ROLLING STONES Let It Bleed UK Orig 69 MONO

	£		246
	$		326

Hi, I am Mike, now 50 – yes the big FIVE-O! Old enough to remember the golden era of original, high quality music, bands, artists and television.

Also records from the 1960s and 70s bought from the shops from new, I have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 37 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and elusive items now. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested reader – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching for covers - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic , and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortophon 520 Mk II cartridge (tracks at 1.75 grams). Amps: Arcam 2 x 125W Pre-Power. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: All records are posted in professional mailers or boxes as deemed appropriate for the individual item with the record(s) REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. Records are posted with TWO (at least) massively thick stiffners for protection and also heavier protection if deemed necessary depending on the content. These stiffners are the thickest possible and custom supplied for ‘Oneadayrecords’ – these are NOT commercially available and you will not have seen thicker protection anywhere. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if possible. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the cheapest and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional’ P&P. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.2 per percent based on over 2,000 items sold in over 5 years Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. Since the introduction of my ‘special’ stiffners it’s a rate of zero.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

Album Title: Let it Bleed

Producer(s): Jimmy Miller.

Chief Engineer: Glyn Johns.

Assistant Engineers: Bruce Botnick, Jerry Hansen and George Chiantzalias.

Cat Number: LK 5025.

Track Listing: Side 1: Gimme Shelter, Love in Vain; Country Honk; Live With Me; Let it Bleed.

Side 2: Gimme Shelter, Love in Vain; Country Honk; Live With Me; Let it Bleed; Midnight Rambler; You Got the Silver; Monkey Man; You Can’t Always Get What You Want.

Label/Format: Decca – Original red unboxed logos with ffrr ear logo (full frequency range recording).

Label Conditions: Two very clean and attractive examples of these most prized Stones record labels. Spindle marks are very light indeed and only three or four can be seen on each side. Verhy slight friction rubs around the hole from which these vintage red Decca mono labels rarely escape. Usually the result of rubbing from old rubber turnable matts from the period of issue when the record was taken off while still rotating, a mere blemish anyway, these two beautiful labels will be very difficult to find better on this classic album. (Please look at my labels scans which I have uploaded to maximum resolution – the power of Broad-Band which now makes this possible).

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 150 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Regarded by many collectors as the cornerstone of any Rolling Stones collection, this legendary title in mono is high prized and elusive. Genuinely rare now in terms of numbers made in mono and complete copies in fine condition are getting harder and harder to find as fewer are available to offer, most being locked away in valuable collections. This was the last Stones album to be issued in mono and also the last to feature Brian Jones before his tragic and untimely death. As the 60s drew to a close, the mono format was largely on its way out and the majority of new titles within this year were not made in the single channel mode. Not only that, the large unboxed Decca label format was also fast to be replaced by new smaller boxed format making both format and label scarce and elusive. Those who did buy the mono version usually did so to play on mono equipment which so often resulted in wear and damage from heavyweight, thick and often worn mono stylii that were far more prone to inflict groovewear. So many of these get seen (when available, or even in collections) with large marks, deep scratches and a multitude of spindle marks and rarely with such copies play with enjoyable sound especially on modern critically revealing equipment. This copy on offer has little of such abuse or heavy use and indeed looks little played at all. Sound quality for the vast majority is very high and marks are few and very light and indeed have practically no affect on audio quality at all. There is a little gentle surface sound in a few places but little caused me any real offence and I enjoyed this gem immensely. Both cover and poster are superb and the fragile inner has only one corner crease of note. So a rare and elusive title in huge demand from collectors and a fine example overall, it’s the best I have seen for some considerable time.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: XARL 9363.P-1A and XARL 9364.P-1A

