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Led Zeppelin II : A2/B2 2nd Red/Plum Press 1969 (The Lemon Song / Thankyou)

This very early pressing plays with stunning quality across both sides with only minimal background on a couple of tracks and that is only brief anyway.  The vast majority is 'as new' no exaggeration and there are no clicks or pops and barely any static!  It is easily one of the finest examples of this classic album that I have heard in many a year and this is an original A2/B2 pressing!  It has been very carefully looked after and whilst it has been played it has clearly not been overplayed.  The clarity of sound is on another level and despite being a classic rock album there are of course a number of quiet sections.  Another stand out feature is the power and depth of the audio, it would be difficult to find better.  The audio resonates so powerfully around the room and there is no distortion on the top end, a genuine rarity.

The vinyl is visually very strong with only some light hairlines but again there is nothing that stands out.  How difficult is it to find this easily damaged cover in good condition these days?  This is one of the lighter brown versions and has been preserved very well with only minimal wear mainly on the edges really.  The original inner is in pretty good shape with just some spotting.

This is known as a second press as it still has a 2/2 matrix and the Copyright Control credit on the labels.  This pressing of course has 'The Lemon Song' and 'Thankyou' credit on S1 and 'Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's A Woman)' credit on S2 which were of course changed to 'Thank You' and '...She's Just A Woman' on later pressings.

588 198   A ▽ 2   1 1 1 3 // 588 198   B ▽ 2   1 1 3 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T4 ranges between Ex+ and Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T1 Page solo Ex+ / T5 vocal section Ex+)

The gatefold is Ex-

The labels are Ex+

The original inner is VG++

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still retains a lovely glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  Only under a strong light can I seen some faint hairlines but there is nothing that stands out.  The surface is very clean with no dulling and there is no groove wear either.  The red/plum labels have no writing on them but when held at a certain angle you can see some faint spotting.

Play grading  

The run in on S1 has not so much as a dust tick and the intro on the classic 'Whole Lotta Love' is just as clean with no background of any kind.  Plant's opening vocal is of the same standard and it continues to play with exceptional power and depth and with a clarity that could not be beaten.  The psychedelic instrumental section is 'as new' and the notes here are crystal clear to say the least and especially on Bonham's percussion.  I cannot remember when I last heard this section play as well as this!  Page's brief solo is faultless as is the next vocal section.  The very quiet Way down inside... passage plays beautifully with no intrusion and the remainder plays with sublime quality also.  From start to finish the depth and resonance of the audio is just STUNNING and it has to be graded as Mint such is the quality.  There is not even any background on the fade out!

With complete silence in the dead wax the opening verse on 'What Is And What Should Never Be' is as close to perfect as is possible.  There are just two barely audible ticks that hardly warrant a mention as they are so darn quiet!  The first high octane section is superb and from then on it plays with a clarity, depth and power that is second to none.  There is no intrusion on the audio - every quiet and not so quiet (!) section plays with incredible precision and I cannot find one single negative.  The powerful end section has no distortion and again the long fade out has no background.  I will grade as Mint- although I'm not so sure the minus needs to be there!

'The Lemon Song' then impresses on so many levels.  For starters there is no interference - Plant's first vocal is perfect and Page's rip-roaring solo is just phenomenal!  Jones' bass adds so much to this track and because the playback is so clean there is no 'muddiness' to the sound at all, no distortion either.  His mid bass solo could not play any better and the accompanying vocal etc is just as strong.  Once again I am left in awe at the sheer clarity on offer here - there is literally nothing getting in the way of the audio and this is of course a long section - the clarity throughout is amazing!  Page's final solo, Jones' frenetic bass and Bonham's exquisite work end this track on a high and once more I am fully confident in grading this as Mint - an outstanding version.

