MANFRED MANN CHAPTER THREE. SCARCE EARLY UK VERTIGO SPIRAL EX LP, STUNNING AUDIO

	£		127
	$		168

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, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled 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: MANFRED MANN

Album Title: Chapter Three

Producer(s): Dave Hadfield

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Travelling Lady; Snakeskin Garter; Konekuf; Sometimes; Devil Woman.

Side 2: Time; One Way Glass; Mister, You’re A Better Man Than I; Ain’t It Sad; A Study in Inaccuracy; Where Am I Going.

Label/Format: Vertigo – early large Spiral format, but without the Philips label credit that came with initial runs. This second label variant following with months, or even weeks after the ‘Philips’ version. These have matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both look fantastic: ultra clean, fresh and very attractive with only a tiny few very light and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area. These are truly exceptional and appear barely handled or likely played.

Cat Number: 847902

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: 134 grams. A very good solid weight.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Scarce on any label variant, being honest I have seen more with the Philips credit than large swirl labels without it. Extremely difficult to find with even a respectable cover – I deem this one somewhat above average – and the record plays with supreme sound throughout. Given the challenging nature of the music, and the known prone to wear cover, this is a lovely and impressive copy – these hard to find as such.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: 847902 1Y // 3 420 1 4 2 & 847902 2Y // 3 420 1 1 1 3

Musicians: Mike Hugg – keyboards, vocals; Manfred Mann – keyboards; Bernie Living – saxophone; Steve York – bass; Craig Collinge – drums. Guests: Brian John Hugg – acoustic guitar, Harold Beckett - trumpet.

Brief Info: A second major phase change for the former beat-pop keyboard player. Now on Vertigo, this is jazz with a progressive edge and some tracks are quite ‘out-there’. Heavy rasping reeds recorded very loudly, this album is incredibly intense and full-on. Some incredible soloing and free-form improvisations, this bares little to no resemblance of previous Mann work at all. It proved to be a short-lived experiment with just one more following, also on the Swirl label – it faired no better commercially. Heavy jazz workouts are not for everyone, especially with an artist known for a particular more commercial style previously. But for those who do enjoy more experimental avant garde jazzy music, this is first-class. You either love or loathe this album, another similar one on this label is the Keith Tippett album ‘Dedicated To You, But You Weren’t Listening’. Chapter Three was the third album issued on Vertigo, the very first issues included the Philips credit on the label, this quickly removed as per this copy – all else is the same, including the original cover that still included the original ‘Vertigo’ warning on the back. This is a record hugely intolerant of heavy tracking or thick stylus abuse – massively intense and complex, this one plays with supreme sound and was a genuine thrill to play-grade. I have come to really love this album, it simply blazes from the speakers with a loud sonic delivery that no other format will ever come close to matching. Cloth ripping reeds rasp with huge intensity and volume, it almost makes the senses swim, there is little holding back. Regarded by fans of this genre as a classic and now it does indeed get the acclaim it has always merited.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold format with fragile and unforgiving green ink that rubs almost by looking at it. This has matt smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England and includes the original ‘Vertigo’ Warning on the back. The word ‘Vertigo’ later dropped and changed to ‘Label’. The original Swirl inner sleeve dated April 1970 is included.

Cover Front: The words ‘challenging’ and ‘difficult’ are not overused on this cover, this one simply refuses to wear well, unless kept in cotton wool. This is a very fine front with only light rubbing mostly near the edges, and the odd tiny chip and corner tip rubbing, that few can hope to avoid totally. It retains deed, unfaded colour, very good freshness with no sticker marks and hardly any creasing. Certainly one of the better ones I have seen for some time.

Cover Back: Very similar again. A little rubbing mostly on the bottom fold with a gentle a little above centre that has not removed any ink, it shows little. Overall, this is one of the least rubbed examples I have seen, the obvious lack of ringwear on this back is a major plus and seldom as such.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Very impressive and one of those insides that also wears badly. Hardly any wear, just a mild secondary crease to the right of the fold hinge that is natural and again seldom avoided, here only mild.

Top Edges: Both straight, flush and parallel. A small few light chips, minor rub traces only.

Bottom Edges: Quite similar again with rubbing just a little heavier, but still only very light in context on these storage edges. One small but more visible rub near the front centre.

Right Edge(s), and Type: All edges here are largely crisp and sharp, the front is closed, the record enters on the back. The back edges are not cut quite flush in manufacture, even so, minimal traces of thickening or burring, even viewed end-on. No trimming or enhancements guaranteed.

Spine and Text: Solid, quite thick, straight with minimal compression, there is a gentle tilt to left, but robust and not crushed as seen. Also folded square, so the edges meet up very closely together and parallel. All text is perfect and unworn with minimal wear to the surface, or even the folds, this is a massive plus on this cover. So many are seen badly rubbed and even devoid of text.

Corners: Mostly light corner tip wear, more moderate on the bottom left. Very fine to near excellent shape retained without knocks or dinks.

Cover Summary: Difficult, yes, but this one has fared far better than most. Not perfect, few will ever be these days, but this a very pleasing example with little overall wear. One many fans and Vertigo collectors will be happy to own. Such is its disposition to wear, it could indeed even prove a very nice upgrade for some.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: or close to. The original polylined Swirl inner that is date-coded 1/0470 (April 1970), reiterating this is an early copy. Fairly gently aged with the usual darkening of the seam edge adhesive. Two superb crisp window circles, and the liniing clear and solid, this with no crinkling which always makes it look way better. Hardly creased with all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: arguably better. A very fine visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and very solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence with any surface trace marks few, mostly light as seen critically under bright angled light. A little seen on the first song, still gentle and light and do nothing audibly. I am sure this record has received very few plays and sound quality is immense. Visually a super record that should please many 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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This still very early second label variant record plays even above it’s visual grading with hardly anything to fault. This on a hugely challenging record with intense volume that offers incredible full-on sound and sonic delivery. Massively powerful, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound with no tracking issues*. Full-throttle and dynamic jazz-rock, all the reeds are fully focused and precise with no clipping or distortions – that a massive factor for the sound purist and audiophile listener. Any surface sounds barely registering. Some hugely impressive soloing and blowing, this will please fans of other Vertigo favourites like Ian Carr and Nucleus and the aforementioned Keith Tippett. Few copies will match, let alone outperform this quality example I feel sure. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – so loudly recorded, this has real intensity and pizzazz – it simply fizzed from my speakers. This copy will prove difficult to find and can be strongly recommended. The cover is strong, but not perfect, the record very clean and excels for sound, it proved a joy to play-grade – lovely inner too – do not lose this one.

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