Simon & Garfunkel Bookends MONO KCL 2729 1A / 1A rare original Press VG

$

41

                                                                                                      a No Reserve Auction

                                                  (The cover is not bowed, my camera lens sometimes makes it look that way)

From 1968, Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends, the KCL 2729 Clombia mono pressing that was only pressed once which is why it is so rare (if there was more than one initial pressing I have not heard) and why the 1A /1A stamper is kind of redundant -All mono Bookends have that (well this one does anyway). The mono release has many sonic differences, most noticeably Paul Simon's trailing echo on 'Fakin' It'.

Vinyl: visually VG, but pushing VG+ for it's play quality. It has a decent amount but not a lot of light marks spread over the two sides , but not enough to cause dismay or automatically dismiss as a VG- or less, All the marks are very light and unfeelable, the sheen is decent and proof that there aren't that many is when you look in moderately bright light the record looks better than VG, but a harsh and very bright light shows up a few that were hard to see otherwise.The cover was moisture damaged but this was rescued at a garage sale and the disc was dry and not moldy or anything (saved by the poster!). The redeeming value is the pleasant way the record actually plays which is very well and which seems common for older Columbia pressings in that they can be a bit rough on the surface but still have rich and unscathed fidelity within the grooves. This record played and sounded great all through to 'The Hazy Shade of Winter' on side two -and that sounded so good I was hooked until there was a handful of tics towards the end of that song (about 5 light to moderate tics). Anyway a rub mark and one mark that makes a loop across the end of side 2 conspired to cause that I suppose, I have not had the record vacuumed and I could see this possibly coming out a stunning player with a thorough deep cleaning. There were light single tics in a couple spots on side 1 and maybe elsewhere on side 2 but the listening experience was overall complete and very satisfying save for the tics towards the end of that one song. The fact that you really can't feel anything with a fingernail and the record has clean play from start to finish is promising. Light spindle activity shows on side 1 and a heavier batch of spindle marks on side 2 with both labels being very clean and presentable otherwise. The record actually sounds damn nice.

 Cover  basically G-..as you can see in the pictures it's been water enhanced. It wasn't in hurricane Katrina though, as it is still intact save for the bottom coming apart and mold on the back (it's long since dried and I have wiped any loose stuff off that would come off) it carries the mono pedigree cat. # on it so I can't just put it in a stereo sleeve and get rid of this. It's not so bad overall. Of course it comes with the poster, but that is a bit moisture stained as well although completely intact . Disc stored in a anti static sleeve.. put inside a poly protector sleeve and then all of that into a sturdy cardboard mailer (with padding) for sure delivery.

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                                                      Items sold are from my personal collection and the actual items in the photos

GRADING:

(M): mint - a record known to be new or very close to it, This record or cover would look pristine and new in every way.

(NM): near mint - almost like new, only the slightest hint of any wear if any would be allowed.

(VG+ or EX): excellent or very good plus - very little if any signs of handling or wear, still in excellent & collectible shape. Records look like they would play fantastic and do so with very little or nil background noise, if an audible flaw is present it should be very minor and accounted for. Covers can have general overall shelf wear and some minor flaws but are still completely intact and present well. 

(VG) very good - acceptable but showing quite a bit of wear...audible surface noise can be more apparent and maybe light feelable marks but if something is felt it should be play graded to gauge how this affects play. I shy away from listing anything with feelable marks and feel that anything with a feelable mark or anything that interrupts play like a skip, stick or violent pop belongs below VG. The VG rating can attach to a great playing and sounding record that just has a more than desirable amount of visible marks etc. As far as I am concerned these records just have less visual appeal but can be great players. Covers can still be very nice at this grade but show a good amount of shelf wear and may have small splits, tears or wrinkles that need describing and do not distract too much from the overall look and functionality.

(VG-) very good minus - could be acceptable but showing a lot of wear...or maybe 90 percent of the disc is nice and there is one song with a gash or scuff that is audible (or not but just looks bad), probably some audible surface noise, or maybe just numerous light marks that cause some tics, but otherwise possibly a decent player. But again exceptions to the rule happen all the time. Covers have numerous but not too drastic issues that should be described such as a lot of ring wear showing etc.

(G+), (G) or (G-) a LOT more of the same as a VG- but a lot more, if something with this grade is listed it's not likely to be pretty but not necessarily a basket case or riddled with deep scratches. Poor or Fair grades probably won't come up,  fair is a poor record that is not so toasted that You are afraid to play it even with a beater stylus. Covers at the G grade or below certainly have a lot of issues and the amount of issues and type would decide the severity of the grade.

I look closely at everything under a very bright light and keep Goldmine standards in mind. EX+(VG++), meaning damn close to NM. is a term I might use a lot as it describes a collectible record that is great like a NM grade but may have things you can see from pressing in it or spindle marks, but in general extremely minor things hardly worth mentioning. Often an EX+ can be someone else's NM .

If there is an error on my part please let me know within 3 days after receiving and I am sure we can work it out. Buyer pays return postage of item as it was shipped to them. I know the items I am selling so it should go without saying that if return is requested for some reason, then it should be the exact same item sent to the buyer and not anything else. I say this for those who bother reading this far and noticed I don't offer returns (officially). 

I package carefully for transport, with LPs in a clean extra sleeve next to cover both inside a poly protector sleeve with original inner sleeves stored inside cover. -the same way I store them. Usually it gets the anti-static extra sleeve, but no guarantee.  This has always been a practice to keep original inner sleeves in as nice a shape as possible. Sometimes  the LP has no special inner sleeve and uses a generic paper sleeve, I try to note if an item has a printed or custom inner, etc. Bubble wrap or similar will be used inside a cardboard media mailer with an extra cardboard slice etc. inside for extra protection. 

                                                                          I ship ASAP which is usually fast - Check my recent feedback.

U.S. 

FOR QUANITIES OF 3 OR MORE, OR ANY OTHER SHIPPING SERVICE  BESIDES ECONOMY MEDIA MAIL - or if insurance is needed, PLEASE REQUEST INVOICE.  $4.50 would be the cost of 3 LPs. Shipping will be calculated for more than 3 LPs. I am more than willing to make it as cheap as possible for multiple shipping.

International: 

I do not want to ship outside of the U.S. right now, I have reasons for this right now that may change soon but for now I am keeping it within the US, I have done some international sales before and will again but just not now. If there is a reason you just have to bid on something and you live outside the US just contact me first and maybe...