FIVE LIVE YARDBIRDS CLAPTON 1ST UK PRESS 1O/1G LACQUER CODES UNBELIEVABLE MOD

	£		46
	$		61

FIVE LIVE YARDBIRDS CLAPTON 1ST UK PRESS 1O/1G LACQUER CODES! UNBELIEVABLE!! NEVER SEEN ONE AS EARLY!!!

MORE PHOTOS BELOW!

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE LP RIGHT HERE!!!

This recording comes direct from the vinyl copy you are now bidding on, straight out of my NAD amp, into my ZOOM H2 recorder, recording directly into MP3. When including these recordings for this purpose I make no audio tweaks in any way to the audio recording I have done, I do not alter the weight of the stylus, though I do use a fresh stylus, as, I'm sure we're all aware, is healthy to do anyway, very regularly!  

And loads of the same collection here in my other items!

A very early copy of the very first pressing of their very first album... and what an album, for me their singles often painted them as "another white-boy blues/beat band", but this album puts the record well and truly staright! From the rather tongue tied compere's (Hamish Grimes)intro, this album only up's the ante with every song (though possibly with the exception of the brief sojourn into "Humpty Dumpty" during "Respectable")! And during the closer of the second side, "Here 'Tis"to my ear they almost render early Pink Floyd obsolete 3 years early with their freaked out break-down, really, if you haven't heard it check it out!! All round great album, and sadly, as most great albums are... quite rare! Great "story of the album" liner-notes authored by the one and only Giorgio Gomelsky too!

This copy then...

This is a very early off the press !st press of the Yardbirds brilliant first album. The matrix numbers both end in 1N, and the stamper/lacquer numbers are 1 O for side one and the very first 1  G for side 2! Possibly why the recording is so strong and loud!

This is a truly unprecedentedly early copy of this seminal album of the British RnB scene, INCREDIBLY RARE!!! I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE SO EARLY!!!!!

Sleeve Condition: A very strong VG+

though would deffinately have given it EX- if not for the previous owner's name in top right-hand corner of back cover.Flip backs all strong, spine, beautifully square and brilliantly legible. A little feathering (and therefore laminate wear-through) on the corners, but really not excessive, a lovely laminate sheen across front cover (back non-laminated), with only 5 thumb handling crescent ridges in the laminate, and no rips in the laminate. Very slight shelfwear along bottom edge, strong opening mouth edges with minimal age feathering to cardboard. Lovely clean back cover, with a small, very light stain about 1/3 way down near the spine edge, possibly cleanable- I haven't tried. Sadly as mentioned before, previous owner's name neatly written in black ink next to to "33SX 1677" code in the top right. "6412 Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. Patents pending  33SX 1677" text on right hand side of bottom flip-back. 

Inner Sleeve Condition: A strong EX-. 

A superb example of the "Important" "Use Emitex" style inners, ofen now associated with early beatles LPs, but also employed for albums such as this. And becoming increasingly sought after, especially in this condition. "Tracing paper" style lined, as apposed to later "Poly" lined ones. 

Label Conditions: VG+, 

Really only a handful (coutable) minor spindle marks, KT tax-code stamped on side 1, lovely matt black early blue Columbia insignia labels.

Record Condition: Visually VG+. 

Plays brilliantly (please read further below for fully audio check report...!) However the reason I say VG+ is that previous owner has etched his name (very neatly) in the dead-wax of side 1, it in no way affects play or interferes with matrix/stamper/lacquer numbers, but it is there albeit very neatly!

A few surface hairlines/marks are visible in direct sunlight/strong direct light. Only ones of note are, a light concentric mark along a channel of "I got love if you want it" (Track 2, Side 1), a bearly feelable (and only a couple of mm long) cross scratch on "Respectable" (final track side 1), and an even shorter non-feelable on the final track of side 2 "Here 'Tis". 

Audibly, having checked through the album's entirety on a 2 seperate decks (I really enjoyed this album!), I have itemised the only points I managed to widle out of the sound quality, I listened with various EQs and many of these sounds only became aparent through large diaphragm headphones with the treble turned right up...

Amazingly beautifully clear intro unlike so many live albums of this period, even the intro and audience is recorded strong and clear! If you really listen for it there's a click hidden within the rhythm section near the lines "blonde haired, good lookin'..." in "Too Much Monkey Business", a very feint pop might have been in the spoken introduction to "Good Morning Little School Girl" though not in the song it's self, sadly I could make out 6 small pops during te latter part of "Respectable", though the record is recorded so loudly and clearly that these hardly show up, and certainly didn't get in the way of my listening pleasure. A little pop in the spoken intro to "Pretty Girl" (Track 2, Side 2) can be heard, 4 very dully ticks can (if listened for) be made out in the back ground to the left hand-side earphone during the harmonica solo of Louise (Track 3, Side 2), and one to the right-hand side. A further one on the right side can be made out near the end. 3 or 4 dull ticks can be made out in the "Ooooh" call and response part of the final (and mesmerising!) track of the album, "Here 'Tis". Other than what I've mentioned, the audio is really crystalline! Even if you don't win this album, if you haven't already checked it out, get a hold of it in some format- just builds and builds!

