THE WHO Tommy RARER ORIG UK 1969 EX LPs with LAMINATED COVER & NUMBERED BOOKLET.

	£		93
	$		123

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

I would like to wish all my customers, regulars and newcomers, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

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

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 (£2 per extra record). All boxes sent FIRST-CLASS & TRACKED in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS with extra 7mm side protection and bubblewrap.

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: THE WHO

Album Title: Tommy

Producer(s): Kit Lambert

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Overture; It’s a Boy; 1921; Amazing Journey; Sparks; Eyesight for the Blind.

Side 2: Christmas; Cousin Kevin; The Acid Queen; Underture.

Side 3: Do You Think It’s Alright?; Fiddle About; Pinball Wizard; There’s a Doctor; Go to the Mirror!; Tommy Can You Hear Me?; Smash the Mirror; Sensation.

Side 4: Miracle Cure; Sally Simpson; I’m Free; Welcome; Tommy’s Holiday Camp; We’re Not Gonna Take It.

Label, Format, Pressing Info: Track – intense matt black labels with gentle textured surfaces. This copy is the genuine first 1969 pressing which vary from even the slightly later ones. The criteria for labels must have ‘DOUBLE ALBUM’ at the 9 o’clock position. Also there must be NO catalogue number under the ST 33 at the 3 o’clock position. The matrixes must be A//1 & B//1 on each record. Obviously, this has the laminated cover and a numbered booklet. But the labels are the main factor as subsequent repressings can always be put inside original covers and sold as ‘first pressings’. This is a real deal, not only that, this copy is impressive with all the detail and dynamics the first issues always offer best.

Label Conditions: All four clean, fresh and attractive. Spindle marks are light to less than moderate. Being such an intense black colour, they will always show a little more than on most other labels, but here, quite modest. This impressive original pair of records appear modestly used.

Cat Number: 613013/014

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 these Records: 140 / 143 grams. Impressively heavy and far more so than subsequent pressings.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Genuine, complete first issues are scarce, especially in better all-round conditions. The cover, although laminated, is fragile with single thickness card which results in splits, heavy creasing and laminate issues. The entrances areas – one from the inside against very thin card – means major damage and severe splits are common. To find one with hardly any of the aforementioned is extremely difficult – this one is very impressive as seen. Along with modestly played records that play with little unwanted, a small few sporadic clicks apart, two May 1969 date-coded inner sleeves and the numbered booklet, means this is quite a rare album. These are seldom found a great deal better these days.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos – NOTE – Side One backs Side Four: 613013 A//1 1 3 2 & 613013 B//1 1 8 7 & 613014 A//1 1 1 7 & 613013 B//1 1 1 1

Musicians: Roger Daltrey – lead vocals, harmonica, tambourine; Pete Townshend – guitars, banjo, keyboards, lead vocals; John Entwistle – bass guitar, French horn, lead vocals on ‘Cousin Kevin’ and ‘Fiddle About’, backing vocals; Keith Moon – drums, percussion, backing vocals.

Brief Info: All interested music fans and collectors will know all about this album, suffice to state, for me it’s one of the greatest rock albums ever made. A very early concept album about the deaf, dumb and blind boy and his rise to superstardom after being miraculously cured. It never fails to amaze me how four young artists could write, issue and perform an album of this calibre in such a short time. Originally a beat group and then so quickly developing into virtuoso rock musicians and writing a complex and groundbreaking concept album of the highest quality imaginable. This album has more than stood the test of time and was soon made into a Ken Russell movie. Equally hard to believe this was written and issued way back in 1969. This one exactly from that year, and just holding the genuine real article give pleasure. Especially so when viewing that fantastic cover with the outer parts laminated. The difference to the colour of the artwork is immense, it makes the slightly later non-laminates look pale and dull in comparison. This particular one, one of the finest I have seen for some time. All elements are equally impressive and the sound is fantastic, yes a tiny few, mainly one- or two-off sporadic clicks, no lengthy repetitive ones. Such copies do not surface often, these true classics, in most cases are seen trashed with torn, dulled and creased covers, and record swathed in deep scratches and grimy fingermarks. The labels covered in a maze of spindle marks – these have very few, especially in context of its popularity. Even the May 1969 inner sleeves here are strong and unsplit. The numbered booklet fully intact and attractive as well. Unless audio ‘perfection’ is mandatory, and how many will not have the odd small blemish or two these days?, this lovely example should please many collectors.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): this is one of classic rock’s most delicate and wear-prone covers. A double gatefold format (opens to triple size at 3 feet long). This being the very first made in England by Ernest J. Day. These are highly prized by collectors as only these have the laminated front, back and first face folded inside. So to be clear: when this is fully opened, one side is fully laminated (3 faces), the other side is matt and unprotected. Storage of the records is perilous, one enters on the right hand side, the other via the inside, but both records are stored in the back area with just a near paper thin divider sheet. That is where most of the perils lie in access for removal and entry. Edges split and become very weakened unless utmost care is given, thus few survive intact, this one has. This includes the two Polydor-style inner sleeves and the 12 page numbered booklet. Later booklets have no number.

