LED ZEPPELIN IV A3/B3 1st PRESS 'Peter Grant' CREDIT RED/PLUM *Stunning* NMINT
  £   220
  $   292

 


£ 220 Sold For
Mar 17, 2019 Sold Date
Mar 7, 2019 Start Date
£   10 Start price
30   Number Of Bids
  Great Britain Country Of Seller
eBay Auctioned at
 
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Description

Led Zeppelin IV A3/B3 UK Red/Plum Label 
This is one of the most collectable albums in Led Zeppelin's catalogue as it has the 'Peter Grant' credit as Executive Producer on the labels.  This first pressing only credits 'Kinney Music Ltd' and not 'Superhype Music Inc' which was added onto later pressings.  Not only that but the 'Under Licence from Atlantic Recording Corpn., USA' is shown in the top half of the label and not within the white band as per later red/plum pressings.  Finally, only the genuine first pressings had the A3/B3 matrix, the others had A3/B4.
All other label variations are correct.  The 'feather' on S2 is as it should be and 'Hop' is spelt correctly.
PECKO DUCK and PORKY are etched into the dead wax on each side.
The audio on this rare pressing is of a superb standard and both sides have no clicks or pops!

2401012 // A / 3 // 1  2 6 // Pecko Duck

2401012 // B / 3 // 1 1  2 // Porky 

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 4 ranges between Ex & Near Mint) 
The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections)
The gatefold is Ex+ (bottom edge of back cover is VG)
The original inner sleeve is VG++

