JONI MITCHELL Blue RARER ORIG UK 1971 EX+ LP with a NEAR MINT BLUE INNER.

	£		103
	$		136

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World £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. More details on this 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 ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: JONI MITCHELL

Album Title: Blue

Producer(s): Joni Mitchell.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: All I Want; My Old Man; Little Green; Carey; Blue.

Side 2: California This Flight Tonight; River; A Case of You; The Last Time I Saw Richard.

Label/Format: Reprise – original tan format with no Warner logos. (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive. Only light, fine and faint spindle marks on side two, hardly any on one. A very clean copy of this popular Joni classic.

Cat Number: K 44128.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 117 grams. A fairly typical weight for this album.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Moderate: but harder to find with a lesser-worn cover which is massively prone to all forms of wear. This also includes a superb, unsplit blue inner which is just as difficult. The record is clean and plays very well indeed, being largely acoustic and issue when oil was a premium, clean pressings are also never guaranteed.

Original Year of Release: 1971

Matrix Nos: K-44128-A1 / K-44128-B1

Musicians: Joni Mitchell - Appalachian Dulcimer, Guitar, Piano, Vocals; Stephen Stills - Bass & Guitar; James Taylor - Guitar; Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel; Russ Kunkel - Drums.

Brief Info: Joni Mitchell’s fourth album and one of her most acclaimed, many rate it as her very best. Sparse, at times sad, but always beautiful – tales of love and loss, a complex album performed to perfection by this hugely gifted, evergreen Canadian singer-songwriter. One of my favourite female artists ever and a copy that comes close to matching my own. An album of openness and honesty with bittersweet sorrow and loneliness, this goes beyond acoustic folk music. An intense listen, there are few upbeat songs apart from ‘Carey’, this broke new territory at the time and Mitchell could justifiably be compared to the male greats such as Dylan, Cohen and Drake et al. A landmark recording within her sizeable catalogue, ‘Blue’ remains quintessential and is pure class from beginning to end – truly an essential album.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High++, rarely seen attractive and even presentable.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated matt-finished gatefold format that has textured surfaces front and back, the inside is smooth. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press. This one includes the blue unlined inner sleeve that only came with early copies, this in superb condition.

Cover Front: I can hardly reitterate enough just how difficult this cover is to find even a highly respectable VG. The early copies were made with quite soft outer card and prone to just about all forms of wear and damage time, rough handling or storage could offer. I think my grading is being very conservative indeed as most of any wear are on the ultra vulnerable bottom storage edges, and then only fairly light. The front is superb with little to fault bar some corner tip rubbing. Any creasing tiny, very few and faint and the lack of rubbing or fading to the intense blue surface is a major plus. Barely any speckle (rubbing to the raised textured areas) and no rim impression or marks. This famous front will take a lot of beating and on it’s own I would grade it Excellent(++).

Cover Back: The back is even more prone to wear due to the record being stored against it. Large very dark single colour backs with a textured surface – well it hardly could be more challenging could it? So to state, this has only a fine trace of rim rubbing on the left side is some achievement. This only gentle speckle traces, not penetrating ring wear that so many will have. Clean and as fresh as the front with again, hardly any creasing or colour loss. Both outer faces set a very high standard.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The matt smooth inside that has all the song lyrics, has little to fault, and almost remarkably, shows no rim rubbing or impression. Little short of as made in fact.

Top Edges: Both these thin edges are straight with just a rub to the back right corner area. With scrutiny under angled light, a few small tip-ins are likely, but if so, the colour is nigh-on identical and shows little.

Bottom Edges: The traditional storage edges have some rubbing, mainly to the front which is a little patchy. Again, possible gentle tip-ins probable.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both are neat and quite sharp with any thickening or burring quite light as seen viewed end-on. Record enters on the back edge and both are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: A fantastic spine: solid, straight with barely any compression and folded square with all edges meeting up very closely and parallel. The text is perfect and unworn, any surface fading minimal, I have scrutinised this very closely, and there appears to be NO tip-ins or enhancements on the spine at all.

Corners: Small and light spine tip rubs, more moderate on the right ones. Fine to very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A strong and highly attractive all-round example of this very fragile early 1970’s cover, one that will prove difficult to find much better. With all the major surfaces, e.g. the front, back, inside and spine, showing NO enhancements and looking very impressive, this is a near exceptional early example. Minor cosmetic improvements to the to and bottom edges is the only reason I did not grade this splendid looking cover higher, and being truthful, I still think I have undergraded it, especially put in context. Not for the highly discerning cover purist, but many, if not most fans and collectors will enjoy it.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT(-): and, for more than obvious reasons, an integral part of this album. An unlined deep violet-blue solid inner, the inside is a dark grey colour. This is probably the best one I have ever seen, actually better than my own, but I prefer not to separate original inners from their parent cover and record – sounds daft?, well maybe, but that’s my preference. This has hardly aged at all with barely a crease to be seen, no penetrating ring wear, just light rim impression. The top opening edge that exposes the grey inside, is immaculate and looks like new. If all is not already great news, the best is the lack of edge splits or tears. Few survive without them, and this is absolutely guaranteed to have NO repairs. A superb ‘blue’ inner sleeve that many will not even include at all, few will even get close.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): and a very impressive record. Very clean, shiny, intense black and quite solidly pressed. A copy played little on most of the available evidence reitterated by very cleajn sound. Any surface marks are ultra fine and faint, merely whispy traces even finer than hairlines as seen critically under bright light. Visually a super record 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 Mitchell masterpiece is a gem. A quality Reprise record that plays up to, and most all even above it’s high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with great detail and a full dynamic range. Any surface sounds registered little and this was a delight to play-grade and offers immense enjoyment. Overall an exceptional clean pressing for a difficult album, at times very quiet, delicate and fragile. How many vintage vinyl records of this genre will play silent?, let’s be honest, most all will have the odd minor pop or click. Few copies will outperform this early pressing significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing of any real note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. This overall copy could prove very difficult to find better and can be strongly recommended.

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 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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] = £4.75

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]) = £12.50 (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]) = £16.50 (£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’.