JOHN MAYALL, ERIC CLAPTON, BLUESBREAKERS RARER EARLY UK 1967 UNBOXED MONO EX+ LP

	£		68
	$		90

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 will now be blocked 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: BLUES BREAKERS – JOHN MAYALL with ERIC CLAPTON

Album Title: John Mayall’s Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton.

Producer: Mike Vernon.

Engineer: Gus Dudgeon.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: All Your Love; Hideaway; Little Girl; Another Man; Double Crossing Time; What’d I Say.

Side 2: Key to Love; Parchman Farm; Have You Heard; Ramblin’ on My Mind; Steppin Out; It Ain’t Right.

Cat Number: LK 4804.

Label/Format: Decca – a very early unboxed 1967 mono format with matt, deep red smooth surfaces. These have that important deep and distinct ridge a little inside the label rim and the text meets the criteria for a very early second label format from 1967. The main difference being the 1966 date is at the 6 o’clock position rather than the 9 o’clock position.

Label Conditions: Both in beautiful conditions: very clean, fresh and attractive with only a small few mainly light and fine spindle marks – few monos will escape scot-free – but this record appears very little played reitterated by fantastic clean sound, this too being played on very revealing equipment including my Linn LP12 Sondek, for which mono records were not really designed. This beautiful very early mono record, along with the jaw-dropping cover could prove a huge potential upgrade for many.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 147 grams. A typical very solidly pressed Decca record that offers audiophile top quality sound.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: The stereo version was issued in 1969, around three years later than this very first mono version that saw release in 1966. So this one was around longer than the unboxed stereo, but the main factor is condition. Well just look at my pictures – use the Ebay magnifier, I upload all to the highest resolution permitted to show all. This a copy time has largely overlooked and I am sure I will never see that iconic picture of Eric Clapton reading the Beano comic looking better – I am almost reluctant to even let this one go. ‘Rare’ hardly covers a copy like this.

Original Year of Release: 1966 in mono – 1969 for the stereo version. This a very early 1967 mono with all the criteria met in detail above and below.

Matrix Nos: ARL-7297-1A / ARL-7298-1A

Stamper Codes: 31 UB [SM A] / 1 BG

Brief Artist & Album Info: An album of immeasurable greatness as an icon for the British Blues scene of the mid-1960s. With its very famous ‘Beano’ cover, this album always features high in any serious list of all-time greats, whether compiled by critics or the record buying public, and justifiably so. The Bluesbreakers quartet on this landmark legendary album were: John Mayall, Eric Clapton, John McVie and Hughie Flint. Even non-blues fans usually want this one and treasure it equally. This is one of the most important albums ever issued to own as an original – the mono mix offers that ultimate depth, dynamics and detail that no later example really can. It offers supreme sound and without any doubt, has hardly been played. Decca quality was never compromised and this gem does it nigh-on full justice. I will let my pictures of the cover do the talking, I have rarely seen such an early mono example better.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): and as close to my full Mint(–) as any cover this fantastic age gets. A single format, laminated with Clarifoil on the front, this wraps around the closed edges and ends on the spine edge on the back. This has NO peep-hole mono/stereo indicator back, they came in 1969. The back is unprotected with matt, smooth card. Printed in England by MacNeill Press. Simply one of the greatest and most famous covers ever made - the four members sitting on the ground up against the graphittied wall - a young Clapton reads a 1966 Beano – just think, the famous year England won the football World Cup – yes, this title really was first issued that far back. The record includes the Decca lined inner sleeve.

Front & Lamination: This cover is in remarkable condition: the only blemishes on this sublime front being four fine hairline creases on the spine and a tiny tone spot on the bottom left corner tip. The laminate has to be seen for real to be fully appreciated, this gleams like a mirror with not even a hint of dulling, even viewed under angled light. Any surface marks minuscule with no lifting, this is fully adhered with a freshness and clarity that will rarely be matched. For good measure as well, there is no bowing of the Clarifoil, few of these will escape both lifting and bowing, this is simply an outstanding example of one of rock’s most famous and iconic covers.

