CROSBY, STILLS & NASH - RARE FINAL UK ATLANTIC PLUM PRESS.

	£		56
	$		74

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

PLEASE NOTE: Overseas packets that go through the customs system, can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process and deliver, this IS normal. For Russia, this can take even longer and is out of my control, so please be patient.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

Album Title: Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Producer(s): Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Label/Format and Conditions: Atlantic, original red and maroon (‘Plum’) format. Beautiful clean, fresh and attractive examples that show only two or three ultra fine and faint spindle traces on side one – and even less on side two, not easy seeing any all – maybe just the one. As attractively clean and intensely coloured as when first made over 40-years-ago, clearly modestly handled or likely played. Indeed I doubt if this record has seen light-of-day for decades and at last, a very impressive all-round copy of this immensely fragile classic.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes; Marakesh Express; Guinnevere; You Don’t Have to Cry; Pre-Road Downs.

Side 2: Wooden Ships; Lady of the Island; Helplessly Hoping; Long Time Gone; 49 Bye-Byes.

Cat Number: 588189.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 125 grams. Around average weight for this album.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Very hard to find in such condition: the cover is incredibly fragile and soft and rarely seen like this. This copy was one of the last ever pressed on the Plum format as the cover’s back sticker proves. And this record has hardly been played and without doubt, one of the cleanest I have seen. The folded lyric insert sheet is also included in very clean condition as well.

Original Year of Release: 1969.

Matrix Nos: 588189 A // 2 1 1 3 8 and 588189 B // 2 1 2 6

Musicians: David Crosby – rhythm guitar, vocals; Stephen Stills – lead guitar, bass, organ, vocals; Graham Nash – vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar; Dallas Taylor – drums, percussion.

Brief Artist & Album Info: A much loved work, often regarded in the past as inferior to the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young classic Déjà vu possibly because it’s less varied, and of course Young is not featured. But the quality of the songs and harmonies is simply breathtaking. Three youthful men singing songs about their relationships and changing partners. All songs are magnificent – Graham Nash’s ‘Lady of the Island’ (about Joni Mitchell), Stills’ opus-like ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’ (about Judy Collins) and a slim Crosby singing of his sadly deceased sweetheart Christine on ‘Guinevere’. But for me the finest track is the sublime ‘Wooden Ships’ yes the same song covered by Jefferson Airplane on their masterwork Volunteers. A point worth noting about this song on the early ;’Plum’ pressings is the censoring of the line: ‘Say, can I have some of your purple berries?’ This line tries to come out of the right hand speaker, but is completely faded out – the obvious drug reference was clearly a worry back in 1969 and deemed unsuitable to leave uncut. Such censoring on the Jefferson Airplane version also from 1969 was deemed unneccessary, but Jefferson Airplane laid down their own rules on that album, which even included the word M****F***** expletive which RCA only let go only reluctantly. I thought this edit was highly significant of mention because it makes the record sound strange, but I assure you it’s totally CORRECT – ALL the early copies are the same with the ‘berry’ line mixed-out. Just to make matters more laughable, the unedited words are printed on the lyric insert – how ironic is that? The faded line is restored on the Kinney repressings which makes the original sound all the more mysterious. This mini-classic reached 25 in the UK and 6 in the US and includes that large folded lyric insert. The original ‘Day’ album cover has to be a contender for one of the most fragile ever made (I know I may have said this before for other sleeves and am sure to say again); but this truly is ultra difficult to find with little wear. It has textured surfaces and printed on very soft card, the type that frays just by looking at it! It wears and fades so easily, and finding a copy that looks anything like excellent is an achievement. This one just exudes beauty with hardly any wear at all. Finding the wider spine intact with ALL the text fully present and intact is an achievement in-itself – please see my spine close-up. Later copies had this soft textured card replaced by a traditional harder card cover which was often glossy too. This cover is fully textured inside and out and still very firm – if overhandled or not treated carefully, this becomes very soft and almost pliable – it becomes woolly and tatty very quickly indeed. The record too is superb and plays beautifully, I have encountered so many that crackle and even with some distortion, this has none of that at all and sounds wonderful. When found as such, a truly beautiful recording, but delicate with intricate harmonies, most collectors should treasure this impressive and scarcer, complete set. Also of interest to the more specialist collector, as this without doubt was one of the very last made on this label. The back cover includes a Kinney K40033 sticker which will rarely be seen. Within a week or two of full transition and then being pressed on the new orange and green labels with the new cover number. So, historically, quite an important issue for collectors.

Cover’s Potential for Wear & Damage: Very high++. That is something of an understatement, few if any will even exist today with zero wear.

Cover Condition and Details: EXCELLENT(++): this being ultra critical too. An unlaminated gatefold format with texturing on all surfaces and made with delicate soft card that rubs and damages so easy. Printed and made in England by the E. J. Day Group and includes the large format lyric insert and it’s original date-coded Polydor inner sleeve.

