ELVIS PRESLEY Elvis Christmas Album lp VG+/M- 1st Press

	£		32
	$		42

Welcome to the World of MacLizardking’s Music.

“Top quality product, service & packaging… all as standard.”

Greetings vinyl lovers and welcome to how record sales on e-bay should be done; both pre and post sale. The mound of detail contained within this listing is intended to inform and assist you in deciding if, a.) this is the copy of the record you’ve been searching for and b.) I’m the person you wish to buy it from. Buying vinyl records on e-bay can be a little “hit and miss”, however, you need not worry here! It is my mission to purely deal in either pristine, or rare, “book-valued” items, (occasionally a happy combination of both!) all served-up as efficiently as possible, thus encouraging repeat business amongst my splendid and loyal customers… just check all that glowing feedback!

On the ‘bay honest, accurate descriptions, superb customer-service, high quality items and professional packaging are the keys to success, so, to this end, each-and-every record I list on e-bay is highly scrutinized, both physically and aurally, with precise descriptions of all components (vinyl, jacket, inner-sleeve, leaflets, posters, etc) below. Having been "sold a pup" once or twice myself, I go to great lengths to ensure the total accuracy of my descriptions, leaning heavily on the critical, pointing out every imperfection, if, indeed, there are any to report on! However, on the whole, we're selecting between degrees of excellence here, as the vast majority of the items I sell are in superb, near or as new condition; genuinely lovely records. Please take it for granted that these items are precisely as detailed below, with NO torn or cut-out covers and NO gouged or scratched discs here or in ANY of my listings…. EVER, unless clearly itemized below!

If it says “mint”, it means “mint”!

Pre-Sale: The vinyl is re-housed in a brand-new polly-lined inner sleeve (paper for the 7’s) and the original pic/lyric bag, obviously, retained. Once physically and aurally examined, it’s then appointed it’s grading and the whole thing then carefully stored in a brand-new outer sleeve.

Post-sale: All items are re-inspected and the vinyl re-housed along with the cover in the outer sleeve, to ensure the safest approach to shipping, i.e. not allowing the vinyl to cut through the outer sleeve whilst in transport. It’s then bundled in the BEST and most CAREFULLY wrapped packaging, so you receive the gem you won in the same awesome condition as when it’s SWIFTLY dispatched after payment’s received.

BIN’s & Pricing: In order to encourage early bidding, I occasionally place a “Buy It Now” value that I feel is genuinely fair for the item in question, a balance of “Book-value” and/or condition and availability. Obviously, there’s the chance no one else will bid, and you’ll snag a total bargain, but, if you’re really after a specific item, you won’t be disappointed by hitting the BIN button.

Some of these records may well be the ONLY copy being offered on the bay; some, one of dozens… the difference is that this one will not only be one of, if not the BEST, but I also do everything possible to ensure it gets to YOU both quickly and in the same superb condition!

Happy bidding, good luck and please do believe what you’re reading… including the 100%, copper-bottom, returns guarantee detailed below. Both the records and the service that surrounds them can be that good, as I really do try… just check the feedback my awesome customers have been both cool and kind-enough to leave.

Peace & love…

MacLizardking.

MacLizardking is delighted to offer for sale at auction...    

Artiste: Elvis Presley

Title: Elvis’ Christmas Album

Track Listing:

Side 1:

·         Santa Claus Is Back In Town

·         White Christmas

·         Here Comes Santa Claus (Right down Santa Claus lane)

·         I’ll Be Home For Christmas

·         Blue Christmas

·         Santa Bring Back My Baby (To me)

Side 2:

·         O Little Town of Bethlehem

·         Silent Night, Holy Night

·         (There’ll be) Peace In The Valley (For me)

·         I Believe

·         Take My Hand, Precious Lord

·         It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)

Label: RCA

Catalogue Number: RD 27052

Country of Origin: Great Britain

Original Year of Release: 1957

Matrix Numbers (a/b) : H2PP-6526-1B / H2PP-6527-1B

Stamper Numbers/Reference (a/b) : 4 1  UU / 1  K

Mono or Stereo: Mono

Introduction and MacLizardking’s Initial Review: Okay, it’s the weekend (nearly!) so let’s have some SERIOUS Friday afternoon listings… three highly collectable lp’s, one from the greatest British exponent of the art… ever, one from the greatest American and one seriously rare compilation!

So, Sgt. Pepper’s is listed, so on to the American leg of this superb triumvirate of lp’s (besides just having to re-list the Elvis Box set! I can’t BELIEVE it didn’t sell at that price!... anywho, it’s back on again!) This is PRECISELY what it appears to be, the ORIGINAL, FIRST PRESS VINYL, FULLY LAMINATED, with four b&w shots of the king on the reverse, of Elvis’ LEGENDARY Christmas album. Very straight forward this one, the sleeve’s seen some “action” over the years, but the vinyl, well, as I type this, I simply can’t believe that this lp is going to be FIFTY YEARS OLD next year! Beyond a WHISPER of crackle in places, this lp sounds INCREDIBLE. Showing off the full, glorious tone of this legendary performer in all his warm, delicate and rockin’ (on some tracks) glory, it REALLY is an utter treat from start to finish. Now, please read on….

Detailed Cover & Inner-sleeve Review.