Cover Front, Back and Inside Front: These are the three laminated faces. Firstly, the inside one, this is very shiny fresn and clear with little to fault at all. The main cover front is also shiny with light dulling seen under light, also a very fine sliver lift on the right edge. A mild crease on the bottom left tip and a few fine marks on the bottom edge (also some on the back in the same area), I am sure these are gripper marks in manufacture, not unusual and I have seen them before on this, and other similar covers. Any other creases fine and faint. The artwork both sides is very impressive, deeply coloured with no light fading. The back laminate, the fine bottom marks apart, has little else to fault bar some light to moderate dulling, again mostly seen under light. This side with both records pushed against it, will rarely escape this as the barest minimum. I consider all the laminated faces to be impressive and still attractive as-seen.

Cover – the unlaminated inside faces: All three are exceptional. Clean, fresh and barely marked or creased – just one tiny natural mark on the central one, that seen also on the front cover, but showing very little. Minute edge burr traces being ultra critical and that perilous entrance area on the right fully intact and undamaged. As a note: personally I would NOT stored the records inside this cover, leave them outside the cover within the protective sleeve I provide with all my records, then the dangers of splits and damage are eliminated. Insertion and removal of the records carries significant risk. This cover has survived since 1969 without any, why risk damage now?

Top Edges: The real fold hardly rubbed, strong and unsplit. The single thickness front edges are still crisp and neat, any thickening or burring little and light as seen viewed end-on.

Bottom Edges: Similar again, a little more thickening on these storage edges, but still fine with any rubbing on the cover bottom confined the very edge of the edge, again, few will show much less.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front edge has a real end which is a fold and is fully laminated with no wear at all. Totally superb, smooth and also ultra straight with no bowing. That largely the same on all the edges, all lie flat and flush. Below this edge is the fragile outside opening storage area for one of the records. Both are neat with any thickening to the inside edge that is wider than the back in manufacture, so more unusually, the outer edge is naturally protected by the inner one. No trimming or enhancements, the laminate endings all clearly seen and present, the exposed strips all unworn and clean.

Spine and Text: A very fragile and under-strength spine that has to take a fair degree of strain to support this cover. So I consider this one to be in very fine excellent condition. Solid and straight, but a little compression with a modest natural central recess that will form purely by opening the cover, this had no text, but graphic simply wraps around and all fully intact with not chipping. Just small rubs the very ends. Almost all laminate intact with any shedding towards the very ends again, mostly at the bottom. Again, many lose most or even all their laminate, so this is also another major positive.

Corners: A little tip rubbing and tip crease, most still neat with fine to very fine shape retained. The odd light dink only.

Cover Summary: The words ‘difficult’ or ‘challenging’ hardly explain the fragility of this cover. It has a few light storage issues and minor wear, but this is still one to hold and admire. The artwork just looks so superior under laminate, and this is still relatively fresh and certainly remains attractive. So with only polite clues to its genuine age – remember, this was quickly re-manufactured without laminate and matt – this should please many collectors. Indeed it could even prove a major upgrade for some?

The Inner Sleeves: NEAR EXCELLENT: both in fine condition in terms of real wear, only marked down a little for natural discolouration which is only relatively mild in context, the seam adhesive rarely escapes especially. Importantly, they are almost a matching pair with /059 date-codes (one with ‘20’ before). That is May 1969, the month and year of issue. These are the standard Polydor-style polylined inners, both have crisp window circles, the linings still quite clear, and all edge folds unsplit with no repairs. One has a corner fold, little else other than light crinkle.

The Booklet: EXCELLENT: this has the limited edition text and number ‘36046’. A 12-page full colour graphic libretto for this groundbreaking rock opera, this has little to fault bar light crinkle from being held and opened. All pages solidly attached together, they were glued, not stapled. Still clean, quite fresh with no hard creasing, all edges crisp and sharp. Any hint of toning to the white areas very gentle and light. Overall, a very nice solid example with scant hint of age.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: as an overall average. Two sides could be given a (+), side three (–) with the most surface marks, but these are fairly fine and non-sounding. Others on the other three sides are few to very few, finer and light. A very fine visual pair that are very clean with equally fine shine and quite heavily pressed. No penetrating stylus scratches and all four sides offer impressively clean sound with any blemishes few. Two thicker, deeper groove originals, more able to withstand the odd minor mark or blemish. Any available 1969 pair will not prove easy to find much better and many collectors will be happy with these.

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: Both records play up to, and mostly even above their high visual grading with little to fault bar a few sporadic mild clicks as stated – these not long or repetitive, some one-offs (or so) and not many of. The actual audio quality is fantastic, strong and distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is truly astonishing and a masterwork of production with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Moon’s drums at times are thunderous and have real clout, a real high fidelity recording that still sounds little aged. Any surface sounds minimal and faint and no pressing or tracking issues*. An album that does have some quieter passages. Most of any blemishes due to tiny (and I do mean TINY) marks seen under a magnifier, most likely in manufacture? With most originals seen played to near destruction and ugly, deep stylus scratches and grimy finger marks on dulled playing surfaces, this puts a really nice copy like this into real perspective. It’s not perfect, but still impressive, and its likely few first issue copies will outperform this quality Track pair significantly I feel sure. Generally well stored and handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment, little of great note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading these impressive records that carry utmost detail. Not for visual or audio perfectionist, but for those tolerant of the odd polite reminder of what is being played – a record into its 49th year – this will please many. One I am happy to highly recommend, this has far positives than negatives and I enjoyed it immensely.

* 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 programs. 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 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 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’.