Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street overall EX plus 12 postcards no reserve

$

35

Exile on Main Street an album from 1972 that shouldn't require an introduction. The vinyl is EX overall, with a couple wispy light hairlines on side one, 2 looks practically  untouched, 3 has a few wispy light marks and 4 looks the worst with 3 or 4 longer but quite light marks that you can't feel. I played that side first and was pleasantly surprised with a powerful and detailed sound with only a small tic here and there. The vinyl sounded pretty quiet too, I was shocked to find. The overall listening was 2 thumbs up as the sound was very alive, detailed, vibrant and dynamic. Which is what it should be and not what the CBS, Virgin/RTI or Universal pressings are. Let's just put it this way, if you never hear an original then you might think a clean CBS pressing is O.K. but once you have heard an early pressed offering, you can only wonder what happened to the original tapes or who listened to or did what to the mastering, or what the hell. Because for this record anyway this is the only way to hear it! Anything beyond the initial 1-3 year master/plate press runs or later is usually a dud that I have heard. Especially for this record as I have heard the later CBS and on pressings and been disappointed. This set is maybe a third press at worst but is still within a window of freshness to be sounding as good as any before it. The PR discs or MO discs are highly sought and this set shows why.  It was said somewhere that Bob Ludwig retired because of the fiasco behind the RTI pressing. I had that one and it sounded pretty weak to put it mildly.

So if you are still reading this I assume you want to hear this record the way it sounded in it's original form and not the current weak 're-mastered' form. This set was at the cusp of the 1841 Bway and the Rockefellor pressings. Meaning technically this is a second pressing because of small font usage on the label, although the inscriptions on the discs have the hand-etched hallmarks of the 1st pressings. Although instead of a A-1 or triple AAA the press info uses one letter at the end of the catalog/matrix code. For instance they all have: the little oval with antenna/V graphic drawn, PR( for Preswell, N.J. I think), then  side one has ST-RS-722507-C, then 'rolling stone record' (no s on 1st side, the rest have the s at the end) all hand etched. the rest are the same: Side 2: ST-RS-722508-D, Side 3: ST-RS-722509-C, EXCEPT Side 4: ST-RS-722510-A which includes 'AT' as well as PR etched. To someone out there this tells a story, there is a lot of info to be had about early pressings. Both discs are fairly heavy. The labels are all nice and clean and have small font type, the 1st disc has a Rockefellor address and the second disc labels have the 1841 broadway address.  This really only indicates the use of labels as needed at the plant during a time of high production and not necessarily a later  'mix and match' LP package as some are quick to assume. I saw on Ebay recently a set like this by looking closely at photos and I have before seen variations of this including small font and bold type labels mixed together.  Remember these guys had production cranked up to high volume with a dbl lp which there was a good demand for. I have heard of extra labels made at one plant being shipped to another etc. This set is certainly from the Presswell N.J. plant and probably done the same year as 1st out the doors, if not within the 1st six months.  Consult your local pressing info guru as I have told you what I know.

The sound is alive, amazing, raw, punchy and truly awesome on these discs!

The cover is all intact but with some discoloration and general wear here and there, slight small tears to the inside of the front gate. A bit bumped at 2 corners, so no worse than VG maybe VG+ to most people. The glue on the inside entry for the inner sleeves has let go mostly but nothing torn. The inner custom sleeves are great and EX+ except for some beginnings of a fray/split on the edge of one (see picture).All 12 cards are just VG as I just found out they were taped on the inside at the tear off between cards, in 3 places. Pretty sneaky. The tape is not dehydrated (from being folded in to avoid detection and being in storage) and probably can be removed with a little patience. I always thought threy were completely attached until I took pics so it is what it is. They are a complete set and in sequence. For the most part they are in great shape except for the magic tape issue and one tear shown in photo.  

if you need  more info let me know.

I don't vacuum records yet but if you do then you get the benefit of a cleaner and probably better sounding LP than what I hear. I use a carbon fiber brush and I have advanced anti-static skills. I am working on the vacuum record cleaner. I do keep my quality stylus clean, well aligned and balanced as well. I never play a record groove more than once in a 24 hr. period as  a precaution towards keeping  wear at a minimum.

I package with LPs in anti-static sleeves next to cover both inside a poly protector sleeve -the same way I store them. Original inner sleeves stored inside cover. Padded with bubble wrap or similar inside a cardboard media mailer with an extra cardboard slice inside for extra protection. 

Selling off a good portion of collection so stay tuned. I basically will not list an item less than VG+ and see no reason to mess around with a disc less than VG+ to M. I have auctioned on Ebay before (2006 under 'pattyattywatty') with good feedback and no returns. I will grade per Goldmine and accepted standards and try to stay conservative. VG+ is the same as EX per Goldmine, so I may say something is EX+ which just means 'damn close to NM' which is just my variation of their guidelines.  If the record requires detailed explanation I try to give it.  I will try to list items worth the effort.

U.S.: I usually add tracking as it's cheap. Will give breaks on combined mailing: I can do 2 LPs for $4.00.  For more than two LPs the cost would be something like a 1.25 per disc beyond 2. For more than 2 items OR ANY OTHER SHIPPING BESIDES ECONOMY MEDIA MAIL, OR if insurance is necessary: please WAIT FOR INVOICE. Thanks!

International: I am not set up for anything except being able to calculate the cost of shipping through software that allows me to purchase and print USPS service according to location and selection of service such as 1st class (16-23 U.S.$) which is slow and cheapest (no tracking). Priority (29-36 U.S.$) which is 6-10 days and Express (38-40 U.S.$) which is 3-5 days. They can all be insured for the value of item I believe but tracking is only for Express and maybe Priority. There is a form of internal tracking within this software for all of the options but only The Express service has a tracking number that works with Ebay correctly (maybe Priority as well, I'm just not sure). So please if you are outside of the U.S. request an invoice and state the type of mail service that you want to use.
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Returns officially clicked to off as an incentive for me to be accurate in my listing description. If there is an error on my part please let me know within 3 days after receiving and I am sure we can work it out. Buyer pays return postage of item as it was shipped to them. I know the items I am selling so it should go without saying that if an item is returned for some reason then it should be the exact same item sent to the buyer and not anything else.

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