THE MOODY BLUES – On The Threshold of a Dream – SCARCE ORIG UK 1969 EX+ MONO LP

	£		102
	$		135

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: THE MOODY BLUES

Album Title: On the Threshold of a Dream

Producer(s): Tony Clarke

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: In the Beginning; Lovely to See You; Dear Diary; Send Me No Wine; To Share Our Love; So Deep Within You.

Side 2: Never Comes the Day; Lazy Day; Are You Sitting Comfortably?; The Dream; Have You Heard (Part 1); The Voyage; Have You Heard (Part 2).

Label/Format: Deram – Original large format logo with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, ultra fresh and highly attractive with only a tiny few, mostly fine, small and light spindle marks that show little. Side one especially with hardly any. Crucially, this highly complex mono record plays beautifully with hardly anything unwanted.

Cat Number: DML 1035

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 134 grams. A typical solid quality pressing made by Decca in the era of quality.

Rarity: The album itself moderate. But first or early mono issues are a different matter, especially those still in very fine and clean playing conditions. By the end of the decade, the mono mode was in major decline with few new albums even being recorded in the single channel format. This a superb example with a gorgeous cover and inner, it plays brilliantly with hardly anything unwanted. A late mono issue, most who still bought them played them on mono record players, and often heavily. The usually with predictable results for sound degrading and scratches which this copy has totally avoided. Indeed, this copy appears hardly played at all, and such copies are elusive and never easy to find, most seen are stereo and later repressings. This is an outstanding all-round example.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Country of Manufacture: England

Matrix Nos: ARL-8827-2W / ARL-8828-2W

Stamper Codes: 1 N / 1 M

Musicians: Justin Hayward – vocals, guitar, cello; John Lodge – vocals, bass; Ray Thomas – vocals, harmonica, flute, tambourine; Graeme Edge – drums, percussion, vocals; Mike Pinder – vocals, mellotron, organ, cello.

Brief Artist & Album Info: The ‘Magnificent’ Moodies fourth album, following the brilliant Days of Future Passed and In Search of the Lost Chord, it features their most famous line-up of. A wide and varied array of instrumentation that blends beautifully to create some of the most inspired and great songs of the late 1960s. Few bands thrill me more today from this period than the Moodies. Sublime melodies that use that most wonderful of instruments, the mellotron – that lovely delicate ‘whooshing’ sound that gave their music a uniquely haunting edge. Along with Hayward’s perfect vocals which include poetry, this was innovative pop-psychedelia that evolved into early progressive rock. Easy on the ear with infectious songs that remain in the subconscious hours after playing. I remember from my schooldays hearing the wonderful single ‘Nights in White Satin’, reissued from ‘Days of Future Passed’, it left a lasting impression – I even had this song played at my wedding in 1984. This album is one of around seven essential albums to own, they set standards of excellence few ever could match. This dynamic, punchy and detailed early-cut mono version expands their sound even further and this copy does it supreme justice.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a gatefold format, laminated with Clarifoil front and back. The 14-page book is very secure with three original staples, two of which are solidly into the outer spine as manufactured. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse and includes the ‘Patents Pending’ text. The back has the peep-hole mono/stereo indicator which is filled with either a red or blue inner sleeve, red here indicating mono as seen in close-up.

Front, Back and Lamination: In terms of wear, this cover has little and retains supreme shine, freshness and clarity with no lifting and minimal traces of dulling, even viewed under light – the merest hint on the back on the rim area, even this being critical. Made with very thin ‘bendy’ card, so this is seldom seen without major laminate issues. One laminate crease near the right front edge which is only very mild, others are the usual very fine edge hairline types that show little. The mono/stereo hole pristine with barely any laminate ‘shift’. A thick quite heavy cover that actually feels like a book – which was the intention. One of the very best examples I have yet seen, few will better this splendidly preserved example.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside and outside covers are superb with barely anything to fault, the laminate ends on the bottom edges have not stuck or pulled, this detail also clean and crisp. The book very solid with practically nothing to fault. All pages uncreased, clean and still fresh, both staples clean and untarnished with no loosening or pulling. Being ultra critical, not quite squarely inserted into the middle, so a tiny ‘drop’ on the right side, that purely a minor manufacture issue, but honestly, how many would even mention such trivia? The inside as impressive as the lovely looking outside to make a genuinely gorgeous sleeve.

Top Edges: Both straight, smooth, unchipped or worn and retaining full laminate. Flat and parallel, they hardly get better.

Bottom Edges: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and mostly sharp with minimal traces of any wear or thickening, any hint only seen viewed end-on. Record enters on the back edge, these are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced.

Spine and Text: Solid, very thick and straight with minimal compression. This often creases and loses shape badly over time, but this has little to fault apart from a tiny chip near the top corner. Both staples that are driven into the spine are very solid and have avoided rusting. All text is perfect and unworn under the fully retained and unbroken laminate – this somewhat unusual. This has not ‘sunken’ into any recesses which so often form with multiple openings, the fact this has not happened gives strong indication it has not been opened and closed that many times.

Corners: All corners are crisp and hardly worn, the odd tiny tip rub or crease being near impossible to avoid on quite thin and delicate card. All retain excellent or better shape with no bashes and minimal hint of any dinks.

Cover Summary: One of the classic 1960s covers, lavish and attractive, it will seldom be found much better with a much rarer clean mono record inside. Indeed it could prove a significant upgrade for some, it should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): and probably under-graded as such. A superb Decca style heavy duty inner has barely aged at all with minimal creasing. This a deep red colour to denote a mono record. No edge splits or repairs and the clear lining is seen through two immaculate window circles. Almost as clean and fresh as when made, this original is UK patented and includes ‘Foreign patents pending’ text. These vintage mono Decca inners are rare in this attractive, clean condition. This inner sleeve is crucial to the album and cover as it fills the back peep-hole as explained further up.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): a very fine visual mono record that is very clean with equally fine shine and very solidly made on top-quality Decca pressed vinyl. A copy appearing very little used, and then with considerable care all the evidence with any surface marks wispy and very fine as seen critically under bright angled light. No penetrating stylus scratches at all, viewed in average room light, this record looks beautiful. It also plays as fine as it looks, and so few of these ever do. Visually a superb record that should please many, if not 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 brilliant album plays even above it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and this is an exceptional clean pressing with no tracking issues*. Few available copies will match or outperform this very early mono pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp when played on a stereo system, without single side mono noise. I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been very well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Such records were not really made to be played on revealing stereo equipment, but they are things of great beauty when clean and unspoiled. The mono mode offers ultimate detail, warmth and impressive punch and dynamics. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. An album with quiet passages, the odd minor blemish is unrealistic to avoid, but hardly anything on the age, and mode-defying copy. It will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended.

* 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’.