ZZ Top Tres Hombres Tejas Fandango VINYL 3LP 70s Southern Rock Live TESTED EX

$

45

This listing is for 3 albums by ZZ Top, "Tres Hombres", "Tejas" and "Fandango!", all from their more raw, 1970s hard blues rock era. Of note, "Fandango!" is half-live, half-studio.

Across these 3 classic albums, you'll hear classic rock gems like "Tush", "Heard It On The X", "Arrested For Driving While Blind", "Waitin' For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago", "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers", "Precious And Grace", "La Grange" and more.
Collectors and Audiophiles Notes: Early ZZ Top vinyl holds a special place due to the infamous 1980s digital remixing project. When Warner Bros. acquired the band's London Records back catalog, they digitally remixed and overdubbed classic 1970s albums—including Tres Hombres, Fandango!, and Tejas—to feature gated, reverb-heavy 1980s electronic drum sounds and altered bass tracks designed to mimic the sound of Eliminator. These 1980s remixes replaced the original master tapes across all CD reissues and later vinyl pressings for nearly three decades, effectively burying the band's original mix. As a result, early 1970s London Records pressings (and un-remixed early reissues) containing the original, warm analog drum tracks and raw, natural studio mix are highly prized by classic rock enthusiasts seeking the authentic, unfiltered Texas blues-rock sound.
Pressing Notes:

• Fandango! – 1975 US First Pressing (London Records), PS 656 / SAHS 1660, features the original London "sunset" photo label with original analog mix.

• Tejas – 1976 US First Pressing (London Records), PS 680 / SAHS 1694/AL, features the custom mountain landscape label (Allentown pressing).

• Tres Hombres – Late-1970s US Reissue (Warner Bros. Records), BSK 3270, features the white/grey ghost logo Warner Bros. label.

Condition Notes: I recently gave these albums a spin and they all sounded similar in terms of sound quality. All played great with very little in the way of surface crackle. Despite any jacket wear (noted below), all vinyl is in great shape.
S1 - sounds great, little crackle in quieter passages S2 - sounds great, little crackle in quieter passages
Album Jacket Notes: "Tejas" jacket shows evidence of water staining and bends/warping, mainly affecting the lower half. Inside cardboard sleeve also impacted showing bends. Side 2 label shows minor writing (name). Despite this, jacket and sleeve hold together well; "Fandango" shows light wear (ring) mostly around the edges; "Tres Hombres" is in really nice shape with normal wear. Be sure to check photos for more on condition! 
FYI: Many more 70s/80s classic rock albums are coming soon so stay tuned!
My Vinyl Grade: A

Goldmine/Discogs Rating:
Vinyl Play: VG+ Visual Grade: VG+
Album Jacket: VG Inner Sleeve: VG

My GRADING SCALE:

A = A real find! Not perfect, but aside from the stray pop or click, this is a very clean and more quiet listening experience. If there's a step below brand new, this is it.

B = A very good album! While this does not sound brand new, the album features a moderate amount of surface noise, pops/clicks and should not interfere with your enjoyment. Still an enjoyable listening experience!

C = A pretty good album. While this one isn't unlistenable, the static, pops/clicks are becoming more noticeable both during and in-between songs. I'm not likely to list an album with this rating unless it's rare.

D = An album with many flaws! Unfortunately, this album is so noisy that it's hard to truly enjoy, even if the music itself sounds great. Some pops may be loud, frequent or recurring. I'm not likely to list an album like this unless it's extremely rare (...and that's extremely rare!).

F = Best to avoid! This album not only has more than enough static, pops and clicks but also has skips, perhaps that recur. Upon inspection, album may have damage to cause skip(s). I will not sell these kinds of albums and may sell the jacket only for artwork/arts crafts purposes.

About My Approach:

Ultimately, I want you to be happy with your vinyl purchase. In order for my descriptions to be as accurate as possible, I decided to purchase a mid-range turntable after being away from the vinyl scene for over a decade. I listen to every single album listed so I can report to you as fairly as possible what to expect with your purchase. 

I'm always going to yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, etc. and often come across vinyl albums. I try to pick the best ones and clean them up (if needed) before listing them here (follow my eBay for new vinyl titles, if interested). I play-test every album and strive to sell only VG to EX vinyl so you are happiest with your purchase. 

None of the albums I am selling have skips due to permanent damage on the vinyl. Everything listed has been tested to play through without skipping. I'd say 90% of all the skips I've encountered (and fixed) have been the result of dust, often clumped and stuck in the grooves.

In the event that you experience a skip, try cleaning the album as I have repaired many of them (some recurring) simply by doing a deeper clean. Feel free to message me for any guidance in this area!

Aside from skips being my #1 annoyance and main reason for not selling an album, a close second would be too much surface noise. Sure, I expect an album to have SOME audible wear and tear but when the noise competes with the music and there's too many pops and clicks, the album may not be worth listening to, let alone selling.

Please note my 1-5 Grading Scale above along with my specific notes for each album. I have tried to be as accurate as possible so you know what to anticipate and have a satisfying buying experience. As another reference, I'm also including what my rating would be based on the GM/Discogs vinyl grading system, which you can preview in detail below.

RETURN POLICY: I want you to buy with confidence! In the event that you are not satisfied with your vinyl purchase, please know my return policy ensures there is absolutely no risk to you. Simply drop the album back into the mail and I will pay for return postage.

PLEASE NOTE: In case of a return, please try not to damage the original box so it can easily be repurposed for return shipping.

My sound PREFERENCES: Of course, pristine albums that are extremely quiet are always the goal. However, there are plenty of imperfect albums that I really enjoy too because they have tremendous range and/or you can hear the music without much distraction from pops/clicks. I have attempted to note any albums noisier than this where you can hear continual pops/clicks with the music. I pulled many albums that were too noisy because I thought if it distracts me, it's probably not worth listing (exceptions would be if the album is extremely rare.) Between providing my own rating along with the GM/Discogs rating, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

As For VISUAL GRADES: I've seen enough vinyl to know that how an album looks and sounds can be two completely different things. I've seen albums that look awful but sounded fantastic and others that looked perfect but sounded dreadful. Because of this, I place very little value on visual grades alone. For me, it's more about how an album SOUNDS and having an enjoyable listening experience. Below is the GM/Discogs ratings system that I follow:

Goldmine/Discogs Vinyl Grading System:

Mint (M)
Vinyl

Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.  

Near Mint (NM or M-)
Vinyl

A nearly perfect record. A NM or M- record has more than likely never been played, and the vinyl will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as any sign of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits, cut-out holes, or other noticeable similar defects. The same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, etc.  

Very Good Plus (VG+)
Vinyl

Generally worth 50% of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Defects should be more of a cosmetic nature, not affecting the actual playback as a whole. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. Spindle marks may be present. Picture sleeves and inner sleeves will have some slight wear, slightly turned-up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear, and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation, or cut corner. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint.  

Very Good (VG)
Vinyl

Generally worth 25% of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price.  

Good (G), Good Plus (G+)
Vinyl

Generally worth 10-15% of the Near Mint value. A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be played through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise, scratches, and visible groove wear. A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear, or other defects will be present. While the record will be playable without skipping, noticeable surface noise and "ticks" will almost certainly accompany the playback.  

Poor (P), Fair (F)
Vinyl

Generally worth 0-5% of the Near Mint price. The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully split, crinkled, and written upon.

My SOUND SYSTEM: Yamaha receiver; Klipsch speakers w/sub, Audio-Technica turntable.

I hope you enjoy your vinyl purchase and please let me know if you have any questions or issues!

Thanks!
Ant