Jimi Hendrix ELECTRIC LADYLAND UK 1ST 68 UNPLAYED MINT

	£		1,019
	$		1,350

JIMI HENDRIX - ELECTRIC LADYLAND

IN MAGNIFICENT UNPLAYED CONDITION

FIRST TRACK PRESS  FROM 1968

UNHEARD OF MISSPRESS!!!!

• CATALOGUE:TRACK 613008/9
• MATRIX: SIDE A 61300 8(CROSSED OUT) 9  (ETCHED) A//1
•             SIDE B 613008 (CROSSED OUT) 9 (ETCHED)  B//1
•             SIDE C 613009(CROSSED OUT) 8 (ETCHED)  A//1 
•             SIDE D 613009(CROSSED OUT) 8 (ETCHED)  B//1

IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN WITH THIS INCREDIBLE SET, AND I AM GOING TO TRY TO NOT MAKE THIS TOO COMPLICATED. THOSE OF YOU WITH EAGLE EYES WILL HAVE ALREADY NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MATRIX NUMBERS I HAVE LISTED AGAINST THE SIDES ABOVE. OK! ALL I HOPE WILL BECOME CLEAR

I'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO 1968 AND SOME EXCITED PERSON HURRIES DOWN TO HIS OR HER RECORD STORE AND PURCHASES A COPY OF THE NEW HENDRIX DOUBLE ALBUM 'ELECTRIC LADYLAND' UPON GETTING HOME THEY EAGERLY TAKE IT OUT OF THE SLEEVE TO PLAY IT AND INSTANTLY NOTICE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. ALL 4 OF THE LABELS HAVE ANOTHER SET OF LABELS ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL ONES. A CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALS THAT THEY ARE THE SAME LABELS BUT THE ONES ON TOP OF THE OTHERS ARE NOT PROPERLY STUCK DOWN WHICH IS WHY THE ONES UNDERNEATH CAN BE SEEN. THE BUYER THINKS THIS IS NOT GOOD I HAVE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR MY NEW LP AND I WANT ONE WITH PROPERLY STUCK DOWN LABELS. SO HE OR SHE TAKES IT BACK TO THE STORE AND HAS IT REPLACED. THE RECORD SHOP OWNER NOW HAS AN LP HE CAN'T SELL SO IT JUST SITS IN A RACK FOR MANY MANY YEARS, REMAINING UNPLAYED.

NOW THAT IS PURE EDUCATED GUESSWORK ON MY PART, AND IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF OTHER REASONS, BUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A TOTALLY UNPLAYED ORIGINAL 1ST PRESS ELECTRIC LADYLAND WITH 2 LABELS ON EACH SIDE OF THE DISC. ONE PROPERLY STUCK DOWN AND THE SECOND ONE IN EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE BUT LOOSE AROUND THE EDGES SHOWING THE ORIGINAL ONE UNDERNEATH.

SO THAT CAN EXPLAIN WHY THIS ALBUM SET HAS REMAINED UNPLAYED FOR 42 YEARS, BUT WHY THEN ARE THERE ANOTHER SET OF LABELS ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL TRACK LABELS?

• A MISTAKE AT THE FACTORY?
• THE WRONG ONES PUT ON ORIGINALLY AND THE CORRECT ONES OVERLAID?
• THE PRESSING MACHINE GOING CRAZY PERHAPS?
• SOMEONES IDEA OF A JOKE?

NONE OF THE ABOVE IS TRUE!!!

WHEN I DECIDED TO PLAY AND RECORD THIS ALBUM FOR THIS LISTING, I WAS ALREADY WELL AWARE OF THE WAY THIS ALBUM PLAYS, BUT I WAS IN FOR A BIT OF A SURPRISE. WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PRESSED ELECTRIC LADYLAND LIKE A FEW OTHER DOUBLE SETS HAS SIDES A AND D ON THE FIRST ALBUM, AND SIDES B AND C ON THE SECOND. THIS WAS PURELY SO THAT THE SET COULD BE PLAYED IN ORDER ON AN AUTOCHANGER RECORD PLAYER. ON THOSE DREADED RECORD KILLING MACHINES YOU WOULD STACK THE 2 LP'S ONE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND PLACE THEM ON TOP OF THE AUTOCHANGER. START THE RECORD PLAYER UP AND RECORD 1 WOULD DROP TO THE TURNTABLE SIDE A FACING UP AND THE STYLUS (NEEDLE) WOULD DROP DOWN ONTO IT AND PLAY SIDE A. WHEN THAT SIDE WAS FINISHED THE ARM WOULD LIFT OFFF THE LP AND THE SECOND RECORD WOULD DROP DOWN ON TOP OF THE FIRST, THIS TIME WITH SIDE B FACING UP. ALONG COMES THE RECORD ARM AND PLAYS SIDE B. WHEN THAT WAS FINISHED THE TWO LP'S COULD BE TURNED OVER AND REPLACED ON THE AUTOCHANGER WHERE SIDE C WOULD BE PLAYED AND THEN SIDE D. SO THE REASON FOR PRESSING SIDE A/D TOGETHER AND B/C WAS EXACTLY FOR THAT REASON.

