Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request MONO UK Unboxed Decca Original

$

131

The Rolling Stones

Their Satanic Majesties Request

MONO

UK Unboxed Decca Original

Complete with Red smoke inner sleeve

Playgraded

Criminally underrated, I have always owned the MONO copy of this LP. It's what I grew up with. I think the music, songs and entire concept is absolutely brilliant. Perhaps it was the mono mix they brought it home for me, it has always sounded right to me.

The sound on this LP is truly exceptional and this original UK pressing has the sound of the master tapes when they were fresh back in '67.

Visually: Vinyl is strong VG on side one , and Entry Level VG+ on side two, with scuffs and light marks. Entire LP hs been 100% play graded with no skips. Like many mono LPS of the era this LP plays much better than the  visual condition. First and foremost it should be noted that this lp DOES NOT have sibilance (break up in the high frequencies: vocals, cymbals etc) the LP plays with great clarity, and the high frequencies are in fact one of the strong points of this pressing: the vocals, cymbals and strings are excellent.  The music exists independent of the surface noise. The detail present on this recording must be called out as it absolutely exceptional. Probably greater detail than all of the Stones unboxed Deccas I own from this era.

The beauty of the MONO cut of this LP is it charges hard, and covers up most surface noise. Below are my detailed play grade notes. There is SN more present in between tracks, and in areas of silence, as in track fade outs etc.

Jacket: Laminated UK, original gatefold with 3D pannel by Robert Stace printers in London. VERY clean, no major bends, delamination issues, tears , writing etc. Those collectors who own UK jackets of the era are familiar with the lighter weight card stock used to make these jackets. The light weight combined with the very heavy 3D panel, was caused some bowing in the front panel. The inner gatefold pouch that holds the LP has some minor separation, which can be easily remedied with a glue stick. I leave this to the discretion of the new owner. I grade the jacket overall a solid VG++ , considering the age (46 years old this year) it's highly impressive.

Play Grade Notes:

Front Side:

Why Don't We Sing this Song All Together: Intro has some entry VG+ type sn, becomes full bodied with the full band's arrival strong VG+ to Strongest VG+ : occasional fainter underlying surface noise.

Excellent clarity in the vocals, high end sparkles.

Citadel: Such a loud rocking, bad ass track. Huge Bass guitar lines. Solid to strong VG+, just a little bit of SN under the heavy groove. when the track goes to momentarily silence in the middle there is obviously more SN present. Entry VG+ if you will for those 5 seconds.

In Another Land: Tremendous detail in the harpsichord intro. Strong VG/ Entry VG+

2000 Man: Tone in the opening acoustic guitar line is outstanding, with counterpoint from Charlie's drum lines. Entry VG+ to solid VG+ in the middle jam of this track.

Sing This All Together (see What Happens) Intro section is VG, when its just a Mellotron, moves to srong VG/entry VG+ with plenty of solid VG+

She's a Rainbow: Starts with some VG to strong VG intro, music comes in Strongest VG to Entry VG+ with many Solid VG+ moments. Glorious, incredible production.

The Lantern: Strong VG to Entry VG+

Gomper: Solid/strong VG start. Detail in the hand drum intro is huge. Moves to entry VG+ and solid VG+ in the height of the raga-esque psych jam.

2000 Light Years from Home: Strong VG start, nice thick bass, moves to solid VG+, killer.

On With the Show: Entry VG+ start moves a very clean strong VG+

All in all this is a great way to experience this LP, without paying outrageous NM prices for an Unboxed Decca Original, as the LP is highly enjoyable, and has the cut done by Decca is excellent. Not to mention international shipping from the UK is prohibitively pricey.

 About the seller:

I am first and foremost a collector. I treat this entire experience as such, and enjoy sharing these pieces.  My goals is to provide the absolute best pressings with all the detail, knowledge, skill and love they deserve. I have been a serious collector, and have traveled the world to accumulate some amazing LPs. I sell regularly on private sites online, and have built a steady group of repeat, highly satisfied customers. I will occasionally sell on EBay when I have some really nice items to share. I take this very seriously, and have impeccable 100% feedback for the items I have sold. I take pride in my work, and my past auctions will show up in place like Popsike etc.

The majority of what I sell is high quality, 1st pressings.  My personal love for vinyl comes from my goal to acquire the best sounding copies of my favorite musicians. I have extensive knowledge of which LPs are indeed the “best Pressings”, true 1st pressings, and have in most cases heard many copies of these LPs which have enabled me to know which ones sound best. I am happy to past this all on to you.

