Led Zeppelin HOUSES OF THE HOLY UK LP1ST PRESS A2/B2 W/OBI PLAYS NEAR MINT

	£		256
	$		339

LED ZEPPELIN - HOUSES OF THE HOLY

IN MAGNIFICENT 3-4 PLAY NEAR MINT !!!CONDITION

ORIGINAL 1ST PRESS  NO WARNER LOGO ON LABEL

A2/B2

ALL 1ST PRESS INDICATORS

INCLUDES THE RARE OBI STRIP

• CATALOGUE:ATLANTIC  K 50014
• MATRIX: K50014 A2 / B2
• STERLING RL STAMPED INTO THE DEAD WAX ON BOTH SIDES
• VERY HEAVYWEIGHT 1ST PRESS VINYL

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 PRESS LIMITED, AND FINALLY ON THE VERY FIRST ISSUES ONLY THERE IS A SMALL THUMB NOTCH ALONG THE TOP EDGE OF THE INNER. THIS WAS ONLY EVER AVAILABLE ON THE VERY FIRST BATCH OF THE FIRST PRESSES. IT WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE AND WAS QUICKLY REPLACED WITH AN INNER THAT LOOKED AND FELT THE SAME BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE NOTCH

THE VERY VERY FIRST BATCH ALSO CAME WITH A JAPANESE STYLED OBI STRIP, WHICH HAD THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE REAR SURFACE

'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 GLOSSY FINISH AND HAS NO WARNER LOGO AT 3 O'CLOCK ON IT, AND THE MATRIX NUMBER MUST BE A2 / B2 (A3/B2 OR A2/B3 WHILST ONE DIGIT HIGHER ARE STILL FIRST PRESS ISSUES)

FINALLY THE VINYL ON THE FIRST PRESSES IS A HEAVY WEIGHT DISC, AND BARELY FLEXIBLE

THIS IS A PROPER FIRST ISSUE SET

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE GREEN AND ORANGE ARE IN MINT 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 4 MINUSCULE SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE SHOWING THAT THIS SUPERB VINYL HAS JUST HAD THE FEW PLAYS

THE VINYL

THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL IS IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION. IT HAS RETAINED ALL OF IT'S ORIGINAL SHEEN.IN DAYLIGHT THERE IS JUST ONE NON SOUNDING VERY FINE HANDLING LINE ON SIDE ONE VISIBLE. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE SOME WISPY HAIRLINES CAUSED BY SLEEVE WITHDRAWAL, AND A FEW MORE VERY FINE HANDLING LINES

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 THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS OUT THERE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE THINKING OF BIDDING ON, BEFORE LAYING A BID.

THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE LP PLAYS JUST SUPERBLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH SIDES, WITH A CRYSTAL CLEAR AND LOUD STEREO REPRODUCTION, AND EVERY NOTE IS HEARD AS WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED.

THE FIRST THING TO NOTE IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE CLARITY OF THE SOUND, THERE IS NO DISTORTION TO IT WHATSOEVER, MEANING THAT THE LITTLE PLAY THIS LP HAS RELIVED WAS COMPLETED ON A SYSTEM THAT HAD A CORRECTLY WEIGHTED AND UNWORN STYLUS

NEXT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO UNWANTED BACKGROUND CRACKLE. THE LP PLAYS SUPERBLY, AND IN ADDITION THERE ARE NO LOUD CLICKS

NO DISTRACTIVE VINYL NOISE EITHER AND THE LINKING GROOVES ARE SILENT AS ARE THE RUN IN'S AND RUN OUTS

THERE IS THE VERY OCCASIONAL AND BARELY AUDIBLE STATIC LIKE BACKGROUND HEARD ONLY IN THE MOST SILENT OF PASSAGES LIKE THE LINKING GROOVES ( A VERY SLIGHT SPECK MORE IN 'NO QUARTER)

I HEARD NO MORE THAN 4-5 OF THE TINIEST LITTLE DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAYTHROUGH

THIS VINYL WAS AN ABSOLUTE JOY TO LISTEN TO, SO PLEASE DO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE NEAR MINT FOR THE PLAYTHROUGH!!! (NEAR MINT MINUS AT THE ABSOLUTE WORST!)

IT IS A MUSEUM QUALITY VINYL AND DISC THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT THERE

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 AVOIDED BECAUSE THE DELICATE SLEEVE HAS SPENT IT'S LIFE INSIDE A PLASTIC  OUTER SLEEVE WHICH HAS PROTECTED IT AGAINST JUST ABOUT EVERY ISSUE THAT USUALLY RAVAGES IT

THERE IS JUST ONE TINY LINE CLOSE TO THE SPINE. NONE AT ALL ALONG THE TOP OR BOTTOM EDGES, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AGAIN ARE USUALLY RUBBED BARE, BUT AGAIN DUE TO THE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO IT, THIS ONE HAS REMAINED IN PRISTINE CONDITION WITH JUST A FEW WHITE PIN PRICKS SHOWING THROUGH

THE SPINE IS ALSO JUST IMMACULATE. FLAT. AND TOTALLY UNRUBBED. AMAZINGLY NO COLOUR LOSS WHATSOEVER, BECAUSE THIS USUALLY FADES BADLY, BUT THIS ONE IS VERY RICH AND MATCHES THE COLOUR OF THE FRONT AND BACK. THERE IS THE BAREST SPECK OF RUBBING TO THE BOTTOM TIP END

THE OPENING EDGE IS AS SHARP AS THE DAY IT WAS PUT TOGETHER. NO SMALL THUMB NAIL NICKS ON ANY PART OF IT.

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.

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS

THE INNER SLEEVE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY LOOKED AFTER FROM NEW.THE ORIGINAL OWNER DECIDED TO REMOVE THE LP FROM IT AND KEEP THAT SEPARATE IN A DIFFERENT INNER, WHILST PLACING THE TEXTURED INNER INTO IT'S OWN PLASTIC SLEEVE , WHICH IS WHY THIS MUST BE ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF ORIGINAL ISSUES THAT HAS THE THUMB NOTCH ALONG THE TOP IN PRISTINE UNBLEMISHED CONDITION. IT IS STILL PURE WHITE AND TOTALLY UNSPLIT!

THE ORIGINAL OBI STRIP IS ALSO INUNDAMAGED UNRIPPED UNREPAIRED CONDITION, AGAIN HAVING BEEN KEPT INSIDE THE PLASTIC OUTER FROM NEW. STILL VERY VERY WHITE. NO NICKS TO THE EDGES, AND JUST A COUPLE OF LIGHT CREASE LINES AT THE VERY BOTTOM

I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW INCREDIBLE THIS WHOLE ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS SET IS AND WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IN MY OPINION TO UPGRADE FROM

THE SLEEVE GRADES AS MINT MINUS!!!  IT IS JUST THAT GOOD

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

GARRY