 The labels are Near Mint-
Visual grading
This vinyl is in lovely condition and retains a very healthy glossy sheen.  There are no scratches and only a few faint hairlines.  There are 2/3 on S2 that are a little more obvious but they have no bearing on the stunning quality of the audio.  Whilst both sides have a very impressive visual 'look' S1 in particular is very impressive and at first glance it looks 'as new'!  It is only on closer inspection that you can detect 2/3 very faint hairlines.  This is a very clean example of a genuine A3/B3 first pressing and the quality of the audio pays testament to that.  There is only a small amount of spindle wear so this record has definitely not been over-played and the quality of the audio confirms that.  The labels and run out grooves are also extremely clean.
Play grading
With only minimal static on the intro 'Black Dog' then plays with stunning power and depth and there is nothing to detract from the sublime quality of the audio.  Even the relatively but brief quiet sections have no 'background' and the playback is of the highest standard possible.  With no distortion on the top end this is as close to Mint as you will find.  You can hear each note perfectly and the definition of the audio is so incredibly good.  The end guitar solo is a prime example of the quality on offer here.  It exudes power and there is just no distortion whatsoever - so often this solo can be a little 'sharp' on the ears but not here!  100% perfect!  The fade out also plays with near perfect precision, just a couple of light 'ticks' right at the end.
'Rock and Roll' is 'as new' from the very first note to the last.  The clarity and power is so impressive and again there is no interference, just pure Mint audio.  The piano often gets 'lost' in the mix on a vinyl that isn't as well preserved as this one but you can hear it so clearly here.  The depth of the audio and the strong bass is 'high end' and the entire track performs to the highest standard possible.
The long quiet build up 'The Battle of Evermore' plays with remarkable clarity and has only a couple of light clicks.  Aside from that there is no other 'background' - no static or crackle for example.  As the vocal comes in the audio is superb and for fear of being repetitive there is no intrusion on the listening experience.  So often this relatively quiet track will have some interference but this is without doubt one of the 'cleanest' versions I have ever heard.  Yes a couple of light clicks on the intro but even they are not intrusive and each note plays with stunning definition and there is no 'muddiness' to the sound whatsoever.  It is worth noting that the fade out again plays with fantastic precision.
The intro on the classic 'Stairway to Heaven' is uber impressive!  There is minimal static and what there is is so much in the background as to be inconsequential and there are no clicks or pops.  For a genuine first pressing this is a wonderful start!  As the vocal begins the clarity is stunning and it is only on the second verse where is perhaps just a little more light static.  It remains non-intrusive and I only write this to be complete in my grading, it really is very minor.  The static is a little more obvious as the track progresses but this is common and it still plays extremely well.  It is not crackle!  At this point it is worth noting that thus far there have been no clicks or pops.  When Bonham comes in on the 'If there's a bustle in your hedgerow' line the audio is so strong!  The depth and clarity is stunning and there is nothing that interferes with the sublime quality of the audio here.  Honestly it is absolutely stunning and it just gets better if that is possible!  As is so often the case there is a little static distortion just prior to the guitar solo but this solo then plays with the most incredible power and definition that is so rarely heard today.  Wow the playback is stunning!  The final 'loud' verse almost uniquely has no distortion and that cannot often be said.  There is just no distortion, no interference whatsoever and this heavier section is one of the strongest and most powerful I have ever heard.  The clarity and sonic quality is 'high end' for certain and yes the quiet end vocal provides a perfect ending to this classic with no interference at all.  So yes, a little intermittent static but overall one of the most dynamic and impressive versions of this classic that you are ever likely to hear and that on a first red/plum pressing!
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'Misty Mountain Hop' on S2 has minimal static on the intro and then plays with great clarity as soon as the vocal begins.  There is no distortion on the track which really is quite a rarity and the only 'background' is a minor touch of barely audible static every now and then.  You have to listen hard to pick it up!  This is a stunning rendition of this track and there is no intrusive 'background' at all.  It has wonderful depth and there are no clicks, pops or crackle...again!  And another fade out that plays with perfect precision.
'Four Sticks' is faultless and provides another reminder of how well this vinyl has been preserved and just how infrequently it has been played.  A superb intro but once the bass comes in the definition of the audio is even better!  Again no distortion, the audio is just spectacular and easily grades as Mint- it is that good.  I am confident in saying this classic is 'as new' it is immaculate from start to finish.  The bass is so strong here and the more I listen to it the more I am blown away by the immense quality!  The mid instrumental is just phenomenal and is very possibly the finest example I have ever heard, the depth and power cannot be improved upon.  There is such depth and warmth on the track, something you only get on vinyl.  There is no 'muddiness' to the sound, it plays with perfect clarity and that also applies to the fade out.  100% stunning!
'Going to California' plays with impressive clarity from the very first note.  Every now and then there is just a hint of mega light static in the background but in no way is it intrusive.  If there was going to be any obvious interference on the album it will often be found on this relatively quiet track and yet the clarity here is very impressive.  Again no clicks or pops and a wonderfully clear fade out.  I often mention fade outs but they do give a great indication of the clarity on offer as generally they are so quiet.
What follows is one of the 'cleanest' intros on 'When the Levee Breaks' that I have heard in a long time.  The drums play without fault and the instrumental section then has barely any of the distortion that is always prevalent on this classic.  It is a stunning intro and I am delighted to say that as the vocal starts the audio quality does not decrease in any way.  A minimal touch of distortion but so much less so than so versions you hear.  I am playing this loud and in all honesty it is a stunning listen.  I cannot emphasise enough just how rare it is to find this closing track playing with such incredible precision and to think this is on a genuine first pressing!  You can turn it up to maximum no problem which is such a rarity!  Towards the end there is than nearly all other versions I have heard.  It plays with wonderful power and provides a stunning finale to this iconic album.  Plus the brief quiet end section plays as clearly as it did back in '71.
In summary this is so close to being a final upgrade first pressing and maybe I am being too critical in not grading it as such.  There is not one single click or pop across the entire album and the clarity, sonic quality and lack of distortion is mega impressive.  There is barely any static and whilst there is a little on 'Stairway To Heaven' it is minimal and not to the detriment of the audio experience.  As you can see from my grading 'When The Levee Breaks' is undoubtedly one of the finest versions I have heard and any Led Zepp collector would also be as suitably impressed I am sure.  The iconic gatefold is also very clean as is the original lyric inner which has only the one bottom edge split and no tears.  A stunning first press.
The Gatefold
This original gatefold is very clean overall with only a little shelf wear.  The top edges and the bottom edge of the front cover have some minor rubbing but the bottom edge of the back cover of the back cover does have a small 6cm split.  It is however a 'clean' split and not that noticeable.  The wide spine is in excellent condition with just a little rubbing on the two corners.  The other corners have minimal wear and the opening edge is in great order with only a small amount of handling wear.  Both the front and back cover are in superlative condition with no marking at all, they really are super clean which is a rarity.  The inside of the gatefold is also in fantastic shape with no marking/fading again.  A shame about the one edge split but aside from that this iconic cover is very impressive indeed and much better than many you see today.
Inner sleeve
This is one of the cleanest inners I have seen in quite a while and has no marking or staining whatsoever.  That is so rare!  There is one 10cm split on the edge but as any Led Zepp collector knows that is so common with these thin paper inners.  There are however no side splits which again is a rarity.  There are a couple of minor creases but overall this is an impressive inner that has not been handled that much at all.
The labels
The red/plum labels are in lovely condition and the colours are still vibrant and strong.  There have no writing and only a very small number of very faint 'specks'.  As stated there is not a great deal of spindle wear and the 'Peter Grant' Executive Producer credit can clearly be seen on both sides.
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

2401012 // A / 3 // 1  2 6 // Pecko Duck

2401012 // B / 3 // 1 1  2 // Porky

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.


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