I have never had a dissatisfied customer with over a 1000 positive transactions. I can count the number of returns and exchanges over the years on one hand. I credit this to my level of detail, attention to quality, and making sure the entire transaction is positive. With that in mind here is a tone of detail about the process

On VINYL Grading:

Let’s talk about grading. I know you’re thinking, jeeze, another EBay record seller with his own special take on record grading, let’s just go to the Goldmine standard, cut the crap and be done with it.  Sounds great but if you don’t understand how I grade based on the Goldmine standard, and considering how people use  these terms on this site, I think a more in depth discussion will help you understand what your record will sound like when it arrives.

I think it is also helpful to understand how your copy compares to other LPs pressed during the same production run. I have a strong working knowledge and familiarity with the vast majority of titles I sell. Why? Because I love the music and want what you want the best sound. Some titles no matter how clean of condition play with more surface noise than others based on who pressed the LPs, and what company they used to produce the copies. As a collector, I have typically heard a bunch of the same pressings, and can comment on sound and how it relates to condition. This can be helpful so you don’t spend the rest of your life trying to track down a copy that plays cleaner, when such a pressing doesn’t exist.

First and foremost, let’s just say 99.9% of all records sold on EBay are over graded at a ridiculous level. As a passionate collector of LPs, this really sucks, you typically have to build this inflation into your purchasing decisions, “If it’s sold as a VG++ record, it’s probably really VG+” even if they are good seller with 100% feedback.  I strive to avoid this; my customers are unanimous in their praise for my grading. I grade conservatively, honestly and in detail. I want to give you as much information as possible about the condition of the vinyl, so you will ultimately know how it sounds.

It is also helpful and informative to understand visual grading as well as play grading. When time permits I try to provide both. Obviously with sealed LPs, or records sold as unplayed, I don’t want to diminish their value by opening/and or playing them. As such I can’t comment or know how they will sound.

If my listing states that it is play graded, what that means is that I have cleaned it thoroughly on my VPI record cleaning machine, prior, cleaned my stylus, and removed all debris from the LP, sat down and listened to the LP. I don’t sell music that I don’t love/ want to listen to myself and enjoy prior to selling.

Let’s run through visual grades  first. Like any of the other Real sellers on this sight, I grade under a bright light, so I can see any imperfections accurately.

NM: This Record will show no post factory blemishes what so ever. Not even a sleeve scuff. It was probably stored in some type of poly lined inner sleeve, and rarely if ever played, or owned by a total collector or someone with really good preservation instincts but limited musical taste. A lot of these records were purchased with a discount or out of curiosity but rarely if ever played.

VG++:  This LP is often the best you will find of many pressings in my experience. This LP may have some light sleeve scuffing and or inaudible light marks. Will still often have a very high gloss, and will look like new. This grade is often assumed by other sellers to be NM, because the defects may be inaudible.

VG+:  Some lighter marks: this LP has been played and enjoyed but has been well kept, and was probably at least put back in its original inner sleeve. This seems to be my average grade for someone who for the era did a pretty good job of taking care of their records. Lighter scratches/ marks etc.

VG:  This record has marks, scratches etc. this is probably the average condition LP from the 60s/70s. Not completely ruined, but definitely loved and enjoyed and played to death. May not have been stored in a sleeve, removed from the LP a bunch. Often times you can find a lot of value at this grading point. I’d rather have a VG original than some BS made form a cd reissue, and with rare collectible records often the only way to find a reasonably priced copy without spending a few hundred bucks.

I may on occasion sell a record in lesser shape than VG if it’s extremely rare, valuable, and or collectible.

Play grades:

As I have mentioned prior it’s important to understand that the way an LP is cut, how it was cut, and on what vinyl it was cut, as it  will have a huge impact on how it will sound.  Often as much as how it has been taken care of once it was opened and how it was played and stored by its owner(s). One of the biggest lessons you can learn as a serious collector is that even a record that left factory in pristine shape, and was well taken care of, is that it  may only play at a VG+ level and is some rare cases at a VG level. When I have a knowledge built from listening to multiple original pressings of the same copy I will provide my insight.

Not all grading is absolute either. After all this vinyl business is an art much more than a science. Every LP will have its own unique playback. I try to provide as much detail as I can. Because of the analog nature and the way that the physical condition affects the auditory playback, some tracks on an album may play differently, just as you can have variation within a track itself. Some LPs with play with properties of a few different grades, and some will exhibit a grade to a stronger or lesser amount.

Lastly some LPs were recorded, mastered or mixed poorly. In some cases all 3. There are plenty of engineers who cut things really hot in a way that causes distortion, sibilance and or other sound issues.  There are a myriad of things that affect the way the LP sounds.