Cover Back: If the front is almost top-drawer, the back is arguably even better. With no protection to the predominately white surface, this is still practically as white and fresh as when made back in 1967. Any hint of grubbiness or ageing is minuscule. Just four or five (one ultra faint), hairline laminate creases on the spine edge. Even the laminate end line has no grubbiness with any hint of movement equally minute. No rubbing and any surface trace marks very fine and faint as seen with utmost scrutiny under light, this is as close to unblemished as any unprotected 1967 cover gets. Even the deeply pinched spine ends, that appear as flat viewing from the back, retain super crisp and defined shape.

Top & Bottom Edges: Both unworn, darkened or scuffed, the lack of bowing is so hard to find on these vintage Decca covers.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Pristine: ultra clean and very sharp with real crispness, barely even a hint of any thickening or burring. The record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. The laminate end line clear and distinct, the fine exposed strip line on the front fully present and ultra clean with no grubbiness. Absolutely stunning.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with any compression tiny, minimal and very little at all. The ends are nipped in manufacture and retain super definition. All text is sharp, clear and totally unworn under the solid unpeeled, clear and uncracked laminate, this quite well-centred on a fairly narrow depth. A couple or three ultra fine surface hairline creases being the only blemish and hardly worthy of mention – but I will anyway.

Corners: All impressively immaculate with not even a hint of any dinks or knocks. Super crisp with fantastic right-angled shape, hardly even a hint of a tip crease. A tiny tone spot only on the bottom front left tip – an I taking detail to extreme? – quite possibly.

Cover Summary: One of the greatest and most famous ‘rock’ covers ever made – and this one to simply hold and admire. Made in 1967 – well pinch yourself to remind of the fact – this is a stunning example. It will take a near miraculous example to better this one. Iconic, classic and beautiful – this is NOT hype – it’s a stone-cold plain fact! If you got it, flaunt it – get the Ebay magnifier on this one.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT (–): can any 1967 inner sleeve be grade this high? Well yes when they look like this. Like the main cover, this has barely aged at all. A typical polylined Decca inner that is very clean, fresh and attractive. Two pristine window circles and the lining practically crystal clear – yes even polylinings can remain this way when maticulously looked-after. No creasing worthy of special mention and all edges unsplit with no repairs. Just look at that top very deeply recesessed opening, it is practically Mint.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT and EXCELLENT(++): a super visual copy that is arguably being conservatively graded. Without doubt, very little played and this offers supreme sound and wonderful good looks. A very clean record with a impressive shine, freshness and very solidly pressed on robust, top quality Decca vinyl. There is a minor surface scuff-type mark on side one towards the end – but this has NO sound whatsoever – the entire record plays with immaculate sound quality, even on my ruthless revealing Linn LP12 Sonek/Naim Supernait/B&W speaker combination. It almost seems unfair to play these vintage mono records on such equipment for which they are never really designed, but at their best, they sound amazing. Any other blemishes are tiny, very fine and faint as seen with scrutiny under bright angled light. Few popular mono records fast approaching 50 will better this, and most would be more than happy to look half as fine. A very early copy 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This wonderful very early mono record plays even above it’s high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound (never take this for granted on any copy of this record), all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Practically devoid of surface sounds, this offers age-defying audio quality with all that wonderful clarity and detail you could justifiably expect from a little-played Decca record. Mastertape quality, it will thrill all listeners who take sound seriously and no tracking issues*. It offers powerful and dynamic sound with that lovely warm quality and punch the mono originals always do if they have avoided too much use and no abuse from the more basic, heavy-tracking record players of the 1960s (and beyond). Decca pressings were amongst the toughest and best made, no matter what era they were made, they rarely fail to please. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this blues masterpiece – the music did the talking and was a genuine thrill to hear in mono again. A very strong all-round copy that merits my highest possible recommendation.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Blue 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 programmes. 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 Blue 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’.