LED ZEPPELIN IV (4 symbols) TOP MINT AUDIO 1ST PRESS

	£		129
	$		171

ULTRA RARE 1ST PRESS

LED ZEPPELIN IV (4 symbols)

1ST PRESS (LED ZEPPELIN POSITIONED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LABEL)

MATRIX DETAILS            INSCRIBED           MOTHER STAMP

SIDE 1  2401012##  A//3   PECKO DUCK             1 2

SIDE 2 2401012 B//4       PORKY                   1 1   4    6

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM MY WEBSITE

IST PRESS LED ZEPPELIN IV WHICH ONE EXPLAINED BELOW

AS MANY LED ZEPPELIN COLLECTORS WILL ALREADY KNOW ALL STANDARD 1ST PRESSINGS OF THIS LP CAME ON THE RED/MAROON (PLUM) ATLANTIC LABEL.  HOWEVER, HAVING THIS RED/MAROON LABEL DOESNT ALWAYS INDICATE A 1ST PRESSING AS THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT LABELS.

ONLY THIS VERY 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESSING OF THIS LP ONLY EVER CAME WITH 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESS LABELS AND IS OF THE UTMOST RARITY AS ONLY A FEW HUNDRED WERE EVER MADE.

I WILL EXPLAIN AND SHOW JUST EXACTLY WHY THIS PARTICULAR LP IS SO MUCH RARER THAN ANY OTHER, FIRSTLY IT IS EASY TO DISCOUNT THE LATER RED/MAROON (PLUM) LABEL PRESSINGS THESE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESSED LABELS ARE VERY VERY DIFFERENT TO ALL LATER RED/MAROON LABELS - AND WERE CHANGED EVEN BEFORE THE RELEASE DATE WITH ONLY A FEW HUNDRED EVER MADE,  I WILL NOW EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES. 

IF YOU LOOK AT THESE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESSED LABELS IN MY PICTURES,  THE FIRST THING TO NOTICE IS THAT THE "UNDER LICENCE FROM ATLANTIC RECORDING CORPN., U.S.A" IS ABOVE THE WHITE LINE IN THE RED PART OF THE LABEL (LATER LABELS HAVE THIS TEXT INSIDE THE WHITE STRIPE) EXACTLY THE SAME AS ALL EARLIER ATLANTIC LPS (LIKE LED ZEPPELIN III FOR EXAMPLE)  THE SECOND THING TO NOTICE IS THAT THE MUSIC CREDITS WERE ACCIDENTALLY OMITTED ON THESE EARLIEST 1ST PRESS LABELS, IF YOU LOOK BELOW THE SONG LISTING ON EITHER SIDE IT SAYS 'KINNEY MUSIC LTD' ONLY THIS WAS A SERIOUS OMISSION AS ON ALL LATER RED/PLUM LABELS THE CREDITS WERE CHANGED TO 'KINNEY MUSIC/SUPERHYPE MUSIC INC'  HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE ON THESE ULTRA RARE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESS LABELS IS WERE THE 'LED ZEPPELIN' TEXT IS POSITIONED & ALSO THE EXTRA 'PETER GRANT' CREDIT WHICH WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED ON ALL LATER PRESSINGS,  ON THESE ULTRA RARE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESS LABELS THE TEXT 'LED ZEPPELIN' IS POSITIONED TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF EACH LABEL AND IS IN RELATIVELLY SMALL TEXT, ON ALL LATER LABELS THE 'LED ZEPPELIN' TEXT IS SLIGHTLY LARGER & POSITIONED TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE LABELS JUST BELOW THE FOUR SYMBOLS, THESE EARLIEST 1ST PRESS LABELS ALSO HAVE A 'PETER GRANT' PRODUCTION CREDIT AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH LABEL WHICH WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED ON ALL LATER LABELS, AND THESE ULTRA RARE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESS DETAILS ARE SERIOUSLY RARE AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT THIS IS THE 'EARLIEST' & RAREST 1ST PRESSING YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET.

THIS LP IS SERIOUSLY RARE AND SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. 

CONDITION

VINYL VISUALLY

The original red/plum labels always have the heavier black gloss finish as with this one, looks superb, side one hardly has a mark on it only a few faint wispy lines, side two much the same apart from one hairline mark about 3” long. This DOES NOT affect play in anyway. It lays perfectly flat.

EXCELLENT

VINYL PLAY GRADED

It plays from start to finish with a superb clarity, it is virtually silent between tracks with NO hiss or pops or anything else, truly superb, I would have to say it is as near to mint as you could get, this album is one of their all-time greats with STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN being one of their most famous tracks.

Side two being mostly quieter tracks proved no problem listening to it on headphones, all you hear is the wonderful music and nothing else, truly a fantastic album.

MINT-

LABELS

Side one is superb, I would say it was virtually mint, no marks whatsoever,

MINT

Side two however would have been the same had it not been for a name written between `under licence from Atlantic recording corpn` and the white strip going through the middle with the big Atlantic logo, its six letters and pretty faint but you can see it, whether it could be removed I don’t know, possibly? Otherwise no other blemish at all, again would have been mint but can only grade side two`s label

Very Good

SLEEVE

The original gatefold sleeve is in a very good condition, it is completely in one piece NO splits or tears or any writing, there is the usual shelf wear but not much, the spine is very good although slightly squashed from when it was new, and there are two small stains on the back, nothing intrusive (see photos). CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

Very Good

INNER SLEEVE

As with nearly all they split on the sides due to the paper being so thin, this is no different but it is in one piece and has NO tears or rips otherwise and is the original grey colour.

Very Good

RECAP; this is a great example of this first press album, SUPERB MINT like AUDIO. Please look at all the photos and please feel free to ask any questions.

I WILL SEND 1ST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY TO THE UK. OUTSIDE THE UK IT WILL BE SENT INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR. THE POSTAGE COST INCLUDES INSURANCE, AND THEY WILL BE SENT  IN AN ALBUM MAILER WITH STIFFENERS.

Record Collector Magazine's Grading Guide

MINT:
The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks
or deterioration in sound quality.
The cover and any extra items are in perfect condition.
Records advertised as sealed or un-played should be mint.

EXCELLENT:
The record shows some signs of having been played,
but there is very little lessening in sound quality.
The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

VERY GOOD:
The record has obviously been played many times,
but displays no major deterioration in sound quality,
despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch.
Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items,
without any major defects, is acceptable.

GOOD:
The record has been played so much
that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated,
perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches.
The cover and contents suffer from folding,
scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.

FAIR:
The record is still just playable but it has not been cared for properly 
and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. 
The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.