LED ZEPPELIN I A1/B1 Red/Plum PRESS UK 1969 *Stunning* FINAL UPGRADE AUDIO MINT-
£
475
$
629
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Description
Led Zeppelin I A1 / B1 Red/Plum Label
This FINAL UPGRADE red/plum pressing is stunning and whilst I have sold many of these this is the finest example of this collectable LP that I have ever had the pleasure in listening to. The clarity and sonic quality on offer here is second to none and there is barely any 'background', the playback is phenomenal! Even the intro on the first track of S2 is near perfect, it is certainly the 'cleanest' I have heard.
The vinyl is visually stunning and has clearly hardly ever been played. There is only a minimal amount of faint spindle wear and 99% plays to a perfect Mint standard. A bold statement to make but one I am confident in saying!
The silver band cover is in beautiful condition with no real shelf wear and been so well cared for over the last 50 years. The original inner is also in superb order with no side splits etc.
There are numerous red/plum pressings and this A1/B1 matrix is known as one of the second press variations following the first 'turquoise' edition with the 'Warner Bros / Jewel' credit on the labels.
Shipping costs have massively increased recently and this item will have to be sent with extra insurance so as to correctly cover the sale price. However, I will be subsidising this by a certain amount and has been priced accordingly.
588171 (2nd 8 corrected, replaced with etched 8) A // 1 1 2 4
588171 (2nd 8 corrected, replaced with etched 8) B // 1 1 3 2 2
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (Track 1 intro Near Mint-)
The cover is Near Mint
The 'plastic bags...' inner is Near Mint
The labels are Mint-
Play grading
The intro on 'Good Times Bad Times' provides a good sign of the stunning audio to come! It is 'as new' with no 'background at all, not even a solitary dust tick. From then on it plays with a clarity and power that you so rarely find on this opening track. I mentioned above this record has been hardly played and that is immediately obvious just from this opening number. There is no interference, no underlying static, and I am confident in grading this as Mint yes it is that good!
Again the acoustic intro on 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' leaves you shaking your head in disbelief! The clarity could not be any better and it continues in the same sublime way. The background baby 'cry' at 1:40 can be heard so clearly and every section of this classic plays with such delicate precision and power in equal measure i.e. the quiet passages have no interference and the louder sections have no distortion etc. There are a couple of very light static ticks at the start of the super quiet end section but the remainder plays beautifully. Wow what a version! Mint-
'You Shook Me' is outstanding from the first note to the last. Again this track has so many quiet sections and yet they all play with the same dexterity and precision. The vocals are so 'clean' and again the clarity is unbelievable. The long instrumental section is without doubt the strongest I have ever heard. The audio definition is STUNNING in every way and thus far there have been no clicks, pops, static or crackle. That applies to the end section also which quite simply plays 'as new'. This is Mint and again there is no need for a minus here!
The bass intro on 'Dazed And Confused' is as impressive as it was when first released over 50 years ago and this 'high end' standard does not decrease the more you get into the track. You might expect some inner groove distortion on the louder sections but no the definition on every note is again so 'clean' and precise. That mid instrumental has a clarity that you only find on a barely played vinyl and the following 'high octane' section is as powerful and 'fresh' as it was prior to a stylus first being laid upon it! I cannot emphasise enough how impressive this audio is and it goes without saying I have never heard a better more 'complete' version than this. The final verse is faultless and to the end there is no 'background' of any kind. A true Mint classic and wow what a side!
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A real test of this super clean vinyl is how well the intro on 'Your Time Is Gonna Come' will play. As any Led Zepp collector knows this section always has some intrusive static/crackle so I am delighted to say this is the finest intro I have ever listened to and that is not a 'selling' technique that is just my honest truth! On the opening organ 'recital' there is no 'background' at all, the clarity is incredible. In the following quieter organ piece there are a couple of light static ticks (not clicks!) but there is no underlying static which makes a change. As Bonham enters the scene the audio cannot be faulted and that is the case with the remainder. There is no need to to over elaborate - the intro is Near Mint- intro and Mint from then on.
The segue into 'Black Mountain Side' is flawless and this instrumental grades as Mint with no interference at all, not even a dust ticks as I often say :-)
'Communication Breakdown' is of the same 'high end' standard. From the opening groove it 'rocks out' loud and true and as you expect on a barely vinyl there is no distortion, a rarity indeed. A phenomenal Mint powerhouse of a track plus a fade out that has no 'background'.
The vocal only intro on 'I Can't Quit You Baby' plays perfectly and it continues to play with sublime clarity. There is just nothing that intrudes on the quality of the audio and for a track with so many quiet sections well how often can you say that?! There is literally no 'background' and Mint is an easy grade to give.
