DAVID BOWIE Ziggy Stardust RARE 1972 Pressing UK N/M LP

	£		500
	$		663

Artist or Band: DAVID BOWIE

Album Title: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

Producer(s): David Bowie & Ken Scott.

TRACK LIST: Side 1: Five Years; Soul Love; Moonage Daydream; Starman; It Ain’t Easy.

Side 2: Lady Stardust; Star; Hang on to Yourself; Ziggy Stardust; Suffragette City; Rock n Roll Suicide.

Label/Format: RCA Victor – Original genuine first orange pressing with the ultra shiny, glass smooth finish. Importantly this has the ‘Titanic Music’ credits which indicates a first pressed 1972 copy. [Pressed on real high quality vinyl – NOT DYNAFLEX!] (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both immaculate almost as new. Definitive and ultra attractive with no discernable spindle marks and the supreme glossy finish looks hardly unhandled. What a joy to offer and own one of the most famous albums of all-time as a genuine early 1972 pressing and in sublime condition. This record was purchased by a teenage girl back in 1972, played no more than once or twice and carefully stored away. This record has not seen light of day since that famous year and is unlikely to ever be found in better condition and has to be one of greatest true classic records I have ever held.

Cat Number: BGBS 0864.

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 this Record: 137 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: The earliest pressings from 1972 on the RCA Victor label are very scarce, make no mistake. This copy is pressed on real vinyl, NOT Dynaflex. This is easily determined as RCA orange copies pressed on the stuff had the word ‘Dynaflex’ printed on the labels – they are best avoided, they usually sound terrible and are not audiophile standard. The price guides seem to value ALL RCA copies the same which is plain stupid. The title itself is fairly easily found but most are later pressings, often pressed on Dynaflex or imported wafer thin US pressings. The majority on RCA International with different coloured labels or matt finished orange RCA’s, the true original glossy labels are far more elusive. A heavy pressed UK example with the -1E/-2E matrixes in pristine conditions will rarely be found. The matrixes on this example are deeply punched and very clear and precise in solid roman type (please see my close-up of the highly sort-after -1E matrix). For those who bought this album when first released, most played them into submission and finding originals that play perfectly are incredibly difficult. Often fans bought later copies as replacements for their originals. The more discerning collectors who do own the first made pressings will rarely want to part with them – and why would they? Not only that, the cover is a nightmare for rubbing and ringwear, when was the last time you saw this album with a cover like this? Also, the very delicate lyric inner is near immaculate also and for a change, unsplit or torn and devoid of creasing and that is near impossible as its predominately white and made with very thin unlined paper. This record is 36-years-old, how many will ever be found like this? Only one in a thousand copies of this title will be found in such conditions, I occasionally see this at fairs but invariably the cover is heavily worn and tatty, the lyric inner often missing or so damaged and torn it’s hardly worth having and the records worn and clearly heavily played. Often US pressings or Dynaflex copies that sag in the middle pressed so thin you can almost see through them. This Bowie masterwork is the best looking -1E/-2E example I have ever seen and collectors will know just how difficult this one is. For fans needing this album or an upgrade, a better one is unlikely to be found, do not lose this outstanding, and genuine 1972 pressed copy.

Original Year of Release: 1972

Matrix Nos: BGBS 0864-1E / BGBS 0865-2E (Again please see close-up). All deeply punched in block characters. Later copies were scripted and appear scratched on.

Musicians: David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone; Mick Ronson – guitar, piano, vocals; Trevor Bolder – bass guitar; Mick Woodmansey – drums.

Brief Info: The most suprising statistic about this groundbreaking masterpiece is the fact it only made number 5 in the UK and a lowly 75 in the US for without doubt this is one of greatest albums ever made. It’s totally timeless and its popularity and charisma only strengthens as it ages (a bit like the man himself). Bowie’s ability to reinvent himself has allowed the singer to follow a fascinating career. The blend of rock star persona and alien creature defining Ziggy Stardust was probably his greatest creation. Buoyed by the support of legendary guitarist Mick Ronson, Bowie produced some of his finest songs, from the raucous ‘Suffragette City’ to the prophetic ‘Rock n Roll Suicide’, also arguably his finest ever song ‘Starman’ which never fails to delight - the singer would famously declare Ziggy dead during a live concert. Science fiction was combined with the love of theatre to bring a visual nature to an album that remains central to Bowie’s wide-ranging catalogue. The opening song is blood-chilling: the apocolyptic ‘Five Years’ is bleak in its intensity and pulls no punches lyrically as planet Earth is dying ‘…With just five years left to cry in’. It boasts one of the most famous covers in music history too - can any record collection ever be complete without a copy of this record? This copy on offer is one of the very finest I have ever seen and heard and that is no great surprise off such an early pressing. The cover, never laminated is always seen worn and rubbed as is the frail illustrated inner, very thin paper always makes this seen torn or split or worse. The record has clearly hardly even been handled and could easily pass as new, the beautiful glossy RCA Victor labels have to be seen to be fully appreciated. You will be hard pressed to find either better than these. Early examples are far more elusive and with all three components in truly superb condition this is a massive bonus - this is a wonderful album and it plays beautifully. Bowie gave the world Ziggy – the Starman – and one of the most famous catch-phrases ever to burst-forth from any record – ‘WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA’AM’! This was his route to superstardom.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High+: [Unlaminated covers are always the most vulnerable for rubbing, fading, sticker tears and ringwear, gatefolds are more prone still and the darker they are, the more this type of wear occurs and shows. Some sleeves have a textured finish or die-cut shaped edges or ‘windows’. These are even more delicate and the hardest to find in top condition. Fully laminated covers are more resistent to wear but often the laminate ages with dulling, creases and blistering. Many 60s covers have outer flipback construction, these are very vulnerable to damage]. (US covers are the most fragile of all, very rarely laminated and made with thick brittle card that rubs and ringwears badly. Seams and edges split easily). Please see format below to access this cover’s potential for wear and damage.