EVERY COPY OF ELECTRIC LADYLAND THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN MATCHES THIS FORMAT, EVEN THE POLYDOR REISSUES

THIS ONE DOESN'T... IT WAS PRESSED WITH SIDE A AND B ON THE SAME RECORD, AND C AND D ON THE OTHER. I ONLY SPOTTED IT WHEN I WAS PLAYING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SIDE D ONLY TO HEAR 'LITTLE MISS STRANGE' WHICH IS THE OPENING TRACK TO SIDE B.

I PULLED THE RECORD OFF MY TURNTABLE AND CHECKED THE LABEL AND ALL BECAME CLEAR. THE LABEL WAS FOR SIDE B AS WELL. SO NOW THE LABEL ACTUALLY MATCHED WHAT WAS PLAYING.THE PENNY DROPPED!!!

THE RECORD WAS MISPRESSED AT THE FACTORY BACK IN 1968 WITH THE WRONG TRACKS ON THE WRONG SIDES OF THE VINYL. THE CORRECT (BUT NOW INCORRECT LABELS HAD ALREADY BEEN SEALED IN PLACE AND SO THE ONLY THING TO DO WAS TO PLACE ANOTHER SET OF LABELS OVER THE TOP THAT ACTUALLY MATCHED THE TRACK LIST FOR EACH SIDE, HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT STUCK DOWN TOO WELL AND HERE THEN 42 YEARS LATER IS WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS POSSIBLY THE RAREST COPY OF ELECTRIC LADYLAND ON THE PLANET.

THE OTHER THING I KNOW IS THAT THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TO LEAVE THE FACTORY LIKE THIS AS I CHECKED ON POPSIKE AND ONE WAS SOLD BACK IN 2004, AND IT'S NOT THIS ONE BECAUSE IT WAS DESCRIBED AS PLAYED BUT EXCELLENT CONDITION. SO THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO SETS, BUT NO MORE HAVE COME TO LIGHT SINCE 2004 UNTIL NOW!!

THE OTHER ANOMOLY AND THIS IS FOR THE PURISTS IS THAT THE MATRIX NUMBERS ON THIS SET ARE ACTUALLY THE WRONG WAY ROUND. THE VERY FIRST PRESSES OF THIS ALBUM ALWAYS HAD A1/B1 ENDINGS TO BOTH SIDES, BUT THE CATALOGUE NUMBERS WERE PRESSED INTO THE WRONG ALBUMS WHICH IS WHY YOU WILL FIND A GENUINE 1ST PRESS SIDE A (FOR EXAMPLE) WITH 613009 WITH THE 9 CROSSED OUT AND AN 8 ETCHED NEXT TO IT, BECAUSE THE FIRST DISC OF THE SET WAS 613008 AND DISC 2 WAS 613009.

ON THIS ONE THE CORRECT NUMBER HAS BEEN CROSSED OUT AND THE INCORRECT ONE ETCHED NEXT TO IT, AND THIS FOLLOWS ON ALL 4 SIDES

ANYWAY I HOPE ALL OF THAT MADE SENSE, BUT SAFE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE HERE A REAL HENDRIX ANOMOLY AND ONE OF ONLY POSSIBLY A HANDFUL THAT WERE PRESSED THIS WAY BEFORE THE ERROR WAS CORRECTED AT THE FACTORY BACK IN 68.

STILL CONFUSED? DROP ME AN EMAIL AND I'LL ATTEMPT TO UNCONFUSE YOU

ANYWAY NOW ON WITH THE DESCRIPTION

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE JET BLACK TRACK LABELS ARE THE ORIGINAL FIRST ISSUE LABELS, NOT THE LATER SET. HOW TO TELL?

WELL THE FIRST ISSUE LABELS DO NOT HAVE ' A TWO RECORD SET' ON THE LABEL AT 3 O'CLOCK. ALSO FIRST ISSUE LABELS HAVE THE CATALOGUE NUMBER UPSIDE DOWN AT 9 O'CLOCK IN BRACKETS ABOVER THE LARGE TYPEFACED CATALOGUE NUMBER.

THESE ARE AS FIRST ISSUE LABELS AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET

THE JET BLACK COLOUR IS ABSOLUTELY UNBLEMISHED AND STRETCHES FULLY INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE SILVER LOGO AND TYPEFACE IS ALSO IMMACULATE

THERE IS NOT ONE SPIDER LINE ON ANY OF THE 4 LABELS, SHOWING JUST WHY THIS SET HAS REMAINED IN THE TOTALLY UNPLAYED CONDITION, AND ALONG WITH THE IMMACULATE VINYL IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE THAT AN ORIGINAL 1968 ISSUE OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM SHOULD BE IN THIS MINT CONDITION

THE VINYL

BOTH VINYLS ARE JUST IMMACULATE. THEY GLEAM LIKE THE DAY THEY WERE PRESSED, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE NO WISPY HAIRLINES OR ANYTHING. THE BEST COPY OF THIS ALBUM I HAVE EVER LAID MY EYES ON, AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET AN ABSOLUTE GEM