Matrices/Stamper/Laquer numbers:

Side 1

XAX 2725-1N

1              O 

Side 1

XAX 2726-1N

1              G 

 PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY ITEM THAT GOES OVER £36 FINAL BIDDING PRICE I INSIST ON SENDING IT INSURED, AS SUCH POSTAGE WILL COST A LITTLE MORE, PLEASE WAIT FOR ME TO INVOICE YOU IF THIS APPLIES, ANYONE WHO DOES NOT WAIT I WILL EXPECT TO PAY THE EXTRA BEFORE I SEND OFF THE ITEM... MANY THANKS!

Photos Below,

Be sure not to miss any of the other rarities from this collection and others, that I will regularly be listing, by adding me to your favourites list!

Check out the rest of this collection here in my other items!

The lovely side 1 label, note also the matrix number is clear in this photo, as is the previous owner's carefully etched name in the deadwax at about 5 o'clock.

The side 2 label, a few light spindle marks, a thumb lightening near the edge at about 4 o'clock, and the very 1st "G" lacquer code clearly visible at just above 3 o'clock!

Really great vinyl!

Side 2 matrix

An example of the record playing area condition!

This shows off the worst type of surface marks on this disk, and they are so surface that their impact is minuscule!

Close up of side 1 playing surface...

Closeup of the previous owner's careful etching 

The very early "O" lacquer code at 3 o'clock on side 1.

Lovely original inner sleeve.

The cover!

Nice laminate sheen!

The slight handling laminate creases up close!

The back cover, slight yellowing along the opening mouth, and the previous owner's name (top right) are the only real drawbacks, very nice!

Close-up of lower flipback tab.

Tiny crease and thumb-print on back cover.

Slight feathering to opening mouth bottom corner,

Very nice opening mouth edge!

Really nice top edge, a slight feathering to the near corner (top spine corner) 

Really nice square and legible spine!

Lower half of the spine (similar corner wear top and bottom)

The only other stain of note on the back cover...

The truly lovely laminate sheen!!! 

This record comes from an incredible collection of very early (1G1G, 1B1B etc laquer numbers) presses of some of the very sought after 60s LPs, the condition is remarkable, and the earliness of the laquers unique in my experience! I am listing this collection in it's entirety (though I would love to buy it all- I have taken nothing out!), over the next weeks, there are some things have never seen before, such as a Beatles For Sale with the central KT taxcode pressing INWARDS to the record! 1G1G Verve Zappa albums! A lot of Dylan TMOQ (The Mark Of Quality) and other 60s/70s bootlegs, the 3 Decca Birds singles (featuring amongst others Ronnie Wood), various Widespines (Sgt Peppers, Zappa's Lumpy Gravey etc), REMIX 11 copy of Beatles REVOLVER in really lovely condtion, Velvet Underground on early Verve... Please watch this space! I have been clearing out of non-record related stuff over January, but am listing back again now with avengance! Please refer to the pre-christmas sales' feedback for my pedigree of strict grading! Many thanks!

I will of course, if you aren't ENTIRELY happy with your item offer you a full refund upon a quick return of the item, in exactly the same condition I sent it out in, I wont however cover the postage costs- just in order to put off any time-wasters, I hope you understand. I do have here some REAL MEGA-RARITIES, and I understand perhaps your confidence in me might not be complete, as I haven't listed for a while, which is why I offer this offer of full re-embursment. However I am not a fan of the trend of people trying it on and asking to keep the item but want a partial re-fund, I haven't had it happen to me, and want to keep it that way, so please don't try that, I will happily offer your full winning bid money back upon the safe return of the item, and I think that's fair. 

I am very strict with my grading, having been a collector myself for many years, and I try to include as much relavent information as possible on sales, however if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask, I will gladly resond as soon as I can.

One thing I would ask is that the winning bidders do leave feedback, as it's annoying when people overlook it.

I happily offer reductions of postage costs on multiple-items, 

I try grade using direct sunlight which shows up more than anything (hence where poss I take my photos in direct sunlight too), however living in the Pennine Hills, contrary to popular rumour it isn't sunny here EVERY day! So when this isn't always possible, as a backup I also use a 100 Watt lightbulb, though when poss I try to use both.