Stamper Codes: 1 A / 1 U1

Brief Artist & Album Info: Without doubt one of the most important mono albums ever made and its always a real pleasure offering a very clean copy with a beautiful stickered cover, inner and ultra clean, unmounted poster. One of the genuine greatest albums ever made by one of the greatest 60s UK bands - a truly essential album to any serious vinyl collector. It was one of the last original classic UK mono albums pressed late in 1969. By then stereo had largely replaced the ageing mono format for new issues and was the last classic to be issued as such. For sure this masterpiece has to be heard in mono, its one of the great vinyl experiences - it has to be played loud. The sound and mix are quite different and this is not just for the connoisseur, no-one could fail to be awestruck by this very special album and recording. The last Rolling Stones album to feature the presence of the band’s creator, Brian Jones. It was a brilliant culmination of all their musical influences throughout music’s greatest decade. The power of the opening track, ‘Gimme Shelter’, will haunt many forever with the memory of the Altamont murder, Jagger’s top hat and scarf and the death of the sixties. The repeated line, ‘Its just a shot away’, complements the repetition of the naively profound lyric of the album’s last track: ‘you can’t always get what you want’. The filling in-between, like the layered cake on the cover, is equally delectable. This copy on offer is a strong one and complete and has the earliest matrixes and stampers you are likely to see.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: High: [Unlaminated covers are always the most vulnerable for rubbing, fading, sticker tears and ringwear, gatefolds are more prone still and the darker they are, the more this type of wear occurs and shows. Some sleeves have a textured finish or die-cut shaped edges or ‘windows’. These are even more delicate and the hardest to find in top condition. Fully laminated covers are more resistent to wear but often the laminate ages with dulling, creases and blistering. Many 60s covers have outer flipback construction, these are very vulnerable to damage]. (US covers are the most fragile of all, very rarely laminated and made with thick brittle card that rubs and ringwears badly. Seams and edges split easily). Please see format below to access this cover’s potential for wear and damage.

Cover Condition and Details: EX+. A single format, the front is laminated with Clarifoil and has original sticker on front (which is immaculate). Peep hole on back to identify mono or stereo copy from the colour coded inner – mono being red, stereo blue. It was printed in England and has the UK Patents Applications No 43212/68 number. A superb example of one of most famous covers ever produced and this is up there with the very best I have seen or had to offer. A cover that does near full justice to the huge importance of this landmark recording.

Cover Lamination and Front: Firstly, can I make this clear, this cover is made from thin and delicate card making this sleeve very vulnerable to most forms of wear. This front looks fantastic and has very shiny, fresh and clear laminate that is FULLY adhered and devoid of the blistering and lifting seen on so many. This can never be taken for granted and although any non-adhesion has nothing to do with ‘wear’ this and any cover is better seen without it. So many Clarifoil laminated covers lift and blister especially on the spine edge and to find one that has avoided it I consider a huge bonus. Not only that, this cover has avoided any noteworthy creasing with just a few fine and light hairlines around the edges, again this is a massive bonus on such a thinly constructed sleeve. There are few traces of friction rubs or dulling and the famous cake and record artwork can be enjoyed to maximum advantage. The laminate wraps around the spine edge on to the back and the front right ends a few millimetres short of full width, I always think this is relevant of mention as it reassures the cover has not been trimmed. The exposed strip remains very clean and unworn with no grime-line build-up or damage. There is no peeling, mottling and any pressmarks are tiny and very light and barely even show. The hugely important sticker, so often removed by buyers at time of purchase, is immaculate and has not been picked at or ever removed, that will be more than obvious from my close-up picture. That famous old cake will rarely be found much better than this.

Cover Back: Not laminated but still very clean and looking lovely. The peep-hole is pristine and unscuffed or damaged in any way. Creasing again has largely been avoided as has grubbiness and the laminate on the spine edge is again fully adhered and shiny with just a tiny trace of darkening on its end. The only real blemishing of note are a few light pressmarks but have not removed any ink from the artwork. I feel sure the culprit here again is a copy of ‘Sticky Fingers’ which was probably stored next to this within a case or rack. That famous Zip cover has a lot to answer for over the years. With normal viewing, any pressmarks show little and minus these I would have graded this cover Mint(-).

Top & Bottom Edges: Unworn and finely constructed.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with no wear or feathering, a faint wave on the very edge when viewed end-on. Record entered on this vulnerable wear prone side.

Spine and Text: A wear-free spine but has a little light compression in places. Solid and quite straight too, this has manufactured tapered ends that are still generally neat. All text is unworn under the very solid and uncracked laminate (and even this is shiny). This early cover has both mono and stereo numbers on its spine.

Corners: All four show little wear and retain a very nice well defined shape. A tiny laminate chip on the front bottom left only shows with the closest of examination.

Cover Summary: A highly attractive and overall exceptional example and it will take really top one to better it significantly. It should please most collectors.

Inner Condition: EX, given its delicate disposition, this is a fine example. Constructed from really very thin paper it is unlined and was way under-strength for practicality and longevity, but this is clean and neat and has only one moderate corner area crease (as can be seen on my picture). Unusually, there are not edge splits or tears and marks or blemishes are very few indeed. This one has the black overprint that covers ‘With The London Bach Choir’ which clearly must have been an error and is seen struck through. General wear is mild and this thin inner is often seen with deep ringwear, but little is evident on this one. Given all the facts with so many seen ripped, torn and split, this is a splendid example.

