NEIL YOUNG - RARE ORIG UK 1968 DEBUT FIRST MIX nr EX LP, LOVELY 'NO NAME' COVER.

	£		73
	$		97

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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: NEIL YOUNG

Album Title: Neil Young

Producer(s): David Briggs; Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder & Neil Young.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Emperor of Wyoming; The Loner; If I Could Have Her Tonight; I’ve Been Waiting For You; The Old Laughing Lady.

Side 2: String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill; Here We Are In The Years; What Did You Do To My Life?; I’ve Loved Her So Long; The Last Trip To Tulsa.

Label/Format: Reprise – original first press tri-colour format with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with any of the tiny few spindle marks being light and faint.

Cat Number: RSLP 6317

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: 160 grams. A heavyweight first pressing, not untypical for Reprise at this time.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity & Overview: Rare: and it always has been. The title itself is fairly easy to find as a tan K- prefix reissue, but that is very different to a first issue. The repressings were also remixed and put in the more common ‘named’ cover and with the new Kinney number. Firstly, a poor selling record and many sources state it was not issued in the UK initially, but was delayed and appeared after the US release date, so the amount of time this title would have been available on either RSLP format would have been very limited. Only early copies of this record included the cover without his name appearing on the front, an unusual and bold thing to do on a ‘debut’ album, later pressings had his name included. Remember, Neil Young was a relative unknown at this time. A member of Buffalo Springfield but they had minimal sales in the UK and many would not even know who this man was. Another major factor about these early pressings, they were the only source to the original mix which Young himself was not satisfied with. Subsequent pressings had some songs remixed with his voice a little more prominent and clearer in the sound. Two tracks had additional guitar added too. Many Young connoisseurs preferred this original mix, his slightly muted voice actually adds to the atmosphere and mystery of the songs. The remixed version is different, the original sound is the most cherished by his fans. A delicate album that many acclaim as one of his finest ever, it experiments by blending folk, rock with orchestral elements and it works brilliantly. Most of this one plays very well too with very little unwanted – there is a small mark on ‘The Old Laughing Lady’ with around a dozen clicks – but not a great deal else. I have had this album a few times in my 14+ years of Ebay trading, and never (from memory) one that played without the odd issue. A delicate album and finding a ‘perfect’ one will never prove easy. This album was not issued in mono, so it was more than likely a high percentage that did initially sell were subjected to much harsher mono record-player treatment – and most collectors will know what that potentially means. Quite frankly, if such scarce albums were not offered in this still splendid condition, they would possibly never be offered at all. The cover for this copy is highly attractive, and that almost as difficult as the record itself. A stunning piece of art and ALL my pictures are what is on offer, I NEVER use ‘stock’ pictures for any of my items. This quite possibly my best cover yet, a few fine edge creases seem near impossible to avoid, the record’s weight a likely factor. So a very fine example overall, a few modest and brief clicks yes, but will any available copy have none? A rare classic with unique mix and cover, an essential item for all Neil Young fans.

Original Year of Release: January 1969

Matrix Nos: RSLP 6317 A-1 *T / RSLP 6317 B-1 *T

Stamper Codes: J 1 / C 1

Musicians: Neil Young: guitar, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, vocal; Jim Messina: bass; George Grantham: drums. Also: Ry Cooder: guitar; Jack Nitzsche: electric piano. Guest Vocalists: Merry Clayton; Brenda Holloway; Patrice Holloway; Gloria Richetta Jones; Sherlie Matthews; Gracia Nitzsche.

Brief Info: After the breakup of Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills stayed with Atlantic records but Neil Young went his own way to pursue a solo career and signed for Frank Sinatra’s fledgling label Reprise. This debut album received mixed reviews at the time and sold poorly making the early ‘original’ pressings incredibly difficult to find. I have outlined the details of the production and it’s subsequent remixing above. The material is varied: from rock to folk and unusually, the opener is an instrumental. The Young classic ‘The Loner’ follows and actually benefits from the low vocal mix. There is not a bad track throughout and time has acknowledged this album a ‘classic’. ‘The Old Laughing Lady’ has genuine eeriness and mystery, the death-like creepy backing vocals again work brilliantly on this original mix. Yes a few clicks but no pressing noises or crackles which I have heard on this difficult song before. The vocals are intense and often break-up or clip with crackle even on modestly played copies if played on less worthy equipment from the distant past. Here focused and sharp, most will fail this test, this to on very revealing equipment. ‘The Last Trip to Tulsa’ is Young’s first solo epic, a long finale with psych lyrics and a distinct folk-rock sound, an astonishing piece that set out the pathway for future great songs and eventual popularity, although the path at times became rocky. This is a rare record as a first UK pressing and this is possibly hard to imagine for a man who is now a household name, but this was the beginning of the journey that made him a superstar. The actual time this was available in this format was only quite brief and few took any notice – a few copies also exist on the RSLP tan label which are equally elusive. Overall a clean record with impressive sound and an attractive cover, this is a real opportunity to experience this now somewhat legendary ‘original’ recording.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: and actually looks even better. A single fully laminated format that was printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse. It was distributed by Pye Records. This is the very scarce original ‘No Name’ cover that was later replaced with his name printed on the front. It was made with very thin card, and original records were usually heavily pressed which means it seldom wears well. The polylined inner sleeve is included.

