COUNT BASIE Complete Roulette Live Recordings 1959-62 on Mosaic 12 PRISTINE LPs

$

250

 COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
THE COMPLETE ROULETTE LIVE RECORDINGS
Mosaic Records (cat# MR12-135)
12 LP unnumbered review copy

This item has been out of print for a long time. This 12-LP boxed set was originally released in 1991 by Mosaic Records as they triumphantly delivered it to the world with the gripping and direct title: "The Complete Roulette Live Recordings of Count Basie and His Orchestra (1959-1962)." (cat # MR12-135) This set was a strictly limited edition of 7500 numbered commercial copies BUT this particular copy of the box set you are reading about is very unique because it is an unnumbered review copy (I can't imagine they gave more than 10 or 20 review copies of this away due to the enormous costs in manufacturing and shipping it.) The vinyl is in the best possible condition and the box is complete with all of the original contents.

I acquired this box set in the 90s and not long afterwards I put my vinyl in storage in a windowless room in a climate controlled house where I knew it would be safe and secure from the elements or any other possible damage. It has been in storage for 15 years and was liberated a few weeks ago with the rest of my collection, some of which I am putting up for sale.

I checked the condition of the LPs and all 12 albums look perfect - I found only 1 light fingerprint which is not bad for 24 sides!! In fact, around the 5th disc, it appears the original owner and I never got that far into the box as the majority of the vinyl was a pristine sparkling black (the first few sides were absolutely fantastic as well!) The labels are clean with no noticeable spindle marks.

Structurally, the box is outstanding with no corner wear, dents or tearing. The walls are solid and there seems to be no flaws in the build quality of the box. The paste-on front cover has a scratch at the top that runs above Basie's head and over the title letters and there is 1 small point where some ink has rubbed off at the bottom of the image but it's so small, one might think it was part of the photo. The biggest and sadest news is that the front cover has begun to develop some "foxing" spots that are mostly visible on the outer white trim of the box cover art. They are dark enough that you can clearly see them contrasting with the white boarder (visible in my photos above.) I wish I knew how to clean this but I fear introducing any kind of chemical that might damage the paste-on cover art.

The 26 page book looks wonderful with some faint finger bend marks on the front and back cover from normal handling and some very light spots along the front spine edge where the ink has rubbed off from contact against the inside cover of the box - these are cosmetic flaws and are certainly nothing of major concern but I feel you should be told in advance and not surprised later. (Please look at the photos for visual details - it's very minimal and very acceptable.) Overall, the pages in the book are all very clean with no bent corners, earmarks or blemishes. The biggest flaw of the book is on page 3 where some foxing has begun and that can clearly be seen in the photos. Like all of the Mosaic books, this one has wonderful photography and is a treasure trove of information.

I plan to do a little listening before it sells and if I notice any overlooked details, I will update this page as necessary. If the buyer requests, I am happy to clean the records with my ultrasonic cleaner before shipping but visually, the records do not look like they need any major cleaning at all. Basie always had a top-notch band that consistently played amazing shows so you can be sure the music will be fantastic. If you collect unique items, this review copy will put you in a space far away from the 7499 people who wish they had a copy with a lower number.

This box set weighs approx 4 to 5lbs so I can only sell and ship it within the USA and because of the weight, size and delicate nature of this item, it will be delivered with a signature confirmation - SORRY, NO POST OFFICE BOXES!!! . Please be sure to ask me any questions before buying because I am not responsible for the return postage should you be unsatisfied with your purchase. I am happy to take any additional photos or answer any specific questions you may have. I believe this set to be exactly how I described it above regardless of my low volume of buyer, seller and feedback ratings. I work in a vinyl specialty store where I grade and sell on the store's Ebay account all day. Because of this, I never had the desire to buy or sell records through my own account in my free time. You should expect a perfectly and professionally-packed box set. Box sets like the ones from Mosaic normally ship with the records inside the box set but extra care will be taken to prevent and protect any of the vinyl from sliding or bouncing around.