THE HOLLIES Butterfly - SCARCE ORIG UK 1967 MONO LP

	£		41
	$		55

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

PLEASE NOTE: Overseas packets that go through the customs system, can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process and deliver, this IS normal. For Russia, this can take even longer and is out of my control, so please be patient.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: THE HOLLIES

Album Title: Butterfly.

Producer(s): Ron Richards.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Dear Eloise; Away Away Away; Maker; Pegasus; Would You Believe; Wish You Believe; Wishyouawish.

Side 2: Postcard; Charlie and Fred; Try It; Elevated Observations?; Step Inside; Butterfly.

Label/Format: Parlophone – original yellow and black forma. Side two has the embossed ‘K T’ tax codes. Both are pronounced, sharp and totally unflattened. They retain full ink coverage and are lovely and clear and easily seen (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive. Spindle marks are quite light on side two and nearer moderate on side one. A copy played a few times but still offering mostly very clean sound. A very nice early pressed mono record.

Cat Number: PMC 7039.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 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: 140 grams. A typical solid weight.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: XEX 659-1 / XEX 660-1

Stamper Codes: 1 A / 1 A

Brief Artist & Album Info: The Hollies were possibly better known as a singles band but made two stunning albums in the ‘Summer of Love’. Along with Evolution, Butterfly is The Hollies other psychedelic masterpiece, issued in the greatest year in rock history, 1967. Most of the big popular bands around this time made a psych album, and Butterfly has to be regarded as one of the very best. It still has the classic Hollies harmonies and the band rarely sounded better. With the definite psych feel and mix added this is something really special. A classic worthy of being included in any serious 60s collection and even non-Hollies fans should still love this one. Every track’s a gem, but ‘Pegasus’ is worthy of special mention – it’s magnificent. This example has a very clean record but the cover – mainly the back – has aged more with some toning, darkening and staining. So the cover will not be for the more discerning, but as I have said a few times over the years, a cover cannot be played. So for those wishing to experience an early original in mono, the record more than compensates.

Cover Grade and Format: VERY GOOD: the front better, the back lesser, so a very good average. A single format with a laminated front that wraps around all closed edges on to three large rear flipbacks. This is the correct PCM mono cover that was printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd and has the early ‘Patents pending’ text. Also included is the black and white version of the EMI promotional inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: The is still very attractive with shiny, fresh and clear laminate that has no lifting and any creasing few and light. More under light, some dulling around the rim shape is seen and there is a small light stain near the left bottom corner.

Cover Back: The back has clearly aged more with some toning, staining and reasonably light general grubbiness. The odd small scuff to the flip back end and a small pen mark near the top right corner. The only crease of note is small on the bottom left corner tip. This cover back is of lower grade than I would usually consider offering, but as said further up, you cannot play a cover and the record itself is very nice, so I have little hesitation in offering, suffice to say, this is not a cover for the more discerning collector.

Top Edge: Mostly smooth, straight with hardly any trace of wear.

Bottom Edge: Again, hardly any wear but a little less straight.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, reasonably sharp with little real wear. Not the cleanest trim in manufacture, but all these I have seen have been the same. Record enters on this edge that has little burring or thickening and guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: The spine is very nice: solid, quite straight with minimal compression. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid and uncracked laminate, this well centred too. A small rub on the bottom corner.

Corners: Around moderate tip rubs with quite fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: The front is still impressive, the back less so, so state again, not for the cover purist. If the record is the most important factor, that is in fine condition and does compensate and will appeal to many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): this is little short of as made being clean, fresh, uncreased with all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: NEAR EXCELLENT: very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy with quite modest plays I feel sure with any surface marks being light and faint as seen with more scrutiny under bright angled light. No penetrating scratches for a mono record of considerable age, this is a very fine example. A very early pressing 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 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This pop-psych album plays up to and most all above it’s attractive visual with very little to fault. Indeed the majority plays near perfectly with quite stunning sound. Strong, mainly clear and focused audio quality, all frequencies are sharp and clear and never take this for granted on any Hollies album. Sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sound is minimal and light and no pops or clicks were noted. In the main, those fantastic vocal harmonies remain focused, sharp and precise with maybe just a mild hint of clipping on the impossibly difficult song ‘Would You Believe’ and very briefly on the final song ‘Butterfly’ – this being played on a very revealing stereo turntable for which this copy was not really designed. ‘Would You Believe’ is one of pop’s most challenging songs and only so rarely will this ever play perfectly. Indeed probably harder than any of the ‘difficult’ Beatles songs I so often mention when offering them. No cutting or pressing noises and this record remained very enjoyable with only just the odd brief reminder of what you are actually listening too – a 45-year-old mono record. The punch and dynamics are quite fantastic with a full-on loud production and detail – a very special record indeed and it will take a quite amazing example to better this significantly. So many written off by substantial usage on heavy tracking record players of the time. My LP12 takes no prisoners in revealing any wear, and not too much was heard on this still impressive record. One of the true classics of the pop-psych era and this classic record will not prove easy to hear much better. One many collectors will enjoy, the record merits high overall recommendation, but not for the perfectionist.

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] = £4.75

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]) = £12.50 (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]) = £16.50 (£17.50 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’.