Poster Condition: Mint(-), not quite the very best I have seen but it’s certainly up there. Ultimately attractive, printed on one side only and on the thinnest of paper, no wonder so few survive like this. This has four folds. No splits or weakening on the fold lines and no heavy creasing or damage. This is as fresh and clean as manufacture day and the non-glossy surfaces probably have seldom been touched. It’s the original flat matt version, reprinted posters that came with the later ‘Boxed’ label pressings had a more glossy finish – there is quite a difference visually. It is much sort after and very important to any collector for this album. Importantly, this is unmounted with no blu-tack, cellotape or pin-hole damage and the back is clean and unsoiled. Both sides appear almost as new and this unforgiving matt surface is prone to showing all handling marks – once fingermarks are applied to its surface, they are virtually impossible to remove. A fantastic example of this elusive poster and it should please all collectors, these are ultra difficult to find like this.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Strong EX, and for a very popular mono classic this is a very high grading copy. A really lovely visual copy, given all the facts of mode, age and popularity, this has to be one of the best early mono examples I have seen for some considerable time – these really do not appear often. Side one has one small surface mark with no sound and side two has a couple of light marks that are largely ignored too, also one small pressing mark on the final song which is totally ignored. Ultra fine hairlines/surface traces that few albums of this vintage will ever avoid are totally superficial of course. This is a super clean record with a fine shine retained, intense black and heavily pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence. Visually a super record that should please many collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippetts or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This rare record with its unique to vinyl mono mix plays up to its high visual grading with little to fault and most all plays even above. This has strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound and the mono mix is quite different to the more commonly found stereo version. There was a little light surface sound noted on the first two tracks of side two, very little on ‘Midnight Rambler’ and a little more on ‘You Got the Silver’, a fairly quiet and delicate song but given all the facts this is pretty mild and light and caused me personally, few worries. Overall the sound was highly impressive and clean and all but the most discerning perfectionists will expect a few minor blemishes on such record as this. As stated, a highly popular record and few on the mono format will ever be found ‘perfect’. Realistically, few get seen or offered much better than this and this delighted me on play-grade. Few copies will outperform this very early pressing significantly I feel sure, what I will guarantee, many will play far, Far FAR worse with horrible distortion, loud clicks, pops and bangs and contact crackle. This copy has avoided such traumas and any surface sound in the form of light sporadic crackle is minimal, infrequent and light, as stated most of any noted was on ‘You Got the Silver’, a song that rarely escapes some surface sound. This lies within the pressing and has nothing to do with static or groovewear of with there is none. The ultimately difficult final song with its fragile choir plays superbly well and I reitterate again the small press mark blemish is ignored. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Little, indeed if anything reall spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. This copy will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended to most collectors.

End Piece: How many copies of this one will truly still even exist in ‘perfect’ conditions will be very few and what price would specialist sellers put on one? I am a critical listener and I would never personally buy a mono copy of this album that has not been play-graded, this is a minimal mandatory service for any potential buyer of this hugely important record. Groovewear or damage cannot be seen and I have heard really disappointing copies of this and other mono gems that appeara unmarked but play with unwanted groove sounds and clipping. This record has NO high frequency clipping or distortions. This is a genuine EX complete original UK copy and that is rare enough to fine like this. Many regard it as the crown jewels of Stones albums and remains totally essential - in mono it’s the cornerstone of any serious collection – the cherry on the famous cake, but never underestimate the stereo original either. I have tried to mention all as accurately as I can, I totally guarantee this record does NOT jump or stick and tracking was totally effortless and smooth. I clearly state once again this has a little mild surface sound in a few places but even through a highly revealing system and world-class front-end, this record gave a sold and enjoyable performance. The mix and sound on this mono copy is unique, and many seek it out on bootleg CDs – forget it – this is real thing and nothing comes close. This mono copy was never really designed to be played on high-end stereo turntables but my LP12 made this sound pretty amazing. A ruthlessly revealing deck that brings out all the wonderful details and all what’s good about vinyl (unfortunately the bad too, if present, but little here). It’s clear detailed sound takes you almost into the recording studio itself and this is the definitive copy to own. This no way undervalues the stereo version because both are vital, they are just different. The mono version simply is unique to vinyl and was not available for very long. Let it Bleed charted at one in the UK and three in the US, a big seller but mono originals are a different matter. It’s a title that always features high in any all-time greats list whether compiled by critics or the record buying public. Its true classic stature and timeless brilliance is etched into these vintage clean grooves forever. With the correct care, this fine record will last indefinitely and give pleasure for many more years. I am more than happy to give this a high recommendation to all but the most fussy of listeners – dont lose this one. SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. US; Australia; Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£35).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions for payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT neccessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.