YARDBIRDS slf titled / Roger The Engineer ORIG UK TOP N MINT LP STUNNING COND

$

153

This week I'm auctioning a batch of selected LPs. I have done my best to present and describe the albums accurately. I've spent several years doing a deep research dedicated to classic rock records so all the information collected about a particular album is listed below. I'm not going to call any record "megarareprereleaseearliestpossiblematrixnumberstamperscopy" just because it's the record I'm selling at the moment (like some sellers, sadly, do). Below you'll find just pure facts. 

A note for potential buyers: I guarantee shipping next day after payment has been received but I cannot guarantee delivery time. It's December and postal services are working slower than usually so please keep this in mind if you need delivery before Christmas. European buyers may expect delivery within 10-15 days but to other destinations it may take more.

There's a RESERVE PRICE set for this auction which is ABSOLUTELY REASONABLE, if you're serious about buying this item feel free to contact me if you wish to know the reserve amount.

THE YARDBIRDS self titled a.k.a. Roger The Engineer original black/blue Columbia UK early pressing in much rarer STEREO, STUNNING CONDITION

To get the best of any album one should acquire not only the earliest possible pressing but also the ORIGINAL one like the UK pressing in case of the Yardbirds LP offered here. Any other country pressing is always a compromise and the original UK mastered record would blow away any other pressing from any other country .

Pressing details.

Here we have a very interesting copy and instead of calling it a true earliest pressing (like many other sellers, dishonest or incompetent, would do, hiding or ignoring important details) I'm going to list all the facts and my conclusion is below based on analysis and not imagination.

Record / label

The label of the copy offered is the highly collectable black/blue Columbia label with "THE GRAMOPHONE..." rim print and "SOLD IN U.K..." statement. Of course this is the only label correct for the first pressing copy. At the same time the labels do not have the KT stamped code on them.

Matrix numbers, other run-out info

Surely we have the earliest matrix combination on this copy:  XEX 3126-1 and XEX 3127-1. Note though that there were no other matrices used for early STEREO UK pressing of this album, the first lacquers' metal parts were used for at least 6-7 years, most likely even more. The most amazing is the mothers' and stampers' combination: 1-R and 1-M. So the SECOND STAMPER was used for side A and the FOURTH STAMPER was used for side B.

Cover

A true UK early  pressing cover, typical flipback construction, front laminated, printed by Garrod & Lofthouse. The coded date stamped on the cover (6608 - August 1966) is surely present but I should warn you against a popular theory among dishonest dealers: this is the date of the FIRST PRINT of the cover, copies pressed in 1967 and later also have the same coded date so this is NOT an exclusive first pressing feature! A very important detail: the cover correctly carries the stereo catalogue number on it but it does not have the black letters STEREO printed on the front .

Inner sleeve

When it comes to such old albums it's very important to have the correct authentic inner sleeve for the album. As so many years have passed the majority of copies for sale have swapped inners that are not original and thus make the set incomplete. I'm happy to report that this copy is COMPLETE with the GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC CORRECT inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is the EMI company sepia advertizing inner sleeve, albums advertised  include Sgt. Pepper's and The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Such sleeves were used only for releases of the EMI group labels like Parlophone, HMV and Columbia. These early sepia sleeves (not to be mixed with later sepia sleeves from early 70-ies!) were introduced in AUTUMN 1968 and were in use throughout the whole of 1969.

Conclusion concerning this particular copy:

So here's what we have now:

-black and BLUE labels with "sold in UK..." but without the KT code stamped (used until  December 1968 as all January 1969 Columbia releases already came on black/Silver labels)

-very early 2nd and 4th stampers' combination

-the cover without STEREO on front (EMI group started to remove STEREO from covers'  front in 1967)

-the 1st type EMI sepia inner sleeve (in use since Autumn 1968 throughout the whole of 1969)

The above details allow us to state that THIS COPY WAS PRESSED IN LATE 1968, November to December should be a good approximation. There's a tiny chance we have an early 1969 copy (in theory they might have a stock of ready labels) but common logic suggests that additional pressing was made to be sold in the end of the year around Christmas when the demand was better.  

Last, in the very unlucky case the inner sleeve has been swapped (truly I don't believe but...) we get the possible pressing date not earlier than 1968 anyway due to absence of the tax code.

Another important conclusion: as the1968 pressing copy has such early stampers' numbers we may definitely say that STEREO BLACK/BLUE label pressings of this album were MUCH SCARCER THAN MONOS. Indeed during my research I have not found any black/blue label stereo copy with stampers higher than the 9th.