Lamination – Front and Back: A strikingly beautiful cover and this does it nigh-on maximum justice. It retains a rich intense colour as seen through very shiny, fresh and clear laminate, this one is totally unfaded. Minimal traces of dulling, even when viewed under angled light and only one small lift on the front spine edge on the white border, so showing very little. Most of any creasing are fine type on the spine edge that rarely escapes this. Having a white border, these tend to darken and show, so the fact there are not too many is a plus. What usually ages this cover the most is toning the the white laminate end strips with four distinct areas included – one on the usual right edge, and three on the back (all bar the spine). But here all four are clean with no grubbiness or brown toning at all, the difference to the beauty of this unique cover is massive. In fact this has to be one of the best I have seen, it could even prove a significant upgrade for some. Any surface marks or blemishes to both surfaces are tiny, very few and light, and little detracts from it’s beauty. So just enough to politely give hints of it’s age, but finding one better will never prove easy.

Top Edge: Straight, smooth and with full laminate and barely any hint of wear at all up to the very corner tips.

Bottom Edge: Almost the same again but with just a small scuff near the left corner.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with minimal wear or thickening, also guaranteed untrimmed. The record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: The spine is always incredibly thin but still quite solid and straight. Thus another reason why this area rarely will avoid some fine hair creases or light cracks. All laminate is fully intact and solid with all text unworn and fully present, the fine creases have totally avoid all letters which is great news. For equally good measure, and somewhat against the odds, the text is perfectly centred on an incredibly narrow depth.

Corners: A little tip rubbing but no major knocks or dinks, so mainly very fine shape is retained.

Cover Summary: A rare and highly attractive cover. The ‘No Name’ original graphic is beautiful and the lack of identity gives it a real sense of mysteriousness. Okay, a few light edge creases and gentle cracks, but this still sets a very high standard and is unusually clean and fresh looking. It’s flimsiness is a always such a factor, but overall – very nice indeed and many, if not most fans will enjoy owning it.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: only really marked down for the usual darkening which is above moderate near the edges especially, so looking aged, and with it’s true vintage in no doubt, it probably has the right to be. Two corner creases, hardly unusual, many used to fold these corners to stop the record sliding out. A plain white, polylined inner with all the edges unsplit and no repairs. The lining very clear and fresh as seen through two crisp and barely blemished window circles. Even the top opening is generally neat and unworn. This is UK patented and has ‘Foreign Patents Pending’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(–) / EXCELLENT: a copy with a few light surface marks of which most are very fine and faint as seen under angled light. But ‘The Old Laughing Lady’, as mentioned already, has a smallish mark which emits around a dozen light to moderate clicks. Still an impressive visual copy that is clean with excellent shine and heavily pressed on thick, robust vinyl. A copy played modestly on the evidence and few records that have been played will not have some visual evidence of usage. This is never an easy record to find even like this, and the odd mishap will happen sometimes. This is a record that does not tolerate thick mono stylus well and a high percentage would have been played on such equipment as there were no mono copies made. Visually a lovely record with only light clues to it’s age and should please many collectors, but not the purists who only want ‘perfection’ at any cost.

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 very scarce genuine first issue record, easily for me Young’s rarest, plays even above it’s high visual grading with little else to fault bar the aforementioned, relatively brief clicks on ‘The Old Laughing Lady’. Offering strong, distortion-free sound (this never to be dismissed on this album), all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high and the original mix is very interesting, there are no tracking issues*. Often strongly implied that the vocals are low in the mix, well they are in places, but not in a bad way as I have outlined in my piece above. Quite why Young insisted on a remix with all the costs involved seems harsh and most connoisseurs of the man prefer the original. I would still imagine many fans have never even heard an original, but it is recommended - the differences are subjective with mixed opinions but owning the first is usually preferable. Another contact sounds are few and faint and even with the small audible mark, it will not prove too easy to find a great deal better. This has some very quiet passages and finding a ‘silent’ original goes beyond difficult. No irritating crackle, or inherent pressing noises, these being issues I have encountered on this album before. So a fine record and a lovely cover, not for the highly discerning, but many fans will enjoy 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’.