Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 2 GF Robert Ludwig/SS issue: Very Good Plus (Tested)

$

225

THIS PARTICULAR LP:  The disk is in Very Good condition.  I can hear crackles between tracks and in some of the low volume areas.   I have a couple of  random pops on both sides.  No skips and it plays through fine at 1.4 grams.  The outer cardboard jacket is in Very Good condition, but is getting fragile from age, and it's showing normal shelf wear especially on the bottom, but no tears yet.  The original paper inner sleeve is in Fair condition.  It has a 3 inch tear on the bottom and is starting to brown from age.  
I liked this LP, so it does have some table time.  I'm not sure what can be said about this recording that hasn't already been said.  It's been years since I've listened to my vinyl, and this LP has bass and sound that is off the charts.  It almost knocked my head set off.  Luckily I had a decent player back in the day so I didn't return it as defective.  But, I do have some crackles, not bad, but noticeable in some low volume areas.  It might clean up with a better cleaning device than just the AudioTechnica brush I'm using.  No doubt that even with some crackles, it still sounds better than the CD's I own.  This LP is another reason I wonder why I'm selling my LP collection.  Just getting old.
MATRIX/runout INFO:  Note: There are millions of Matrix numbers, some not so readable, so I do the best I can to figure them out based on Discogs.  If the exact Matrix number is critical, let me know and I'll try to send a picture to you.
Side 1/A:  T 1 ST - A - 691671 - 1A RL SS C1   (the C1 is on the opposite side of the runout) Side 2/B:   0 T 1 ST - A - 691672 - D SS LH B14  (not sure what the B14 stands for)
Interesting note from Discogs via audio4fun:   I wrote Robert Ludwig in the last week and he wrote me back. All the versions from sterling are the same hot mix. The subtle variances between them are all simply from the slight differences in making a hand-made analog lacquer disc, at least one of which was sent to all the pressing plants at the time. The CTH plant got a lacquer that was half RL and half LH (Lee Hulko, his partner) but was of the SAME MIX AND MASTER, based on RL's notes. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME, aside from subtle variances and should be valued the SAME no matter who's initials are in the dead wax. They are all the same master from STERLING SOUND! Here is my reply from Robert Ludwig. Let this be the final word in this debate. Thanks! 
Hi Jim,
I'm surprised about Lee Hulko's initials being on some of the parts. In all these years I had never come across any copies with his initials before.  When there were big orders of certain titles and there wasn't physically enough time for one person to crank out the lacquers as fast as the record company wanted, sometimes we would help each other out.  For instance, my initials might appear on a Beatles record that Lee mastered.  In every case, compared to now, those titles were relatively easy to master. Once one of us mastered an album and it was approved, we made careful notes, either one of us could cut it and it should come out the same. Back then, Lee and I shared the one room and worked different hours so it is possible one of the plants blew a part and needed a replacement right then with no delay.  So after I mastered the album (which Eddie Kramer & Atlantic approved) it was shipped to all the radio stations and the initial pressing was all from me and Sterling Sound.

Amhet Ertegun at Atlantic heard the album (which Eddie demanded be as hot as possible) and apparently it skipped on his daughters little turntable. Instead of calling us at Sterling and asking us to lower the level a little and telling us where it skipped, they had the disk cutters at Atlantic use my EQ'd cassette file copy and they cut it WAY lower than my original cut plus, in my opinion, it sounded dull and generally not very good sounding in comparison.

So all the disks that were played at the radio stations and all the initial pressings world wide came from me (and apparently Lee cut a part or two) and that was what "sold" the record and made it a hit. A year later, whenever I visited someone I would look at their Zeppelin II album to see if it was my cut or Atlantic's cut. It was easy to see by eye, the Atlantic cut ended much farther from the label and the grooves to the naked eye looked very conservative.
I still got to Master "Houses of the Holy" later on, no skipping problems with that as far as I know!
I hope this clears this up for you.
All my best,
Bob Ludwig
Gateway Mastering Studios Inc
   SHIPPING NOTE:  $5.00 flat USPO shipping for more than one LP. If you would like more than one LP, to save on the shipping, eBay should do an auto ship update in your cart.  If it doesn't, and you get charged more than $5.00 for shipping, I will issue a shipping credit back to you.  BUT, please make sure you contact me before buying so I can make sure I catch the extra LP's before I ship them.  This applies to Continental US only.
NOTES: I'm selling my 400 LP rock & roll collection.  I'm the original owner and purchased all my vinyl at retailers.
I'm cleaning my records using a Audio-technica Cleaner Kit.  I ship them in a box designed for LP's.  I’m listening to each LP using a Sennheiser HD-555 headset prior to rating them, so I can hear any imperfections.  I do not judge the sound based on what the vinyl "looks" like, as that would be quicker, but can be very misleading.  Quality ratings are very subjective, but if I hear pops, crackles, or skips, I will advise.  I won't sell a warped record.  Most of the inner paper sleeves, and outer cardboard jackets are old, and some are getting fragile, depending on the type of paper and cardboard used.  Some might be slightly torn on the edges, I will advise.  Some of my covers may have some black dots next to some of the titles.  Like an idiot, I was trying to keep track of what I had on CD, but you will be able to see them in the pictures.  All my pictures are high res so you can zoom in for a closer look.
My LP's have always been kept in a clean, temperature controlled home, with no pets, no kids, and no smoking (see picture above).  They were always played on quality turn tables with good needles, well, except for maybe, my first high school Garrard, but since then, I've had a high end Sony, and for the last 25 years, an AT-PL120 Audio-Technica.
I'm not a retailer or full time eBayer, and don't do this for a living, so I prefer not to sell to others who are.  I want my LP's to go to folks who want to listen to the music for themselves, and who are NOT planning on selling my LP's to make money off of me.
GUARANTEE NOTE: I can't guarantee money back, but if you're not happy with the LP, I'll take a look at a refund, based on your eBay rating.  Please contact me before leaving negative feedback, so I can have a chance to make it right with you.    

EXACT ITEM GUARANTEE: The pictures are of the exact item you are purchasing and I have listened to each LP before I list them.
Thank you for taking a look and reading all this stuff.