NM:  a pretty rare to impossible grade, I know enough from buying vintage 60s’ and 70s  pressing s from the US and Western Europe  that have been perfectly stored , kept and  in some cases left unplayed, that this doesn’t really happen. I have bought, owned and sold thousands of LPs; I have only used this play grade less than 10 times. Some German, Japanese and audiophile pressings can get close.

VG++:  This LP will play with only very faint, occasional surface noise, the odd tick. The music is the primary focus, and is all but a fraction of what you will hear on such a pressing. Generally the best you can do with a particular pressing.

VG+: This record has a little bit more surface noise, and may have some ticks or marks that show up, some fairly regularly. Nothing nasty or so loud it that kills the musical flow.  This is the way an average record should sound that has been taken care of and seen normal play.

VG: Louder surface, noise, intermittent ticks pops, no skips, or sibilance caused by the condition of the LP  (if the producer cut the vocals/horns or guitar too hot, we don’t have options other than a different cutting) These LPs will still have a lot of love. This grading shows up with well taken care of but very quiet LPs, if you are talking jazz, classical, ambient, or just very quiet music in the dynamic range this grade may show up, even when the LP is physically in great shape.

This LP should not have hashiness (this is the sound of an LP that has been stored so poorly often rubbed abrasively) no inner sleeve, stacked on other LPs or literally played to death) what it sounds like is the way I remember hearing the Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn! On the jukebox as a kid: grainy fuzzy distortion were vocal passages, cymbals, drums etc turn to mush.

VG records can kick plenty of ass, and as a collector are your best value. Many have moments so sweet that you can get to the core of the music you are enjoying, despite some of the audible blemishes.

Jackets, Art, inserts etc

Jackets are a lot more straight forward.  I try to take good high res pics to capture it, but will mention any issues; here are my thoughts on grading:

NM: Often times in shrink, the shrink it pretty much fully intact, I’ll try and mention and price, hype stickers etc.  This jacket should have pristine art, as you would have found it in the store: No bends, ring wear, tears, stains, mold damage, writing, seam splits, delamination etc.

VG++: really clean, maybe some slight imperfections like tiny initials in ball point, very slight ring wear etc

VG+: Might have a name written but not typically huge, , fairly standard ring wear (not obscuring the majority of the art) might have some very minor seam splitting scuffs and marks etc.

VG: Tears , split seams, writing, ring wear that starts to dominate the art etc. stains etc

Inner sleeves tend to always separate at least an inch or so at the 6 o’clock point, they also tend to fold, and often left the factory this way. I don’t send a whole lot of time on inner sleeves, or grade them, but I will mention them and their condition. If they have mold starting I will not include them to contaminate the record. If there was custom art/inner sleeve that came with the title I will typically point this out, and mention if it is included or not.

If the record was issued in a generic sleeve, I may include it, but not always, I try to provide recycled Poly lined protective sleeves when possible in order to protect your record when possible.

As far as cool inserts, posters etc, I will include one when possible, I will make mention of this. If the listing doesn’t include mention of this don’t assume that it does include the original inserts.

SHIPPING:

I ship records properly. I will always ship 12” LPs in LP specific mailers. These are new, or in perfect shape on the rare chance I use a recycled mailer.

I take the LP and place it an inner sleeve, OUTSIDE of the LP to prevent seam splits. I have the jacket, Record in sleeve, and any inserts all inside a protective outer sleeve.

I also ship the vast majority of the time with 2 12x12 cardboard inserts to protect your LP. On the odd chance I don’t have cardboard inserts I will use bubble wrap material to ensure the Lp(s) is safe in transit, and won’t incur any damage.

That said I do not incur any responsibility for damage caused by the shipping agent. If you want to insure your package, please let me know and we can discuss costs.

With shipping materials combined with USPS Media Mail, this runs a total of $4.

There are additional costs to ship outside the US. I typically ship 1st class airmail.

I can ship any expedited / insured method you may prefer, at an additional cost.

I will ship to most anywhere in the civilized world, my preference is the US. If I get a sketchy vibe from you I reserve the right to sell the LP to the next highest bidder.

Payment:

PayPal Only. You must pay me within 48 hours of the auction close.

In Closing:

I try to keep all the “rules” to a minimum; I treat people with respect the way they like to be treated. I have put these rules in place based on my experiences as a seller to prevent any drama. Life is way to short to deal with BS. I have a regular job for that J. I am not selling garbage or some faceless commodity. These are historical artifacts, art of the highest order. I spend my valuable time to ensure I do things right with a collector’s perspective in mind. I am reasonable and friendly guy. Please communicate and together I will realize the market value for my LPs and you will get the best possible experience in buying used vinyl via the internet.

If you made it this far you should probably be listening to a record instead. Thanks for viewing my auction.

WCE