THE BYRDS Fifth Dimension - RARE ORIG UK 1966 STEREO EX++

	£		103
	$		136

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases and will never compromise on solid, safe packing.

Artist or Band: THE BYRDS

Album Title: Fifth Dimension.

Producer(s): Allen Stanton.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: 5D; Wild Mountain Thyme; Mr. Spaceman; I See You; What’s Happening?!?!; I Come and Stand at Every Door.

Side 2: Eight Miles High; Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go); Captain Soul; John Riley; 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song).

Label/Format: CBS – the very first made with rough textured surfaces, also the 33 speed (later changed to the regular 33.3) (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both in beautiful condition: ultra clean, fresh and attractive with the most intense colour. Spindle marks on side one are only few and light, even fewer still on side two. Without any doubt, this truly gorgeous record has hardly been played and the sound left me truly aghast.

Cat Number: SBPG 62783.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 130 grams. Average for it’s era.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Quite rare as a first issue stereo. This was issued still very much in the mono era and most originals seen are usually in that format, often trashed too. This is an exceptional preserved stereo copy that looks fantastic and sounds amazing – the sound reproduction is of audiophile quality. The cover was a standard mono sleeve that was hand stamped ‘STEREO’ on the back in red, clearly this was cheaper for CBS than printing up a batch of stereo covers they assumed had only a limited market at this time. Later, mono covers included a stereo sticker and these early hand stamped ones are rare in themselves – also try finding one much better than this. Even the fragile orange and white promotional inner sleeve is in super condition and for collectors of this golden era psych classic, this is an outstanding all-round example.

Original Year of Release: 1966.

Matrix Nos: SBPG 62783 A1 / SBPG 62783 B1

Musicians: Jim McGuinn - lead guitar, vocals; David Crosby - guitar, vocals; Chris Hillman - electric bass, vocals; Michael Clarke - drums. Gene Clark - tambourine, harmonica, vocals.

Brief Info: One of the earliest albums that branched into true psychedelic rock, it was the band’s third album and my personal favourite. Largely made after the departure of Gene Clark and now with a different sound from their trademark folk-rock. It features one of psych’s most loved tracks, the sublime ‘Eight Miles High’ with it’s intricate twisted guitar riff that sounds amazing on this sublime stereo mixed record. With four covers and none by Dylan, there is not a bad moment on this wonderful album. This is my first stereo example for a long time, and I have never seen one better for looks or sound – this truly blew me away and I am finding even putting this offer difficult. So a rare occasion I break my usual protocol of a very low starting bid – this is simply wonderful, and to acquire such vintage treasures like this, costs.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single format with front laminate, this wraps around the closed edges on to three rear external flipbacks. The top flipback is hand-stamped ‘STEREO’ in red, as seen on my close up picture. Printed and made in England by Dawson Rossiter, this includes it’s original promotional CBS inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: One of the earliest true psychedlic albums with superb artwork to emphasise the fact. The laminate retains a lovely rich shine, freshness and clarity with no lifting and minimal traces of dulling or rim impression. Just one very light and small half moon surface crease and a small few very small spine edge hairlines. The intense black colour remains just that, hence a very revealing cover, but little unsightly is seen on this beautifully preserved example. One of the very few I have ever seen with such little evidence of dulling for which this rarely escapes.

Cover Back: The unprotected back has aged little with minimal traces of any discolouration or grubbiness. No creasing or ring wear to the main panel and the fragile flipbacks are all very clean, solid and neat. A little end burring hints on the bottom one but little else. The very bold and impressive ‘STEREO’ red stamped logo looks fantastic – these are seldom seen and it IS stamped as I can feel the impression with my fingertip – a bit like the numbers on the front of Beatles ‘White Album’ front. These stamps can easily erode, fade and almost disappear over time, but not the case on this very bright and fresh example. I can hardly imagine finding this cover back much better and truly does defy it’s great age.

Top Edge: Practically as made and very straight too.

Bottom Edge: No rubbing and fully laminated, a trace of gentle crinkle towards the right, possibly from mild friction usage in storing. I am being somewhat critical now.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and still sharp with barely any hint of wear or thickening. Any burr traces almost minuscule and the front unprotected strip were the laminate ends naturally short, is practically devoid of chipping with NO evidence of any tip-ins or enhancement. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: An immaculate spine as well: solid, straight with mimimal traces of any compression. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid, unpeeled and clear laminate. This perfectly centred as well on a reasonably narrow depth – they hardly get much better than this.

Corners: Any tip rubbing is very small and minor indeed and all retain excellent or better shape. The odd minor crinkle or tip crease being near unavoidable.

Cover Summary: A VERY impressive all-round example of this very revealing original 1966 cover, one that will prove immensely difficult to find better. This quite gorgeous vintage piece should please most-all collectors. That hand-stamped red ‘STEREO’ on the back add that extra pizzazz to an already scarce item, but makes that difference for the connoisseur collector.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): an unlined open window CBS promotional inner is equally as impressive as the main cover. Only marked down a fraction my highest Mint(-) for minor small traces of seam adhesive darkening that few, if any will ever avoid totally, here almost as small and light as it ever gets. A trace of crinkle on one of the back external flipbacks, now going beyond critical. This is clean, super-fresh, barely creased with two immaculate pristine window circles. All edges unsplit with no repairs, this puts the icing on the cake of a wonderful set.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): a superb visual mono copy that is very clean with lovely shine, intense black and solidly pressed. The merest whisker of my top grade Mint(-) with any surface traces almost minuscule as seen with utmost scrutiny under bright angled light. I use a high power desk lamp bulb to scrutinise all my records and little escapes it’s glare. A copy hardly even played on all the evidence and a 1966 rare stereo mix record hardly run-in in vinyl terms. A wonderful piece that should please most-all collectors – even the connoisseurs and audiophile purists can consider this one.

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 snippets 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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This truly wonderful record plays even above it’s high visual grading with nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, never take that for granted on such a complex recording. All frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is absolutely stunning with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds hardly even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing. An archive quality disc that has not been ruined by any chipped or worn old stylus. Few available copies will match or outperform this very first pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp and devoid of those irritating noises or crackles that ruin so many when played on clinical stereo equipment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this remarkable record, with sound and enjoyment eight miles high. The introduction to that song is breathtaking with that complex guitar break, that is held perfectly together with incredible sonic delivery of those bendy strings. This psych masterwork will prove near impossible to find better for sound and this set merits my highest possible recommendation. A mini masterpiece in magnificent condition.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. 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 collector – 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 total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 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. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are 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. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 8,000+ items sold in over 10 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

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

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16 (£17 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. 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.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

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 necessarily 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’.