PRETTY THINGS Parachute SCARCE EARLY PRE-EMI 1970 HARVEST N/M LP. SUPERB SOUND.

	£		172
	$		228

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 will now be blocked 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: PRETTY THINGS

Album Title: Parachute

Producer(s): Norman Smith.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Scene One: The Good Mr Square; She Was Tall, She Was High; In the Square: The Letter; Rain; Miss Fay Regrets; Cries From The Midnight.

Side 2: Circus; Grass; Sickle Clowns; She’s a Lover; What’s the Use; Parachute.

Label/Format: Harvest – original yellow and green format with matt, smooth surfaces. No EMI logos with ‘The Gramophone Co Ltd’ rim text.

Label Conditions: Superb clean, fresh examples with hardly a spindle trace on side one and only a couple of three longer, but fine and light ones on side two. A brilliant original record with sound to match.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Cat Number: SHVL 774 .

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: 132 grams. A very good solid weight for this first issue.

Rarity: Scarce: finding this one now is proving difficult, especially in such clean condition.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: SHVL 774 A-2 / SHVL 774 B-2 (There is a matrix error correction on side two).

Mothers / Stampers: 1 H / 1 L

Brief Artist & Album Info: A classic prog-rock album, very collectable and getting hard to find. From the first fractured riffs that immediately get into the mind, you will know what to expect from this stunning progressive classic - for me almost the equal of SF Sorrow the previous concep classic. Copies of Parachute as an original pre-EMI format are, like many of the early Harvest albums, getting extremely hard to find now, in fact this was the only album the band recorded on Harvest as an original. Like SF Sorrow this sold only modestly and finding this one at all now is a challenge and finding better copies of both record and cover (and inner) will never be easy. This fine set has an excellent sleeve that remains very attractive. The record is a beauty with hardly a noteworthy mark or blemish to be seen and it plays with superb clean sound. If the album’s beginning is memorable, the end is unforgettable, for those who have not heard this record, it ends with a tone that simply works its way up the pitch scale until the frequency eventually disappears from the range of human hearing, but I suggest you don’t play to the pet dog, it will drive him nuts. This difficult finalé phase plays practically perfect with nothing unwanted – all to often this can break up into distortion and clip as vintage stylus could damage these delicate fine grooves. A band now into a very different phase of their career after their RnB roots, and now highly sort-after by classic rock fans. A splendid all-round copy that also includes the Harvest promotional inner, it should please most collectors.

Cover Condition and Details: EXCELLENT: or very close to. A gatefold format, laminated front and back. Designed by Hipgnosis and printed in Great Britain. File under POPULAR: Pop Groups is printed on the back, top left. Includes the Harvest promotional inner sleeve.

Cover Lamination: Both sides retain superb shine, freshness and clarity with minimal traces of any dulling, traces near the edges and only very mild rim impression on the back, mostly seen under light. There is no lifting, but some fairly gentle laminate creasing near the front top right corner and minimal lesser ones just here and there – one directly opposite left, most others are edge hairline types. As the main bottom panel is a little proud of the actual fold, a little end burring on the storage edges is near impossible to avoid with regular storage. The impressive artwork looks fantastic with deep rich colour, that shine so impressive, it really brings out the detail. On boths sides, the end laminate line exposed strips are quite wide and clearly present, so no tampering with these edges is guaranteed.

Cover Gatefold Inner: A little surface pulling near the bottom of the central fold hinge, this hardly unusual on such covers, that apart, little else to fault with superb portraits of the band.

Top Edges:Both flush and mainly straight, the laminated surfaces being unchipped and still very smooth and unscuffed.

Bottom Edges: Some burring to the card ends as mentioned, so a little wear almost inevitable, but hardly major. Most on the back near the centre. Traces elsewhere only.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, still sharp with minimal wear or thickening. Gentle waves traces seen viewed end-on, a cover well known for this as laminate tends to contract over time. Often resulting in lifting or bowing, this has largely avoided both. Record entered on back edge, both guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced as mentioned already. The front a little proud of the back in manufacture.

Spine and Text: A very strong spine also that shows little wear at all. Solid, straight with minimal compression, folded a fraction off-square to left, but all edges remain parallel. The inside hinge has a raised ridge, so the spine will always form a natural central recess – here only gentle. These types so often shed their laminate due to pulling, but barely any on this one, a small trace near the top corner, and that hardly obvious – I had to confirm under a magnifier. Practically all is solid and clear, no text was printed on this spine, the design flows around and it remains looking lovely with barely any disturbance to the laminate and the artwork fully intact, totally unworn as seen.

Corners: Light rubbing on the back bottom left (as viewed from the back). Elsewhere little and barely on the spine. Very fine to excellent shape largely retained.

Cover Summary: One of the great Harvest covers and an example that does it strong justice. Even with light blemishes, this still looks fantastic, one to please many collectors.

The Harvest Inner: EXCELLENT(++): a fantastic clean example, these are rarely seen better. Even tempted to grade Mint(–), but with very gentle traces of seam adhesive darkening, I decided against it. The lining still intact as well. Clean, unusually fresh with barely any creasing and no splits or tears (or repairs). The bottom corners were vented in manufacture. When I see inners this clean, it gives me high confidence the record will be impressive – and I was NOT disappointed.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: MINT(-) with super clean playing surfaces that have barely a noteworthy mark or blemish, ultra faint super-fine hairlines with utmost scrutiny. A splendid shiny example with an intense black finish and pressed on heavy, thick vinyl. A lovely copy, clearly hardly handled or played – they hardly get a great deal better – and has sound to match. This will please most-all 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 copy plays beautifully and even surpasses it’s high visual grading for most-all. Brilliantly produced by Norman (Piper at the Gates of Dawn) Smith. A very clean pressing with minimal traces of any surface sounds, this copy will not be beaten easily. All evidence points to a hardly played record, the sounds are very sharp and distortion free, as exemplified by that famous ending with the high frequency sound – this plays practically pristine, barely even a trace of unwanted sound, being honest, I hardly thought this possible, but it’s true. I have heard this passage with horrendous loud crackle and breakup which totally destroys it’s effect. Also this testing area is often heard scratched with premature lifting of old heavyweight stylus arms, NO such issues on this beauty. Both channels are clean and detailed and stereo imagery is magnificent. Again this gem made my Sondek sound stunning, this is how Smith and the band wanted this album to sound and no other format will match this. Amazing depth and power and the fine details really shine though. At times some intense sounds, especially for an album this age, but all songs track superbly and effortlessly*. This title is getting harder and harder to find, and outstanding copies like this are truly at a premium. So a great opportunity, it’s a strong unworn record that merits my highest possible recommendation.

End Piece: At long last collectors are beginning to realise SF Sorrow is not the only Pretty Things album, Parachute for me anyway, is (almost) equally brilliant, and at times even better – a progressive rock classic. Not all fans took to The Pretty Things playing progressive music but preferred their RnB earlier works, it was only after some time opinions changed, this did not sell well so this copy will be extra special for the serious Harvest collector. With a strong cover, superb inner and sublime record, this could prove a major upgrade for some.

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