PECKO DUCK’ & ‘PORKY’ (scripted)

Musicians: Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica; Jimmy Page – acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin; John Paul Jones – synthesiser, bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin, recorders; John Bonham – drums. Guests: Sandy Denny – vocals; Ian Stewart – piano.

Brief Info: After the issue of three sublime albums, how could this legendary band offer even more? Well the answer was with this untitled album, always known as ‘Four’. It’s unscripted sleeve design suggested anonymity, but nothing was left to question over this album’s content. An undisputed masterpiece within the genre of ‘Rock’. Led Zeppelin were never so strident as on ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and ‘Black Dog’, two selections of undiluted brilliance. The blues standard ‘When the Levee Breaks’ is massively powerful, particularly through John Bonham’s thunderous drumming, and the group’s love of folk forms surfaces on the graceful ‘Battle of Evermore’, complete with a cameo from Fairport Convention’s Sandy Denny and the beautiful mandolins. ‘Stairway to Heaven’ has, of course, become the album’s best-known track, but the anthem-like stature it has since assumed should not obscure it’s groundbreaking companion songs. This album left much of heavy metal, and indeed rock itself, trailing in it’s wake. It charted at 1 in the UK and 2 in the US and has become an evergreen classic of huge stature and remains as popular and in-demand as when first issued. Conditions for collectors is always an issue: these monolithic masterpieces were so often played to destruction and so many fail to please when played on modern highly clinical equipment. The finer grooves on this album often meant just a tiny fine mark or light scratch sounded more freely than on earlier albums. The perilous final seconds of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ often meant arms being lifted prematurely resulting in scratches on those ultra fine innermost grooves with annoying loud clicks ruining those vital last few words. Finding a copy that gives that ultimate audio satisfaction is challenging and so many crackle, either with variable pressing quality or over-playing on old record players that tracked at vast weight. Well have no fears with this copy, the record plays magnificently with massive drive, power and sonic delivery of the music. This one superbly manufactured by CBS and devoid of pressing and surface noise with no pops or clicks noted – this simply raises the neck hair and was a thrill to play-grade. These non-digit A / B pressings, that still included the Philips matrixes are somewhat special and not as mass-produced as previous ones. Also these are harder to find as well, but the main factor always has to be sound quality, and this copy excels.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or very close to. An unlaminated (or coated) gatefold format with matt smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England, uncredited and including the original much paler unlined inner sleeve, that also uncredited.

Cover Front: Another wear-prone cover, the early ones were matt and vulnerable. This front in very fine condition with only small corner tip rubs and a couple of spine edge creases. Any other rubbing is very fine on the edges, and very little of at all. The main surface is clean and still fresh with little to fault, the lack of sticker issues or rubbing here is always good news. This front will not prove too easy to find better.

Cover Back: The back is largely the same. The lack of penetrating or heavy ring wear is a major plus, any rim impression/dulling gentle and faint near the top and bottom.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Little to fault inside at all, this is highly impressive, also lacking the fingermarks seen on the dark surfaces, that seldom the case.

Top Edges: Both straight and flat with minimal hint of wear, any present patch and very light.

Bottom Edges: Very slightly more rubbing, but still very light, especially for storage edges.

Right Edge(s), and Type: All edges are neat with minimal wear, thickening or burring, faint traces seen viewed end-on, these untrimmed, record enters on the back.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with barely any compression, also folded close to square, so the edges meet up closely and near parallel. A little rubbing towards the ends, but hardly any inbetween. The folds have fared well overall, these always seem to rub, but any on these is little and light.

Corners: Moderate tip rubbing very fine shape mostly retained without any significant knocks.

Cover Summary: Never an easy one, few escape often significant wear and ageing, this only offers scant clues to age. It should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): but actually looking better. This the uncredited much paler inner sleeve with quite smooth surfaces. Not quite as soft as the darker first inners that almost fall apart by looking at them. That said, this is almost as delicate, and also being unlined, the edges are still very perilous. Just one very small, neat central edge split to one side which I neatly repaired to stop it potentially widening in the future. But few these days will store the record inside this inner, and as always, I include a soft-lined brand new inner sleeve to do the job, safely protected record and this close to fully intact inner. Overall, clean, fresh and attractive with no creasing, this version is not seen often, and seldom better.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): arguably better still. A superb visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and quite solidly pressed. A copy hardly even played on all the evidence with any surface traces very few, equally light and faint as seen critically under bright light. No penetrating stylus scratches and superbly pressed on pure quality vinyl. Visually a super record that should please most collectors.

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 snippets 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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This timeless classic plays up to and even above it’s impressive visual grading with barely anything to fault – and how glad I am to be able to state that. So often I am less than impressed with even clean looking copies of this title. Initially quickly produced in considerably numbers to meet potential demand. Crackle and surface noise is quite common and ruins the real pleasure of these lovely songs, especially the more gentle acoustic ones. This ‘new’ pressing, now by CBS, offers strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear and audio quality is very high indeed with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds hardly registered and this is up there with the very best pressed copies I have heard. These 1972 pressed copies on the new label match the very best audio quality in terms of detail, dynamic range and sonic delivery, and this one failed to disappoint. The power of the band bursts from the speakers with grace and drive, it leads you directly to recording studio itself. Few available copies will outperform this still very early pressing I feel sure. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – if sound quality is paramount – this one delivers. A copy devoid of invisible pressing noises, tracking issues* or distortion, a clean and nigh-on crackle-free example – NEVER take that for granted. When heard somewhere near it’s best, this is an album of immense beauty and it’s hardly any wonder most collectors want this in their collection. A special note must be made on Bonham’s drumming: this is real powerhouse stuff. Play the final song loudly and it will shake the foundations. The record offers exhilarating sound that will leave the senses realing – and nothing else is more important for me – my highest possible recommendation for this evergreen rock masterpiece.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14­ 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 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]) = £16.50 (£17.50 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’.