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED ALL 4 SIDES FROM START TO FINISH, AND THE REASON I HAVE TAKEN THIS EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT TO DO THIS IS MY ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF BUYING VINYL ON EBAY. IT HAS OFTEN BEEN A CRITISISM AND RIGHTLY SO, THAT BUYING VINYL THROUGH EBAY IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LOTTERY, DUE TO THE MISDECRIBED DISCS THAT SOME SELLERS PLACE FOR SALE. TOO MANY HAVE PURCHASED A 'MINT' DISC ONLY TO FIND THAT IT HAS A VG QUALITY OF LESS. HERE THEN IS THE ANSWER. YOU CAN NOT ONLY READ ABOUT, BUT NOW HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE LP YOU ARE CONSIDERING BIDDING ON ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE, AND WHILST IT TAKES ME FAR LONGER TO COMPLETE I AM CONVINCED THAT POTENTIOAL BIDDERS WILL LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING BIDDING ON

I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I WAS BY FINDING AND THEN HEARING THIS UNPLAYED LP SET.I WAS IN TWO MINDS WHETHER OR NOT TO ACTUALLY PLAY IT AT ALL, BUT AS I HAVE MENTIONED ABOVE I AM CERTAIN THAT BUYERS WOULD WANT TO HEAR FOR THEM SELVES, AND MY CAREFUL TEST PLAY WILL NOT MAR THE REPRODUCTION ONE LITTLE BIT . THE WHOLE THING PLAYS TO A MAGNIFICENT STANDARD. WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR REPRODUCTION

THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION ANYWHERE, BUT THEN AGAIN WITH AN UNPLAYED ALBUM WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT.

THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS SUPERB, AND THERE IS NO CRACKLING OR ANY UNWANTED NOISES. NO STAIC OR ANYTHING ELSE

IT'S ABSOLUTELY AS MINT AS YOU COULD EVER WISH TO FIND THIS ALBUM

BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, TAKE A LISTEN FOR YOURSELF AND BE THE JUDGE

THE SLEEVE

FANTASTIC SLEEVE WITH A MAGNIFICENT SPINE WHICH IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF. THE SLEEVE IS A LAMINATED GATEFOLD FROM HOWARDS OF SLOUGH.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS MAGNIFICENT AND GLEAMS LIKE A NEW SLEEVE WITH A LAMINATED SURFACE THAT IS UNCREASED IN ANY WAY. THERE ARE NO BENDS OR FOLDS, AND ALL OF THE LAMINATE IS PERFECTLY INTACT. NO PEEL OR FLAKE, AND CERTAINLY NO LAMINATE LIFT EITHER.THERE ARE JUST TWO REALLY SMALL LAMINATE LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINE, ONE ON THE TOP AND ONE ON THE BOTTOM EDGE.

IF YOU ANGLE THE LP SLEEVE INTO THE LIGHT THERE IS THE LIGHTEST SHADOW OF RECORD SHAPE

THE TOP LEFT CORNER HAS THE SMALLEST OF DINGS TO IT

 THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE 100% UNWORN, WITH ALL OF THE LAMINATE IN PERFECT CONDITION.

THE SPINE IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS I HAVE EVER SEEN.IT IS THE THINNER SPINE WITH THE GROOVE RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE, AND I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE TIMES I HAVE SEEN THIS SORT OF SPINE WITH SEVERE LAMINATE FLAKE. WELL THIS ONE IS ABSLUTELY PRISTINE AND FLAKE FREE

THE FRONT OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP WHILST THE BACK ONE HAS VERY LIGHT FEATHERING AND THIS IS PURELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CARD OVERHANGS THE VERY BACK EDGE BY A MILLIMETRE, AND NOT BECAISE OF OWNER ABUSE.

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS NICE AS THE FRONT, AGAIN NO CREASES , JUST THE SMALL LINES NEAR THE SPINE TOTALLING 3 AND  ONE AGAIN ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PRISTINE PAIR OF INNER PANELS. THE INSIDE OF THE SPINE DOES HAVE VERY TINY BIT OF FLAKING, AND INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE INNER PANELS HAVE BEEN PASTED SLIGHTLY INACCURATELY HAVING THE PANELS SLIGHTLY OVERHANG ON ONE SIDE, AND UNDERHANG ON THE OTHER (AGAIN THIS IS WHY THERE IS SLIGHT FEATHERING ON THE REAR OPENING EDGE

FINALLY THE TWO ORIGINAL  POLY LINED INNER SLEEVES ARE IN ORIGINAL CONDITION AS WELL. NOT A CREASE LINE ON THEM, NO SPLITS TO THE SEAMS AND TOTALLY UNDAMAGED IN ANY WAY. FULLY COMPLIMENTING THIS SUPERB SLEEVE (JUST LIGHT AGING AROUND THE PERIMETER EDGES)

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO HESITATION IN GRADING THE SLEEVE NEAR MINT MINUS

SO HERE YOU HAVE ARGUABLY THE RAREST ELECTRIC LADYLAND ON THE PLANET, AND IT CAN ONLY GROW IN VALUE AND SCARCITY OVER THE YEARS, AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET THEIR HANDS ON AN ABSOLUTE GEM

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY