THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – STUNNING NEAR MINT 1968 360 SOUND PITMAN PRESS LP

	£		104
	$		138

ONEADAYRECORDS – Serving-up a Christmas & New Year Feast of Entertainment

In this most difficult year, I hope these varied quality albums bring some seasonal cheer.

Over the Holiday Period, I am offering some interesting Christmas ‘Crackers’ – lovely albums – some rare – ENJOY!

And as ONEADAYRECORDS enters its 20th year selling on Ebay – I would like to wish all my customers – regulars and newcomers – a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A SAFE, HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Postage: UK £4.95. Europe (including Russia) £12.95 (£1 per extra record). Rest of World £19.95 (£2 per extra record). All my records are sent in boxes and the price of them has increased over time and these are my first price increases for nearly 10 years. Royal Mail prices have also gone up again. I will never compromise on quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all, and records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time as most record buyers will already know. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS including full side protection and bubble wrap, the records removed from the covers of course. All this very safe packing means I lose money on every box I post, but safe delivery is, and will always be paramount. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives. Also, I will pay for 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 if possible. PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT send any item, no matter what its value without a Royal Mail or courier tracking number. ALL my items must be trackable to comply with Ebay delivery rules. Please do NOT ask me to make any exceptions to this rule as no country offers reliable service without it.

Artist or Band: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Album Title: The United States of America

Producer: David Rubinson

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The American Metaphysical Circus; Hard Coming Love; Cloud Song; The Garden of Earthly Delights; I?Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar.

Side 2: Where is Yesterday; Coming Down; Love Song for the Dead Ché; Stranded in Time; The American Way of Love.

Label/Format: Columbia with matt quite smooth surfaces with a fairly deep ring ridge. This with the early stereo 360 sound text as seen.

Label Conditions: Both little short of immaculate. Ultra fresh, clean and attractive, one possible spindle trace, or is it a tiny fine crease? Probably played once by the one owner from new who put his records directly to tape. This record is simply immaculate and plays the same (the cover virtually the same).

Cat Number: CS 9614 (XSM 135628)

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 141 grams.

Country of Manufacture: United States

Rarity: Quite rare, and seldom seen anything like this, especially outside America. Also, as confirmed by the matrix details below, this includes the ‘p’ on the dead wax area denoting a prized ‘Pitman’ pressing.

Original Year of Release: 1968

Matrix Nos: o XSM135627-1A 1 p / o XSM135628-1A 1 p

Musicians: Dorothy Moskowitz – lead vocals; Joseph Byrd – electronic music, electric harpsichord, organ, calliope, piano; Gordon Marron – electric violin, ring modulator; Rand Forbes – electric bass; Craig Woodsono – electric drums, percussion. Also Ed Bogas, occasional organ, piano, calliope.

Brief Info: One of the genuinely great one-off albums and for those few who heard it from way back, it must have been a real eye-opener. A pioneering tour de force and ahead of its time, this band created some amazing sounds and this album packs in so much, it’s all a little difficult to take in immediately. Try to imagine Jefferson Airplane blended with It’s a Beautiful Day, the early Mothers of Invention with bit of Doors and Country Joe and the Fish added – you might be getting the feel for The United States of America – this is an amazing recording. With many new psych and ‘garage’ bands around at this time from the States never being issued in the UK, this was simply too good to go ignored – but how many actually bought this when it first came out? Lead vocalist Dorothy Moskowitz sounds a little like an icy Grace Slick, her vocals are superb. Exhilating music that does not use guitars, but scintilating electric violin. Gordon Marron’s instrument used a divider that raised and lowered it’s pitch by an octave, it was often used through tape echo units and modulators – all very experimental, even ‘progressive’ for its time. Joseph Byrd’s ideas of blending psych-rock with ethnic influences and classical music, this bought rock n roll into new realms of experimentalism. Using very early electronics and synthesisers made this a ground-breaking album, and their use and unpredictability made this fascinating listening and a huge challenge to actually record. Even the drums got the electronic treatments, again unusual at this time – Frank Zappa was another who experimented with the classics, early electronics, early synths and Moogs and his work will be more familiar to most, but The United States of America were there too at the very beginning (but less weird). Moskowitz said, the early synths were highly unpredictable, and that was part of their appeal, you never quite knew what to expect. The whole sound blend was held together by Forbes fretless bass and this amazing album is really unique. Sadly, they were short-lived, internal problems and disagreements, even fighting bought them to a swift end. But this legendary album was a gateway for the future, it had a cutting edge sound and lyrics that reflected the state of America at this time. Hard-edged, ironic and with a real tension, it could never last, but the mood of this band is captured brilliantly in this set and I consider it essential. Original copies in anything like decent condition have always been difficult to find. So to offer a barely played Pitman 360 stereo copy is a privilege and this plays beautifully. The fragile cover protected by the first owner for years. This one did not include the outer bag, only some did, so if never came with the album from new, it cannot be considered ‘missing’. A copy to cherish, this is unmissable.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single unlaminated format with a matt front that has a gentle sheen. The paste-on style back is full matt. This version correctly has ‘The selections are Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI)’ printed in lower right corner of back. Printed and made in U.S.A., includes a plain white rounded corner inner sleeve.

Cover Front: Small corner rubs apart, this front is little short of immaculate. I have rarely seen many vintage American covers better. Most collectors will know these are fragile, wear- and damage-prone. The surface ultra clean, fresh and devoid of creasing or rubbing (bar the tips). Although not shrink-wrapped, the owner plastic sleeve protected this one, and that is immediately apparent when seen for real – they hardly get better.

Cover Back: Any marks or hint of discolouration few and little, light and faint. Some natural crinkle on the right edge where it has not adhered absolutely perfectly, I would be sure these were done by hand, so these paste-on backs will seldom be perfect. This maybe as close as they will get after 50+ years.

Top Edge: Straight, solid, not even a hint of rubbing or thinning. Like all the folded edges on this one, totally intact and unsplit.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Made with thick card, this is virtually as-made with no thickening or blemishes. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: A little natural crinkle apart, this fragile surface is fantastic, and few will avoid minor crinkle by the method it was constructed. Solid, straight and barely compressed, this surface is incredible as well. The text virtually unworn.

Corners: Small tip rubs as stated, none on the top right, excellent shape retained with no knocks.

Cover Summary: An amazing all-round example of this ultra fragile and wear-prone cover, one that will prove beyond difficult to find better. This beautiful item should please most-all collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR MINT: a white rounded corner plain unlined inner that is little short of as-issued. Both window circles crisp and untorn, all edges naturally intact, all corner arcs pristine, no text printed. The paper also still clean and fresh.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: CLOSE TO MINT: put simply: MAGNIFICENT! A stunning visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and solidly pressed. A copy probably played once prior to my mandatory sound-check. Any surface traces minuscule, barely anything, and American records I have found seem to mark easier than European ones. An outstanding album in every respect, this is fantastic. Visually a sublime record that should please 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 equipment, all listed further down.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This gorgeous, classic psych album plays to it’s high visual grading with barely anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is immensely high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely even registered and this is a very clean pressing with no tracking issues* or inherent pressing noises. Pitman pressings known for their quality, and this failed to disappoint. Few available copies will match or outperform this I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, and the storage and handling of this could hardly have been better. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this lovely record which I put to CD for my own future enjoyment – it would have been stupid not too – it being a long-standing favourite from the era. It will prove beyound difficult to find better and merits my highest possible recommendation.

* 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. Records are a ‘contact’ format, and few will avoid the odd minor sound blemish.

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 the item being offered with no digital enhancements. 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. 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 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. 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 17­ 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. 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’.