The intro on 'Thank You' for once plays perfectly with no static distortion and Plant's first vocal is close to that with only a couple of mega quiet static sounds.  As it builds the playback is so clear and there is so much less distortion than what you normally find i.e. hardly any.  The acoustic mid instrumental plays with sublime quality and the next quiet vocal is nigh on perfect with only a couple of light static ticks but again so quiet and hardly worth mentioning.  Just a touch of minor distortion during the next vocal section and then the quiet 'If the sun refused to shine...' vocal passage / instrumental plays very clearly with only the bare minimum of light background static.  This section is so often ruined by a fair amount of static / crackle / distortion but the playback here is very clean.  Perhaps just a little more static during the instrumental section but still quiet.  The fade out / in / out section is superb - barely any background.  I think ranging between Ex+ and Near Mint is a fair assessment of the audio.  What a side of music!

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'Heartbreaker' on S2 plays with impeccable quality from the get go.  Another classic riff and another classic track!  The intro and opening vocals are flawless and it continues to play with tremendous power and depth and...no interference.  The quieter stand alone Page solo has is very clean with only a 3/4 static ticks and just a touch of light static that is in no way intrusive, it still plays incredibly well.  The instrumental leading out of it is as dynamic as it gets, the playback is superb!  The end vocal is 'as new' and the vast majority is Mint without doubt and Ex+ during the solo section.

'Livin' Lovin' Maid' plays with stunning precision from the first note to the last.  So strong and deep it still has its original sonic quality and there is no distortion on the top end.  It drives with great power throughout and Mint is richly deserved.

The acoustic on 'Ramble On' has not one dust tick let alone anything more and this clarity continues into the first verse and chorus.  In fact the more I listen to it the better it gets!  Each note is so sharp and precise to such an extent that it sounds like it has never been on a turntable before!  This standard is kept up to the very end - right through the long fade out also.  This is Mint it really is audio of the highest calibre, wow!

'Moby Dick' then delivers on every level also.  From the intro, through Bonham's long solo and then the final instrumental the audio is absolutely STUNNING!  This is another track that is again so often affected by interference but not here.  The clarity of sound is just incredible and nowhere is that more obvious than during the 'calmer' moments of the solo.  Honestly I cannot praise it highly enough - this is the definitive version as it just could not be improved upon.  Mint etc etc etc!

The bass / harmonica intro on 'Bring It On Home' has no interference and the vocal section plays very clearly with only light background static that is not intrusive in any way.  As the volume increases there is for once no distortion and that applies to the next vocal also.  It proceeds in much the same way with very powerful audio and with none of the distortion that is often prevalent here.  The end vocal has no obvious static and this is easily one of the strongest versions that you will find.  Mint- for the majority and say Ex+ during the earlier vocal section.

In summary this very early A2/B2 pressing plays to a superb standard with not one single click or pop and barely any static.  Even where I have graded as Ex+ the background is kept to a minimum.  I am finding harder to find high end versions of this LP these days but this is undoubtedly one of the finest red/plums I have ever had the pleasure in listening to.  The sonic quality is STUNNING!  The power and depth of the audio is so good and as stated the clarity of sound is so impressive also.  The lack of distortion is another thing that stands out.  Not quite a final upgrade but damn close to it!

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

As per the vinyl it is becoming more difficult to find this cover in decent condition but overall this one has been preserved very well.  I do not think it is the lightest brown one that you find with the first Wreck pressings but it is definitely one of the lighter versions.  The edges have some rubbing but not an excessive amount and the spine is in great shape with only a little wear on the corners.  The right hand corners are even better with just a little more 'rub' noticeable on the bottom edge towards the right hand corner of the front cover.  The opening edge has only minimal handling wear and to be honest the right hand edge of the front cover has just a little more.  The front cover itself is in my opinion one of the cleanest you will find especially of this 'vintage'.  There is no obvious marking, just some very light spotting on the white area.  There is what I think is the original price sticker in the top right corner (in old money!) and just to the right of that a small print type mark also.  The back cover is of course so often found in poor condition but this one remains in great order with only the bare minimum of light spotting, nothing obvious.  A minor touch of light ringwear as well.  The inside of the gatefold is is lovely condition with no marking / writing - a fine example overall that has to grade as Ex- at the very least.

The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner has no side splits and only minimal creasing.  There is some spotting though and one tiny tear on the central 'window'.

Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

588 198   A ▽ 2   1 1 1 3 // 588 198   B ▽ 2   1 1 3 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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