DAVID BOWIE Ziggy Stardust RARE ULTIMATE ORIG 72 N/M LP

	£		216
	$		286

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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 and including ‘Titanic’ credits. [Pressed on proper high quality and thick heavyweight vinyl – NOT DYNAFLEX!] (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both immaculate, not ‘almost’ as new, but looking brand spanking new. Definitive and ultra attractive and I cannot see a single spindle trace and the supreme glossy finish looks unhandled. I thought I had seen the ultimate first-pressed copy of this a couple of years ago, but this even exceeds that. What a joy to offer and own one of the most famous albums of all-time as a genuine first pressing and in truly outstanding condition. A copy that was possibly unplayed and the very first off the production line in 1972 with the most prized and rarest -1E / -1E matrixes (please see these in close on my pictures), you will not see a ‘1’ on both sides often and even -1/ -2’s are not that easy. Seriously, this has to be one of the best examples in existence.

Cat Number: SF 8287 (LSP 4702).

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: A hugely substantial 155 grams. The heaviest and thickest pressing of this album I have ever held. Later pressings became much thinner, even -1E / -2E pressings and most -1/-1’s were never this weight. This one is very substantial. [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, this album was a prime example. 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: First pressings from 1972 on the RCA Victor label are scarce, make no mistake. This copy is pressed on proper 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 very heavy pressed UK example with the -1E/-1E matrixes in supreme conditions will rarely be found – this being possibily unplayed until my sound check. For those who bought this album when first released, most played them into the ground and finding originals that play perfectly are incredibly difficult. The more discerning collectors who do own the first made pressings will rarely want to part with them – and why would they? Often purchased by teenage girls, few were ever played, handled or stored with the respect they deserved and many played on cheap unsubtle record players with worn out stylus often tracking a huge weights. Autochanger machines that stacked singles with arms weighted with old coins just to keep attacheded to warped singles. Collectors my age or more will know exactly what I am talking about. Not only is the record immaculate, the cover is a nightmare for avoiding rubbing and ringwear. When was the last time you saw this album with a cover like this? Also, the very delicate lyric inner is also immaculate also and for a change, unsplit or torn and devoid of creasing and that is near impossible. Still pure white too with no toning or ageing, clearly no nicotine floating around the owner’ house. Unbelievably, this record is 38-years-old, how many will ever be found like this? Only one in a several thousand copies of this title will be found in such conditions (and almost none with the first press matrixes), I occasionally see this at fairs but invariably the cover is heavily worn and ugly, the lyric inner often missing or so tatty 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 in reference standard condition and it the best I have ever seen (and I have had a few beauties in the past too), 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 first pressed example. This is an all-round example of pure beauty.

Original Year of Release: 1972

Matrix Nos: BGBS 0864-1E / BGBS 0865-1E (please see this detail in close-up).

Stamper Codes: A1 N / A1 Q (these being fine and faint but clearly visible).

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 please - 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 or heard and that is no great surprise off a very first pressing with substantial weight and deeper grooves for the audiophile purist. The cover, never laminated is always seen worn and rubbed as is the frail illustrated lyric inner. Very thin paper always makes this seen torn or split or worse. You will be hard pressed to find either better than these. Finding too such a clean and barely even ‘run-in’ record is a massive bonus - this is a superb set and it plays to absolute perfection with two playing sides that will remind of what a new copy once looked like. Any surface traces from the unlined inner are minuscule and faint. 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 immortality.

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: Ultra critically graded EX++, marked marginally for minor and faint rim arcs near the very top and bottom edges, but look very hard. A single unlaminated format that has the RCA Victor logo (NOT INTERNATIONAL) as seen on many reprinted repressings. With the GEM productioni logo and NO Mainmain one, those came in 1973 reprintings, only 1972 covers omitted Mainman. This has the SF 8287 (LSP 4702) number and it was printed and made in England by Robert Stace. This includes the very fragile, thin paper lyric inner.

Cover Front: As stated above ultra fine rim rubs near the top and bottom edges, but as faint as they are ever likely to be and few, if any ever avoid them. Remarkably faint too considering the weight and thickness of this first-pressed copy. This minor blemish apart, there is barely anything to fault and the lack of rubbing and creasing is significant and unusual. Any creases are so tiny and faint they barely even show with just a mere couple on the spine edge, these of hairline thickness. Rich dark colour as the originals should have, this has not faded on iota and looks barely even handled and has been cover-protected from new. This was made with fairly thin card and few will ever survive like this. Even under angled light, its super clean and ultimately fresh and scuff-free, struggling to even find a hairline, this famous front is definitive and it will prove nigh-on impossible to find much better. If you see the word ‘International’ or ‘Mainman’ on this cover, its a later printing/pressing.