The iconic bass intro on 'How Many More Times' is 'as new' and thereafter plays with a consistency and clarity that is unparalleled in my opinion. This is the definitive version that plays with immense power and a gentle touch when it needs to in the quieter sections. Each note is so 'clean' and the definition could not be any more impressive really. There is one very light tick at the start of the very quiet section in the middle but aside from that this section plays with perfect precision. Thereafter it does not disappoint! The warmth and depth of the music is still there and the 'Oh Rosie...' passage could not play with any greater clarity and as the music builds the clarity and power is exceptional! The end 'riff' section is awesome (!) and has no interference whatsoever. It provides a stunning finish to what is a stunning album. Mint- without a doubt.
In summary this is obviously a FINAL UPGRADE time warp classic. As my regulars know I have sold many of these red/plum pressings down the years but I am not exaggerating when I say this is at the top of the tree! As I mentioned in the introduction this vinyl has hardly been played, perhaps only 3/4 spins at most, and then I suspect not all the tracks were played. Either the previous owner just transferred it to tape or bizarrely just didn't like it! The clarity, warmth and depth of the audio on both sides is sensational and there is near silence in the dead wax between every track. Whilst there are a couple of light ticks there are no clicks, pops or skips and what is so impressive is that there is no underlying static or distortion. I honestly believe the audio is 99% 'as new' and with the remaining 1% the 'background' is only very minor! It's true to say you can sometimes find a record from this era that has hardly been played but the cover is often affected by shelf wear. This is not one of those and the overall 'package' is absolutely STUNNING!
Visual grading
At first glance you would be mistaken for thinking this was a brand new vinyl! It has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and has no scratches and no obvious hairlines either. S1 has one very small faint mark but it has no affect on the stunning audio and is not easy to find! The surface has no groove wear as you would expect and there is only a minimal amount of spindle wear. The run out grooves are also beautifully clean and you could not wish to find a visually more stunning example!
The Cover
The 'silver band' laminated cover has been preserved so well and has no real wear at all. The edges and thin pinched spine have no wear and there is barely any corner wear either, how rare is that?! Plus the opening edge has no handling wear. The front cover is in lovely condition with no marking and only a couple of minor laminate creases that you only see when you hold it at a certain angle. There is often a fair amount of laminate 'lift' running down next to the spine but this one has only a minimal amount. The back cover is just as clean and there is no 'spotting' on either side. This is a very strong cover and remains very robust like a hardly handled cover would be, there are no bends or corner creases for example. This is without doubt one of the most impressive versions of this iconic cover that I have ever seen.
The Inner Sleeve
The original 'Plastic Bags...' inner dated 0271 is in superb order with no side splits and for once no marking. There is only minimal creasing and the central 'window' has no damage either. It is very clean and has clearly hardly ever seen the light of day!
The Labels
They red/plum labels are visually stunning and have lost none of their original colour and have no marking or writing either. As stated there is only a minimal amount of hard to detect spindle wear. Stunning!
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
588171 (2nd 8 corrected, replaced with etched 8) A // 1 1 2 4
588171 (2nd 8 corrected, replaced with etched 8) B // 1 1 3 2 2
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
Recent Feedback
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Postage & Packaging
I SHIP WORLDWIDE BUT WHEN SENDING ITEMS TO ITALY, RUSSIA/UKRAINE AND SOUTH AMERICA I WILL ONLY SEND THEM VIA TRACKED SHIPPING AND THIS COSTS AN ADDITIONAL £5.00.
WHEN ITEMS SELL BETWEEN £50.00 AND £250.00 AND ARE TO BE SENT TO ANY INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION TRACKED SHIPPING IS AGAIN NECESSARY AND COSTS AN ADDITIONAL £7.50 AS EXTRA INSURANCE IS REQUIRED.
FOR ITEMS OVER £250.00 PLEASE CONTACT ME AS THERE WILL BE A HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUM AND WILL HAVE TO BE SENT VIA A COURIER SERVICE AND THE COSTS CAN VARY. THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE UP TO £250.00 HENCE THE NEED FOR ANOTHER SERVICE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT AND THEN WAIT FOR THE INVOICE. PLEASE ONLY BID IF YOU AGREE WITH THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, MANY THANKS.
COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED WHEN MORE THAN ONE ITEM IS WON.
ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PLACED IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE THE COVER IN ORDER TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS IN THE POST. EVERYTHING IS THEN PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.
UK Postage Rates (First Class)
LPs/12" singles : £5.75 (recorded) up to 1kg then £0.95 per extra item
7" singles / CDs : £1.95 then £0.35 per extra
EUROPE (Standard)
LPs/12" singles : £10.95 then £1.75 per extra
7" singles / CDs : £6.45 then £0.95 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Standard)
LPs/12" singles : £18.95 then £1.95 per extra
7" singles / CDs : £7.95 then £1.45 per extra
I WILL LEAVE FEEDBACK ONCE I HAVE RECEIVED IT. THIS IS SO I KNOW THE ITEM HAS BEEN RECEIVED SAFELY AND THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH IT. IF YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE LEAVING FEEDBACK AND I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM, 100% GUARANTEED. I WILL ALSO PAY THE RETURN POSTAGE COST IF I AM AT FAULT - yes this can happen as I am only human!!
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