WAGNER Das Rheingold/Die Walküre–highlights ORIG UK 1960 EX+ LP. STUNNING SOUND

	£		20
	$		27

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all, and records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time as most record buyers will already know. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS including full side protection and bubble wrap, the records removed from the covers of course. All this very safe packing means I lose money on every box I post, but safe delivery is, and will always be paramount. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives. Also, I will pay for insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received if possible.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Composer: Richard WAGNER

Album Title: Das Rheingold/Die Walküre – highlights

Conductor: Georg Solti

Orchestra: The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Label/Format: Decca – rarer original first issue format with ‘Original Recording By’ at the 11 o’clock position of the label rims, and wideband silver band on the unboxed format black Decca logo. These have matt, quite smooth surfaces with the deep ring ridge.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with any spindle traces bordering on minuscule, tiny and faint. This superb record appears hardly played and offers breathtaking sound.

Catalogue Number: SXL 2230

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.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: A scarce record, and rarer as a first pressing, even more so hardly played and offering superb sound.

Original Year of Release: 1960

Matrix Nos: ZAL-4613-2E / ZAL-4614-2E

Mothers / Stampers: 1 I / 1 C

Brief Info: I do not sell classical music often, but a record of this quality simply has to be offered – all the classical records I am currently offering were purchased brand new by just one owner, and most appear hardly played. This is the highlights of Wagner’s masterpiece ‘The Ring’. It includes the stunning ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ that opens side two, film fans will remember it being played in ‘Apocalypse Now’ to stunning effect. Who could forget the sheer drama of this music used on helicopter attack in that dramatic film? This 1960 version simply took my breath away, it left me in goosebumps with its power and audio quality – that piece is simply worth the price alone, phenomenal and brilliant are words not over-used on this one. I had to play this again and put to tape for my own personal use, turn this record up high and prepared to be blown away, yes, it really it that good! Classical music lovers are sure to know far more about the full piece than me, suffice to say it’s a magnificent listen and beautifully pressed by Decca – this is a piece for the classical music, analogue vinyl connoisseur. There are minimal visual blemishes to the record and it plays beautifully with very little at all unwanted. This totally defies its great age and vulnerability. A scarce first issue that has more than survived the test-of-time, a rare opportunity indeed for collectors of this man’s famous work where the full version could prove a little too much. This is a magnificent recording and copy.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or very close to. A single format with front laminate, this covers all the folds and ends on the back via the spine and two flipbacks. The main back panel is matt and smooth. Printed and made in England by James Upton (the imprint detail largely eroded on the back where the laminate has contracted), it includes the Decca stereophonic text inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: Firstly, this is another vintage cover that is flimsy and fragile. The laminate retains very fine shine – a little dulling around the rim – fine freshness and clarity with no lifting – that quite unusual. Just a tiny dink trace on the top left corner tip, but very little creasing on the main surface, a couple of small, light half moons apart. The graphic unfaded and fresh under its fine laminate protection, this a front that gives scant hint of its considerable age.

Cover Back: A little toning/grubbiness of the unprotected surface, this mostly near the edges. The main back panel text all intact and strong, as stated, the imprint text has almost gone, but just enough to verify the printer’s credits (just). No writing or sticker issues. As seen, the usual spine text is printed on the actual back, a trait of very early covers, all this information still perfectly present under the laminate end on the spine edge. Both top and bottom flipbacks are strong with sharp ends and no lifting or damage (a small tip crease to the top right corner tip apart).

Top Edge: Very thin, but still quite straight and smooth with full laminate retention, no chips or scuffs.

Bottom Edge: Mostly similar, better if anything.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Impressively sharp with hardly any thickening, even as seen viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced.

Spine: Very thin again, as stated, no text was printed on this one at this time, this is just plain white. Solid, as reasonably straight as its likely to get and avoiding major bowing. Laminate retention is full, it is still smooth, uncracked or chipped.

Corners: A mild dink on the spine top as mentioned. Any tip rubbing minimal and all others retain excellent shape with no knocks.

Cover Summary: A very fine all-round example of this quite fragile early 1960’s cover, one that could prove difficult to find much better. It does give polite clues of its considerable age, but this still attractive item should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): with little more than mild crinkle near the bottom corners. This has two perfect window circles and the polylining still clear and attached. The paper has hardly even darkened to remind of its genuine vintage, all edges unsplit and strong. This is British patented with ‘Foreign patents pending’ text, as seen, this one has the pink text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): a highly impressive visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and very solidly pressed on the highest quality Decca vinyl. A copy appearing hardly even played on all the evidence with any surface traces minimal, light and faint. No penetrating stylus scratches, viewed in average room light, little even registers. As most will know, classical music has varying degree of volume, so the groove patterns are in places ultra fine and delicate. So for a record this vast age to survive like this is quite some achievement. Visually a super record that should please many, if not most collectors – and it plays superbly.

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 equipment, all listed further down.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This magnificent piece plays even above it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and this is an exceptional clean pressing with no tracking issues*. As stated, some passages of extreme quietness, the odd tiny blemish is nigh-on impossible to avoid, but hardly anything of note was heard on this copy. Few available copies will outperform this first pressing significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been carefully handled and never exposed to any heavy tracking mono record player. Nothing of any note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, this totally captivating performance and audio quality, blew me away. A master recording of these spectacular highlights – as stated above – ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ in particular is truly awesome (this using the word in its correct context). This was a pure pleasure to play-grade, the music at times simply breathtaking. This being played on a very sensitive system. It will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended – this a rare opportunity.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams. Records are a ‘contact’ format, and few will avoid the odd minor sound blemish.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 the item being offered with no digital enhancements. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 17­ 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. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.