Cover Back: Practically the same as the front, arguably even better if anything and the lack of rubbing and ringwear proper is a massive bonus, both sides look superb. Any rim marks are again very faint indeed with no ink eroded, just minor dulling around the shape just seen under light. On the close-up picture to show the lack of Mainman logo on this area, there appears to be a scratch. Be assured this is NO scratch but a totally correct line on the artwork, it’s on all of them.

Top Edge: Practically as made with no wear worthy of mention, even the end panel has no burring or scuffs and few will ever be this neat.

Bottom Edge: Any rub traces on this ‘storage edge’ are microscopic, there may be what appears to be a rub, but this is not the case again, another normal piece of artwork and that is guaranteed.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, very sharp with barely any traces of wear and no feathering, 100 per cent guaranteed untrimmed. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Immaculate, crisp and very sharp, this spine is exceptional. Solid, straight, uncrushed, uncompressed and square. All text is pristine perfect and unworn, ultra fresh and factory-fresh. (Please see my close up and spine picture).

Corners: All four again in incredible condition with supreme pointed shape retained with barely any traces of wear or rubbing. One tiny (TINY) tip semi-crease on the bottom right of the front which is so small it’s almost nit-picking to even mention it.

Cover Summary: An incredible all round example of this very fragile 70’s cover, one that will prove close to impossible to find better. A delicate and uncompromising cover, made this fairly thin card that is ruthlessly revealing and wear-prone. This beautiful item should please most-all collectors.

The Inner: Mint(-), close to Mint. Made with ultra thin paper and unlined, this is rarely seen unsplit or torn but this one is just that. This has the Gem production only text and has ‘Titanic Music’ credits and has the 1971/1972 copyrights. There is not even any stressing to the edges that remain as solid as manufacture day – guaranteed NO repairs – this is possibly the first one of these I have seen with all the edges practically as new. Ultimately clean, fresh and devoid of noteworthy creasing, even the recessed top opening is pristine with no bending or burring. The lovely original whiteness is retained with no yellowing or toning at all, one that has been stored to perfection. The heavy record has barely left little impression because the discerning, one and only owner put the record inside a replacement polylined inner for ultimate protection and this fragile inner will again be nearly impossible to find better.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: A supreme Mint(-) and I feel even undergraded at that. Maybe, one careful play by the owner and one by myself for my manditory sound check, this wonderful first pressing has barely any marks worthy of mention. Any removal traces are minuscule and it will take something extraordinary to even compare to this. A superb clean and fresh visual copy that is intense black, very shiny and heavily pressed (very heavy in context for this title). The era of issue meant vinyl was saved by thinner pressings and substitute materials being used as mentioned above. The oil crisis of this period meant recycled vinyl was often used too and high quality pressings were never guaranteed. Forget that on this copy, a 155 gram pressing of ‘Ziggy Stardust’ is a near impossible find, that too on an immaculate copy. Visually a super record that should please all collectors. Please also my ultra rare Bowie first album in stereo I am also offering.

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 first pressed record plays even ABOVE its high visual grading with nothing to fault whatsoever. The cover states ‘to be played at maximum volume’, well this copy can be with ultimate confidence, this has audiophile standard sound without a single noteworthy blemish or unwanted blemish at all. Yes true, this has the perfect audio standards the most discerning hi-fi connoisseur would ever demand – this from start to finish and was a pure thrill to listen too. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp. clear and fully focused - 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. And mentioning the digital format disc, this plays as quiet as, I brave and bold statement maybe, but true. Remember too what I am playing this record on, thet Linn LP12 Sondek reveals all the good and bad on whatever record it plays, but there is NOTHING bad on this record to report, it’s simply sensational. 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. Even devoid of surface sounds and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly intense and demanding album. Even the run-ins and run-outs are silent – the drum fade-in on ‘Five Years’ is stunningly in its quietness and the same for the delicate piano intro that opens side two. The sharpness as the hammers strike the piano wire is flawless and man’s vocals are as realistic as only the analogue mode can portray. Later pressings of this were variable and avoid those wretched Dynaflex copies at all costs. The sound on these near virgin grooves are definitive. Few copies will even match let outperform this earliest of pressings I am certain. Both channels are clean and sharp with no clipping or noises from either channel. I am certain this record has barely been playedand has been clearly well stored and carefully handled within in a non-smoking environment. Nothing whatsoever spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – time has not changed this one, a real pleasure to view and hear. I must be crazy even putting this up for auction. This record will prove almost impossible to find better (how can sound perfection ever be bettered?) and merits the highest possible recommendation I could ever offer – ‘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/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with QED Silver terminated cable). 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.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

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 Moth 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 thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). 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 THREE or EVEN FOUR 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. 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. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand based on over 6,000+ items sold in over 8 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. Even one of these stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

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 & 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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£40 maximum]) = £9. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2.50 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); 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 [£39 maximum]) = £13. Add £4 per extra LP. (insurance 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: 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. 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 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’.