Cover Grade and Format: Even with a few very light surface creases that hardly show, I am more than happy to grade this famous cover Mint(-). There is practically no wear to any surface and that is near impossible to find on the first made. A single unlaminated format that has the RCA Victor logo (NOT INTERNATIONAL) as seen on many reprinted repressings. The early printings had a very flat matt finish, later ones were varnished and had a more glossy look. This has the SF 8287 (LSP 4702) number and only the ‘GEM PRODUCTION’ text and logo on back and NO ‘Mainmain’ reference, these came post 1972. Printed and made in England by Robert Stace. This includes the very fragile, thin paper lyric inner.

Cover Front: Super attractive and retaining a very high degree of freshness. Often subjected to price sticker damage, this one never had one applied as this was purchased via pre-order. Clearly it was given the best chance for avoiding damage, even within shop racks these were handled and often bent or creased even before purchase. It does have two or three faint surface creases away from the edges that barely even shows and even edge hairlines are the least and faintest I have ever seen. There is little else to fault with any marks or blemishes being miniscule. Rich dark colour as the originals should have, this has not faded one iota and looks little handled. This was made with thin card so there is a mild record impression but this has not developed into ringwear with no rubbing or loss. Given the time this has been left undisturbed, the lack of ringwear rubbing is a real bonus. Clean, fresh and scuff-free, this famous front is definitive and it will prove very hard to find much better. If you see the word ‘International’ on this cover, its a later printing/pressing.

Cover Back: Practically the same as the front, even better if anything and the lack of rubbing and ringwear is unusual to say the least, both sides look superb.

Top Edge: Unworn, as made and few ever will be. Devoid of rubbing and very straight too.

Bottom Edge: Practically the same again, any rub traces are minute.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with no wear of note, any burr traces again are tiny and barely even register. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: The spine is in splendid condition too: Solid, straight, uncrushed with any compression very light and modest. All text is perfect and unworn and its whiteness if fully retained.

Corners: The least wear I have ever seen on this cover, all shows barely any noteworthy wear at all and retain amazing crisp pointed shape and superb definition.

Cover Summary: An incredible all round example of this very fragile 70’s cover, one that will prove incredibly difficult to find significantly better. A fairly flimsy cover made this fairly thin card that is ruthlessly uncompromising. One to hold, view and cherish, with so many badly worn or damaged, this is practically perfect for its great age. Beware of ‘Mainmain’ logo examples on the back being offered as originals, they are not, they came after the year of issue. This beautiful item should please most all collectors.

The Inner: In terms of wear, this is worthy of Mint(-). But it has very slightly darkened with age now being slightly off-white. Made with ultra thin paper and unlined, this is rarely seen unsplit or torn but this one is just that – all edges are intact and strong – very unusual indeed as many were ‘knifed’ in transit to the shops. Clean, fresh and devoid of series creasing, just a couple to the band side near the top, both very fine with modest visibility. Even the recessed top opening is pristine with no bending or burring. The heavy record has left little impression simply because the LP was put into a polylined replacement. It also has the Gem Production credits and all song lyrics. Naturally aged a little but any tone spots are tiny and any will have to be searched for. This fragile inner is very difficult to find totally intact and looking just right for its substantial vintage. I will grade it EX++.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-), with any surface marks or hairlines being ultra fine, faint and totally superficial. A much better 1972 pressed example will prove very difficult to locate and few will ever be offered better with the rare -1E matrix. A superb clean and fresh visual copy that is intense black, shiny and quite heavily pressed. A copy barely even ‘run-in’ in vinyl terms, this is up there with the very best ‘classics’ I have had to offer on Ebay. Often records had the odd light mark on even from new, all buyers will have seen them. Remember these things were handled in manufacture and packing and blemishes happened. A high percentage of this record were bought by young teenagers from the ‘Glam-rock’ era, most would have been played on vintage record players that had little finese and massive tracking weights. This beauty bucked the trend and was really carefully looked after and barely even played. Visually a super record that should please most collectors again.

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 snippetts 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This superb and genuine early pressed record plays up to its high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Nothing will ever beat a first pressed vinyl copy of this classic album. The sound is so clean with details any CD collector will have certainly not have heard before. The sounds just flow with crispness and real sonic power – the pace and rhythm is second-to-none and the Starman could almost be in the room with you. Practically devoid of surface sounds, any miniscule amount present barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly intense and demanding album. Later pressings of this were variable and avoid those wretched Dynaflex copies at all costs. The sound on these near virgin grooves are definitive and this can be played loud, as the cover suggests, with real confidence. Few copies will match or outperform this earliest of pressings I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – time has not changed this one, a real pleasure to view and hear. This copy could prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended – ‘WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA’AM’!

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 its 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 programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: I usually post on Fridays, most will arrive Saturday to make signed-for delivery easier. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT mailers) with the record(s) 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 TWO thick stiffners for even extra protection. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. Printed address labels are used for clarity and well as sender label. 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. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but NOT surface mail abroad. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with the total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional extra insurance’ P&P – ALL UK and Russian packets go out non-negotiable Recorded Delivery. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.1 per percent based on over 4,000+ items sold in over 7 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: ALL EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (any part); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£35).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

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 neccessarily 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’.