ALBERT KING - "Born Under A Bad Sign" - 1967 - STAX RECORDS

$

35

DESCRIPTION & CONDITION:

Artist(s):      Albert King

Title:           Born Under A Bad Sign

Format:       LP 33-1/3

Label:         Stax

Number:     S-723

Year:          1967

Vinyl:          VERY GOOD + to VERY GOOD ++   (closer to VG++)

Jacket:       NEAR MINT     (still has plastic wrap on jacket) 

Value:        $120 in NEAR MINT Condition

SYNOPSIS:

Albert King is truly a "King of the Blues," although he doesn't hold that title (B.B. does). Along with B.B. and Freddie King, Albert King is one of the major influences on blues and rock guitar players. Without him, modern guitar music would not sound as it does -- his style has influenced both black and white blues players from Otis Rush and Robert Cray to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Then he signed with Stax in 1966 and recorded a number of sessions with the house band, Booker T. & the MG's, and everything just clicked. The MG's gave King supple Southern support, providing an excellent contrast to his tightly wound lead guitar, allowing to him to unleash a torrent of blistering guitar runs that were profoundly influential, not just in blues, but in rock & roll (witness Eric Clapton's unabashed copping of King throughout Cream's Disraeli Gears). Initially, these sessions were just released as singles, but they were soon compiled as King's Stax debut, Born Under a Bad Sign. Certainly, the concentration of singles gives the album a consistency -- these were songs devised to get attention -- but, years later, it's astounding how strong this catalog of songs is: "Born Under a Bad Sign," "Crosscut Saw," "Oh Pretty Woman," "The Hunter," "Personal Manager," and "Laundromat Blues" form the very foundation of Albert King's musical identity and legacy *

* AllMusic.com and Wiki

PAYMENT:

Payments:

PayPal, as it allows a seamless transaction with payment and shipping.

Timeline:

Payment by the FOURTH day after completion of the auction "UNLESS", you are planning on bidding on additional items coming up for bid or your schedule does not permit. Either way, please just notify me and make sure that I am aware.

Invoice:

I will generate an invoice so please wait for it, for you to pay from. The initial eBay generated invoice will not discount for combined purchases.

SHIPPING:

NOTE (in regards to Media Mail):

eBay implements a maximum shipping cost of $4.00. Any amount higher than that cannot be input into their template. This philosophy does not allow for situations of shipping multiple lp's (e.g. 8 lp's) or a box set with 5 records, both scenarios result in additional shipping weight. And subsequently cost more than the $4.00 to ship. That being the case, I will reflect the applicable shipping costs in this shipping & payment box, IF this situation is applicable.

ACTUAL POSTAGE COST: 

Domestic Media Mail: $3.49    PLUS   LP Mailer & .95  =   TOTAL  $4.44

Above price quote is for a single, or double, record album. If there is more than two albums, shipping weight increases as does shipping postage. 

Domestic Priority Mail: $9.52    PLUS LP Mailer & .95 =  TOTAL = $10.57

International: Calculated based on your location. I ship USPS International First Class Mail, which needs to be 4 lbs. or less; over 4 lbs must be sent priority. Please contact me BEFORE you pay, or bid if are concerned about the total postage, so I can quote you a valid total invoice amount including shipping price. Additionally, there will be a $2.75 fee on all international orders to cover additional trip to post office to validate fee before payment, time spent on completing customs forms and specialize mailer for the product to be shipped.

Shipping:

All LPs will be packed-well and shipped in high-quality LP mailers with Free Tracking Information: for all domestic shipments.

ADD ITEMS TO YOUR ORDER AND SAVE ON SHIPPING!!!

RETURNS:

1) Merchandise can only be returned if it has been inaccurately describe and not a subjective reason (e.g. if a red sweater if advertised as the item for sale but the actual item received is blue then that would be returnable. As I grade my record inventory very conservative, and have thirty-five years experience with such, that is not a returnable item as that is subjective.

2) Items can be return, but only for the situation that there was a significant variance between what was advertised and that which was received (e.g. item advertised as being red, but buyer received a blue item. As grading is done very conservatively, returns will not be accepted for grading reasons.

3) Seller must notify the buyer of a need for merchandise return by seven (7) days from receipt of the merchandise.

4) Returns that are acceptable will be returned to the seller in the same condition as when the seller had shipped to the buyer. All returned merchandise will generate a merchandise credit for the buyer. All returns will be at buyer’s expense.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION:

Hopefully we create a satisfying transaction where the buyer is happy with the shipping and the product and that the seller is happy with payment timelines. I will try to ensure that the buyer gets the best shipping rate possible and that they are able to combine orders/shipments. I do ask that if there is a problem that we encounter that you give me the opportunity to resolve so that we can still end up with a satisfying transaction.

GRADING PROCESS:

Condition Grading Scale:

 I use "Goldmine" which is the standard that collectors use to buy and sell. See below for grading definitions and explanations.

Visual or Play Graded:

 Visual, primarily due to time constraints. Visually inspected with a bright 150W light bulb. I grade VERY conservatively, and have been doing so for over thirty years, in order to ensure that buyers are happy. All flaws worth noting to potential buyers (scratches, MINOR warps, cut out holes, saw marks, split cover seams, writing, etc.) will be listed in the item descriptions in an attempt to avoid any, and all, surprises.

GRADING SCALE:

MINT (M):

These are absolutely perfect in every way.

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-):

A good description of a NM record is “it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time.” In other words, it’s nearly perfect. NM records are shiny, with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannot appear on the label, nor can any “spindle marks” from someone trying to blindly put the record on the turntable. Major factory defects also must be absent; a record and label obviously pressed off center is not Near Mint. If played, it will do so with no surface noise. (NM records don’t have to be “never played”; a record used on an excellent turntable can remain NM after many plays if the disc is properly cared for). NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG++):

This is the exception to the Goldmine standard. I seldom use it, but do when an Item appears very, very close to Near Mint but I don't feel comfortable because of some color blemish or a single mark on the vinyl.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) or EXCELLENT (E):

A good description of a VG+ record is “except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint.” VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. VG+ covers should have only minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location. Also, a VG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking. Covers with cut-out markings can never be considered Near Mint.

Very Good (VG):

VG records have more obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpower the music otherwise. Minor writing, tape or a sticker can detract from the label. Many collectors who have jukeboxes will use VG records in them and not think twice. They remain a fine listening experience, just not the same as if it were in better shape. VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won’t be obvious upon looking. Someone might have written or it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

Good (G), Good Plus (G+) or Very Good Minus (VG–):

Good does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, so it can serve as filler until something better comes along. But it has significant surface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failing miserably. A Good to VG– cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing, such as, for example, huge radio station letters written across the front to deter theft.

POOR (P) and Fair (F):

Covers are so heavily damaged that you almost want to cry