Led Zeppelin HOUSES OF THE HOLY UK LP 1ST 2 PLAY MINT-

	£		44
	$		58

LED ZEPPELIN - HOUSES OF THE HOLY

IN MAGNIFICENT 2 PLAY CONDITION

ORIGINAL 1ST PRESS NO WARNER LOGO ON LABEL

A3/B3

ALL 1ST PRESS INDICATORS

• CATALOGUE:ATLANTIC  K 50014
• MATRIX: K5004 A3 / B3 (2N D EARLIEST MATRIX NUMBERS)
• STERLING ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX ON BOTH SIDES

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO LIST A GEUNINE 1ST ISSUE 1ST PRESS HOUSES ALBUM LAST WEEK, AND THIS WEEK I HAVE ADDED THE FIRST ISSUE 2ND PRESS WITH THE SLIGHTLY HIGHER MATRIX NUMBER . THIS IS STILL A FIRST PRESS ISSUE AND CAME FROM THE SAME COLLECTORS COLLECTION AND IS IN THE SAME MAGNIFICENT CONDITION

I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THE SUBJECT OF AN ALL ORIGINAL PRESS. WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT OVER TIME SLEEVES AND INNERS HAVE BEEN SWAPPED ON ZEPPELIN ALBUMS TO THE POINT THAT IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY AN ORIGINAL ISSUE, YOU MAY WELL END UP WITH A HYBRID,

WELL FIRSTLY THE SLEEVE ON THE ORIGINAL PRESS WAS MADE OF A SLIGHTLY THICKER CARD AND THEREFORE SOMEWHAT STRONGER. IF YOU LOOK ON THE INSIDE OF THE SLEEVE THE ORIGINAL CARD IS SLIGHTLY A LIGHTER SHADE OF BROWN THAN THAT OF THE LATER PRESSES, BUT MOST OBVIOUS IS THE FACT THAT ON THE ORIGINAL ISSUES THE SLEEVE WAS UNLAMINATED, WHEREAS THE LATER SLEEVES WERE SLIGHTLY GLOSSY AND HAVE A SMOOTH FINISH TO THEM

THE INNER SLEEVES ARE TEXTURED NOT SMOOTH LIKE LATER PRESSES AND THEY ARE MADE FROM STRONGER PAPER. 1ST ISSUES ARE ALSO PRESSED UP BY MACNEIL AND SONS, AND FINALLY ON THE VERY FIRST ISSUES ONLY THERE IS A SMALL THUMB NOTCH ALONG THE TOP EDGE OF THE INNER.( THIS IS FROM THE NEXT BATCH WITHOUT THE THUMB NOTCH) THIS WAS ONLY EVER AVAILABLE ON THE VERY FIRST BATCH OF THE FIRST PRESSES. IT WAS SUCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE AND WAS QUICKLY REPLACED WITH AN INNER THAT LOOKED AND FELT THE SAME BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE NOTCH(THIS ONE)

THE VERY VERY FIRST BATCH ALSO CAME WITH A JAPANESE STYLED OBI STRIP, WHICH HAD THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE REAR SURFACE(THE NEXT BATCH WHICH THIS CAME FROM DIDN'T HAVE THE STRIP)

'This stereo record can be played on Mono reproducers provided either a compatible or stereo cartridge wired for Mono is fitted. Recent equiptment may already be fitted with a suitable cartridge. If in doubt consult your supplier'

THE GREEN AND ORANGE LABEL IS THE DULLER LESS GOSSY FINISH(SAME ON THIS ISSUE) AND HAS NO WARNER LOGO AT 3 O'CLOCK ON IT,(SAME ON THIS ISSUE) AND THE MATRIX NUMBER MUST BE A2 / B2(THIS IS A3/B3, THE NEXT PRESS MADE, STILL IN 1973)

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE GREEN AND ORANGE ARE IN TOP CONDITION. BOTH BASE COLOURS ARE RICH AND VIBRANT, AND THE WHITE BAND IS STILL WHITE AND NOT SOILED AT ALL. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS UNRUBBED AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. FINALLY THERE ARE JUST 2 TINY SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE SHOWING THAT THIS SUPERB VINYL HAS JUST HAD THE 2 PLAYS

THE VINYL

THE  VINYL IS IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION. IT HAS RETAINED ALL OF IT'S ORIGINAL SHEEN. IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS PRESSED. ONLY WHEN OFFERED UP TO INTENSE ILLUMINATION AM I ABLE TO MAKE OUT A FEW WISPY SURFACE HAIRLINES

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 4 THRCOMPLETE TRACKS FROM THIS LP. THESE INCLUDE THE FIRST TRACK FROM EACH SIDE WHICH INCLUDES THE DEAD WAX RUN IN, AND ONE OTHER RANDOM TRACK INCLUDING THE LINKING GROOVE, THIS IS SO YOU ARE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SILENCE IN THE DEAD WAX PASSAGES

THE LP PLAYS JUST SUPERBLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH SIDES, AND THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION, BACKGROUND CRACKLES OR CLICKS OF ANY DESCRIPTION

IF I AM BEING ULTRA PICKY THERE IS SOME VERY LIGHT STATIC IN A FEW OF THE QUIETEST MOMENTS, BUT I CAN ONLY HEAR IT BECAUSE I SIT NO MORE THAN 12 INCHES FROM MY SPEAKERS AS I TYPE THIS OUT

PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS DISC MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

 UNLAMINATED STRONG CARDED UNLAMINATED ORIGINAL ISSUE SLEEVE. THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND HAS NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES. THE SLEEVE HISTORICALLY SUFFERS FROM COLOUR LOSS DUE TO RUBBING, BUT THIS HAS BEEN TOTALLY AVAOIDED BECAUSE THE DELICATE SLEEVE HAS SPENT IT'S LIFE INSIDE A PLASTIC GATEFOLD OUTER SLEEVE WHICH HAS PROTETCTED IT AGAINST JUST ABOUT EVERY ISSUE THAT USUALLY RAVAGES THIS SLEEVE

THERE IS ONE REALLY TINY LINE CLOSE TO THE SPINE AND ANOTHER NEAR THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND THE FRONT SURFACE JUST LOOKS FANTASTIC

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AGAIN ARE USUALLY RUBBED BARE, BUT AGAIN DUE TO THE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO IT, HAS JUST A COUPLE OF PIN PRICKS OF WHITE SHOWING THROUGH.

THE SPINE IS ALSO JUST IMMACULATE. FLAT. AND TOTALLY UNRUBBED

THE OPENING EDGE IS VERY VERY SHARP WITH JUST A COUPLE OF REALLY TINY THUMB NAIL NICKS TO SHOW THAT THE LP HAS BEEN OUT OF THE COVER A COUPLE OF TIMES.

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS MAGNIFICENT AS THE REST OF THE SLEEVE, AND IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF RINGWEAR, OR EVEN RECORD SHAPE THAT USUALLY PLAGUES THIS DELICATE SLEEVE

THE INNER SLEEVE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY LOOKED AFTER FROM NEW.THE ORIGINAL OWNER DECIDED TO REMOVE THE LP FROM IT AND KEEP THAT SEPERATE IN A DIFFERENT INNER.

THE INSIDE OF THE GATEFOLD HOUSES TWO RICHLY COLOURED PANELS, WITH JUST THE MOST MINISCULE AMOUNT OF RUBBING RIGHT AT THE VERT TOP

A HIGH GRADE COLLECTIBLE SET IN MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL CONDITION

THE SLEEVE GRADES AS NEAR MINT,

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

GARRY