Condition

The set is not MINT but so close to it and considering its age and rarity a TOP COPY is absolutely correct.

The cover is Solid EXCELLENT while many dealers I know would grade it Near Mint without hesitation.  It has no tear, no writing and what's more important, the rear non-laminated panel is as white as it may be after nearly 50 years. The critical yellowing of the rear side so often found on similar albums is absolutely minimal in our case. Just look at the photos. There ARE some slightest discoloration areas though but again these are indeed minimal and I can hardly remember when I saw a similar condition cover for sale at ebay (if ever). I have downgraded this cover to Excellent mostly due to a number of yellow wrinkles on front and laminated rear flaps, check the pictures. Overall it's probably one of the best 1st covers you'll ever find.

The record is the true pride of this set and its condition is simply FANTASTIC. There are virtually no sleeve removal marks visible strictly under a 80 W lamp. There's one hardly visible hairline on side B and one hairline on side A which is visible better but none of them sound, I guarantee. Near Mint visually.

Playback: when you put a needle on this record you're simply shocked by the silence of the run-ins, only natural vinyl sound is heard with virtually no surface noise even in the very beginning. And when the music starts... it's like a bomb, such are the power and clarity of the sound coming from the first mastering UK pressed record. All the gaps between the tracks are virtually silent, there's no surface noise to talk about. So FULL NEAR MINT condition and impossible to find better!

BELOW ARE LINKS TO AUDIO CLIPS TAKEN FROM THE ACTUAL RECORD TO GET AN IDEA ABOUT ITS CONDITION. INCLUDED HAVE BEEN THE MOST "CRITICAl" AREAS LIKE RUN-INS AND QUIETER PASSAGES. NO AUDIO PROCESSING HAS BEEN APPLIED. 

Side A: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxjDlgWevhrqR3h6dTltSGVObEU

Side B: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxjDlgWevhrqOXdQcmpBdEp6OTQ

Summary

Artist: THE YARDBIRDS

Title: THE YARDBIRDS (also known as ROGER THE ENGINEER)

Country of origin: UK

Release and pressing year:  1966 August, this copy November - December 1968

Label: COLUMBIA

Catalogue number: SCX 6063

Format: STEREO

Pressing plant: EMI

Pressing: ORIGINAL

Grading cover/record: EXCELLENT / NEAR MINT

Inner sleeve: ORIGINAL, CORRECT

Matrix numbers: XEX 3126-1 and XEX 3127-1

Mothers - stampers: 1-R and 1-M

Play-testing setup

Thorens 125 table, MC type cartridge Kuzma  KC-1 (OEM manufactured by ZYX), Luxman L-560 amp, Harbeth HL-7 speakers.

Treating records

I always treat vinyl records with the greatest care - just because I love them. All the records I sell have been cleaned professionally with the isopropyl alcohol based solution and placed in brand new deluxe German made poly-lined inner sleeves. Original inners are surely preserved. For further packing I use re-sealable outer sleeves, custom German made LP mailers with cardboard stiffeners and I add extra protection for corners for heavy parcels.

Shipping

Shipping cost is the same for any destination in the world.

I may be able it ship it at $13 (parcel rate under 500 gr weight) but I strongly recommend additional packing  protection for this museum-condition copy, that would increase the total weight obviously and postage cost becomes $20. It's up to the buyer's decision. 

I ship worldwide by Registered Air Mail and obtain an internationally valid tracking number. If the postal service of your country allows tracing of incoming overseas parcel you'll be able to use the tracking number. I'm happy to offer combined shipping for multiple purchases, this allows to save quite a lot on postage. Feel free to contact me if you need to know shipping price for several items.

Payment

Paypal.

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A VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ!!!!!

POSTAL SERVICES WORLDWIDE ARE ALREADY WORKING VERY SLOWLY AS CHRISTMAS TIME IS NEAR. DELIVERY BY REGISTERED AIR MAIL TAKES FROM 2 TO 4 WEEKS! MAY BE EVEN LONGER TO THE AMERICAN CONTINENT, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN.

I CAN SHIP BY EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE AT COST (MUCH FASTER) BUT IT'S NEARLY A DOUBLE PRICE.

IF YOU ARE IMPATIENT AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO SEEK FOR SIMILAR ITEMS ELSEWHERE. BY BIDDING ON MY ITEM YOU CONFIRM ACCEPTING THE TERMS ABOVE!