Cover Front: Stunning visually and as fresh and clean as when it was made in the early 1970s. To mention any blemishes would truly be nit-picking – a microscopic hint of a tip crease on the bottom corner tips and one hairline on the spine – but look very hard at point-blank. This retains gorgeous rich colour with any surface trace marks beyond minuscule, this front will prove near impossible to find better.

Cover Back: Very similar again, if anything even better. One tiny tip crease and even small rub on the bottom left corner, that apart, it is practically as made. The lack of rubbing, grubbiness, and especially ring wear is a massive plus and seldom seen as such. This late Plum copy has the Kinney sticker on the top right which is clearly seen. This has only the faintest trace of grubbiness and by itself grades excellent(++). Without never removed or picked at, the ends are all crisp and very sharp.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Simply stunning, both sides look practically like new with incredible vibrant, fresh colour. The same tiny tip creases just apparent with any other blemishes or crease traces very few, fine and faint.

Top Edges: All edges on this cover are incredibly vulnerable to rubbing and wooliness. This pair almost as made again being very straight and with barely a hint of any rubbing at all.

Bottom Edges: Only very faint traces of rubbing, and for storage edges this fragile, they are in remarkable shape with a high percentage of ink still present and intact.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Remarkably clean and sharp with barely any wear and NO feathering, again almost impossible to avoid, but this one has, conclusive proof this record has been used sparingly. Both these perilous edges are guaranteed untrimmed with any thickening or burring minuscule, even viewed end-on. Record enters on the back edge.

Spine and Text: This is one of those spines that will rarely, if ever be found with no wear, damage or defects. Firstly, this is the more elusive wide spine format and these even more intolerant of everything. This one is very solid and straight. Still quite erect with minimal crush or compression and only slight tilt. Folded square, so the edges meet up closely and parallel, this great news as it makes the cover look all the more neat for the more discerning collector. The lack of rubbing on the entire surface AND folds is remarkable – this retains practically 100% ink coverage, even to the ends. So ALL the text is pristine, fully present and unrubbed. NO wooliness, NO tip-ins, and still VERY clean. It has to be the very best I have ever seen. A major factor that makes the difference between average and superb.

Corners: Any tip rubbing is tiny and light, barely anything to the spine ends at all which is almost unheard of. A couple of tiny tip creases – which are more semi-creases really and as light and small as they ever get. Excellent to near mint shape is retained.

Cover Summary: For those who know this cover well, most will realise just how fragile and intolerant it is. So this wonderfully preserved example, which I have possibly and over-cautiously graded, is quite remarkable. A beautiful piece of vintage art, so few will even compare. One of the difficult covers that should please most collectors.

The Lyric Insert: EXCELLENT(++): again, being ultra conservative. Clean, white and practically crease-free (bar the manufactured fold, of course). This one is smooth finished and folds with the text inside. All edges crisp, clearly this has not been handled many times and has aged hardly at all with any traces of discolouration again minuscule.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT(-): and aged little, this has what I consider quite an important date-code which is 0172 (this detail seen in close-up). So one of the very final Atlantic Plum albums made with the original inner sleeve to prove it. This is almost immaculate with two pristine window circles and ultra clear lining. Barely any discolouration or creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs. When inner sleeves are found this clean, it is always a great indictor to the lack of vinyl usage, and they seldom get seen better than this.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++) to MINT(-): a very impressive visual with only the faintest possible whispy surface traces seen ultra critically under angled light on side one, and barely anything on two. Very clean and shiny, intense black and solidly pressed. No penetrating scratches or groovewear, this is a lovely record that again, 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 final run Plum pressing plays up to and even above it’s visual grading with barely anything to fault. A delicate recording at times but this plays superbly with no distortion or groove wear. It has rich sound that has a slight emphasis within the bass. The vocal harmonies, that show no audio stresses whatsoever, are always susceptible to clipping and lack of focus if played on less than fine equipment, this simply has not happened on this copy. The bass on this album has always been forward with depth but will cause no problems for worthy systems. Any surface sounds barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional pressing and it needs to be for maximum enjoyment. Nothing heard on play-grade spoilt my pure delight in hearing this beautiful album again. I will reitterate again: the brief loss of volume on the right channel on ‘Wooden Ships’ is quite normal and was just the over sensitive censor-man editing-out the reference to ‘Purple Berries’ with it’s very obvious drug reference. The orange and green repressings from 1972 onwards, allowed this line to go unedited making the early Plum cuts unique. This impressive record will please most collectors.

End Piece: This trio made beautiful music with sublime harmonies, all at the peak of their powers and rarely sounding much better than here. When such a clean, complete all-round copy comes along on the Plum label it’s one that can be fully appreciated. The classic cover with the young artists, this is a pure piece of rock history and seen so clean, it’s a treasure. I don’t think I will ever find the totally perfect cover for this title, but this is probably as close as I will ever get. I really enjoyed hearing this classic again and most collectors will enjoy this one too. If this album is required, this is a quality example that merits strong recommendation.

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 its 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 programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium 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 and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand+ based on over 8,000+ items sold in over 10 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. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. 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 FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, 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 and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). 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] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

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

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 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 (£17 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’.