My Record Grading System:

Mint: I'm really loathe to use this term, if you ever catch me using it, it must be sealed, but also no holes in seal, and no knocks/bangs/other shelf-wear to seal. Doubt you'll ever catch me using it, makes me wince when I hear people dropping that casually into conversations about a record they just picked up on a carboot/found in a loft etc!

Near Mint: Probably still sealed, or possibly played once or twice, but I'm unable to see ANY proof it's been played ie. no spindle marks/surface abbrasions OF AN KIND even in the strongest light, in short, I have a strong suspicion this, whilst possibly not fully sealed has never been out of it's sleeve!

EX+: Must have been reverantly played about as many times as you can count on your hands! Absolutey nothing audible at all, and you'd have to be looking hard in strong light to find fault with any none audible elements of this record package. If I get hold of a record that sounds, and looks like it could have just been carried home from the shop this is about as high as I go unless in exceptional circumstances. In most instances I've found records like this I'd consider them the final upgrade, I'd even consider some sealed records EX+.

EX: Straight Excellent has to mean just that, the kind of copy you wonder how somebody kept it in that condition whilst still having a social life, especially rare in 50s/60s albums, certainly not a grade to be taken lightly or thrown about willy-nilly. Nothing should be audible to the listener during songs, and even in the silences I'd only allow the most minute groove noise.The kind of record that you'd have to look a long way to upgrade!

EX-: A Bloody lovely record, I'd allow the tiniest ticks to be audible on this, so long as they are only a handful throughout the entire record, and they are WELL back in the mix. This is a record/sleeve/insert etc. that has clearly been owned, but looked after to a degree that you ask questions about the previous owner's social life! Perfect for DJ-ing

VG+: The difference between VG+ and EX- for me is probably that the previous owner of an EX- possibly didn't have to worry about their collection being ruined too much, as they could count on their fingers the number of people that might have visited them annually, a VG+ is a more realistic grade, clearly played, but by a music lover, who took good care of their records. May have been present at social gatherings, but probably quickly tidied away when more rowdy guests turned up! Still usually  good for alot DJ-ing needs. 

VG: This is a good example of a record that has lived it's life without a glass bubble surrounding it, but it's owner has been quite careful, perhaps the odd feintly feelable mark if you go in search of it that would make an audible click/pop in a number of places on the records surface. Certainly won't be in any museum, but plays well from start to finnish, and whilst may not stand up to a DJs condition, alongside many collections, you'd be very satisfied.

VG-: As VG, but to a slightly heavier degree, might look a bit worse than a VG, else have the odd repeated click that bugs you in the fade-out of that epic side-ending song. Certainly not perfection, but you could do a damn-sight worse! OK for most collections, though there will be better ones that will probably come up (unless it's very rare!) 

G+:   This is starting to wane, shows more signifficant signs of wear/play/misuse. This could be through general carelesness, one bad night, or using a worn stylus, either way, certainly listenable/passable, but if you saw a better copy going at a decent price, you might think about buying it, and seeing what it's worth to sell this one.

G: Plays through but that's about it, signifficant noise that wasn't there when it was bought. Can still hear the song, but would only really be a filler. I doubt I'll sell anything this bad unless I really think someone will appreciate it in their collection. I'll take these down to the local charity shop and let them find their own homes on the whole!

I'll avoid anything less than this unless it's of signifficant interest, and then I'll clearly title is such. I really don't want bad feedback, and it isn't worth it for me, so I'll avoid this.

I feel my grading system is stricter than many I see used, but the sellers I respect on Ebay and elsewhere seem to be of the same mind as me, I'd much prefer to be known as someone who undergrades and you can get a good record from, than someone you have to wonder, "actually is their VG+ quite what I'd expect from that?". Hope I can win you over!

(SOMETIMES I MAY COME ACROSS A RECORD OF SIGNIFFICANT RARITY/DESIRABILITY THAT MAY HAVE A JUMP/STICK IN IT. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT I THINK SOMEONE MAY WANT IT (EG. IT'S COVER'S IN GOOD NICK, OR IT'S A PRIVATE PRESSING/PROMO OF LIMITED AVAILABILITY) I'LL CLEARLY MARK THIS IN THE TITLE "JUMPS" OR "WARPED" ETC.)

I have have had a few questions about international shipping costs, please do not be put off by the £14 quoted! Yes I combine postage costs, and will only charge  the cost of insured international postage, plus the costs of the packaging (I buy good cruciform boxes, and good stiffeners to post in, I am also pricing up the best way to pad your precious records, and so hopefully this next batch will even be shipped with bubble-wrap too as some of my previous batches have (please observe my feedback regarding this!! All very positive!)), the costs of my packaging will not be about £1 additionally to to costs of the insured postage only, therefore if you live in most of Europe the cost will be signifficantly cheaper than the £14 quoted, and if you buy multiple items, you will save even less! Please wait for an invoice!