Specific cover grading: VG+

Comment: If it weren’t for some damage to one of the foldbacks of this FRAGILE and delicate sleeve, this would have been easily in EX/EX+ territory…

Front: Bright, vibrant colours, a rub to the lower seam and only three miniscule stress creases to the spine. The sleeve opening has flared open slightly, causing the laminate to lift along the sleeve opening edge on the front.

Back: Bright and clean, both foldbacks are still tight, but the bottom one has had another lp lowered on it at some point, causing damage – see detailed photo’s below.

Edges & Corners: All corners are still in incredibly good shape, with only utterly miniscule fuzzing to the very end of the tips. The lower sleeve opening has slightly moiré ware and a 2mm split.

Spine: It hasn’t really got one (as they didn’t in those days, simply being another seam, but it’s totally unworn, with only the aforementioned stress creases nicking in to it (but NOT breaking open!) at two points.

Inner-sleeve: Original paper & plastic liner – no splits, now with new polly-liner.

My Sleeve Gradings Explained;

M : Perfection, “as new”, pristine. The same feel and condition as the day it left the factory.

NM : Pretty much the same, but I’ve spotted one miniscule imperfection that irritates, as detailed above, yet doesn’t detract from the item as a whole. A truly superb item that’s still in incredible condition, though one can just tell that it’s no-longer “perfect” i.e. brand new.

M- : A notch or two below that, but indicating a cover that’s still in fantastic condition, though it‘s possible to see it’s been slid in and out of a collection over the years; i.e. possible speckled, light lower edge ware, the odd tiny stress crease or fuzzing to extremities of the corner tips.

EX +/- : Genuine creasing and/or ring-ware is present, but no rips or tares, as detailed above. A tiny seam-split caused by the vinyl would hit EX territory, only if the remainder of the sleeve is in near perfect condition, with +’s or –‘s indicating the variance within the grade.

VG +/- : Actual damage present, i.e. a torn or split seam or cover, as detailed above. A truly damaged sleeve would be precluded from my listings, unless there’s a seriously rare and lovely vinyl housed inside. Again, +’s or –‘s indicating the variance within the grade.

Detailed Vinyl/s & Labels Review.

Specific Vinyl grading: M-

Comment: One TRULY ASTOUNDING classic lp, visually and aurally.

Visual: As with the Beatles listing prior, I examined this gem in the harshest of lights, namely bright, direct sunlight. It still has a great sheen and, beyond LIGHT paper-marks, the odd blush and some SURFACE skates, there is nothing that constitute actual damage

Audio: It was with my heart in my mouth that I placed the needle on this gem, as this is, obviously the most important factor to this lp. All I can say is, I listened to this vinyl from start to finish and was TOTALLY blown away… it sounds utterly phenomenal from rockin’ start to glorious, spiritual end. I caught the VERY, VERY slightest whisper of background crackle in places, but the loud, warm reproduction truly astounds over the whole glorious thing! It’s even the closest thing to silent between the tracks as well, that I’ve ever heard on an lp of this age. There are NO clicks, NO ticks, no hiss, NOTHING, beyond the very lightest whisper of crackle (I can hardly even call it that!) … I’m sorry to bang on, but I have to gush in order to get across just what an incredible copy of this RARE and beautiful recording this is!

Labels: Near perfect, textured, black & silver RCA’s with no spindle-marks. WOW!

My Vinyl Gradings Explained; attained as a balance of the physical and the aural qualities

M : Utterly perfect - as new. Immaculate and flawless, both physically and aurally. Actually in better nick than some “brand-new” vinyl I’ve bought recently!

NM : As above, but, as “Sod’s Law” occasionally dictates, with one miniscule flaw that’ll be detailed above that has no effect on the overall quality of the item, yet means it’s no longer “perfect”; i.e. a spindle-mark or whisper of sound on the play-in’s, but utter perfection from there on in.

M- : A truly beautiful vinyl, that it’s just possible to spot that it’s been played before. Possibly the lightest of paper-marks on the physical or even a whisper of crackle on the play-in’s alone, but still practical perfection on the aural.

EX +/-  : Still within the realms of a fantastic listen. Paper or surface “skating” marks are possible on older items, careful comment will be made on any aural disturbance, with +’s or –‘s indicating the variance within the grade.

VG +/-  :  Not dealing in items that are actually scratched and/or damaged, this would be a very rare vinyl grading indeed. Either an exceptional, ludicrously rare and collectable item (a Hendrix on Track or Zep on Plum etc) or something delightfully quirky!  As ever, +’s or –‘s indicating the variance within the grade.

For further slices of quality vinyl and “SHOP ONLY” listings, dating from the late 50’s through to the current day, please visit “MacLizardking Music” located at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/maclizardkingmusic  where the policies of high quality and honest-service are paramount. Either duplicates from my personal collection or items that just aren’t really my bag that I’ve picked up along the way. I try to get at least two or three new listings up-loaded each day, so there’ll always be a rotation of music, of varied decades and styles.

After the dust has settled….

Expect some cheery e-mails!

As soon as the auction has finished, or on a Monday morn for items finishing at the weekend, I’ll e-mail an “invoice” with all p&p info as detailed below, including registration & insurance details. Should you wish to combine and bid on further items, just let me know, and I’ll re-invoice when you’ve finished.

As the sale progresses, I keep my buyers updated at every twist and turn, so, after, 1. the initial “you’ve won!” invoice, please expect further notifications when, 2. payment is received and cleared and, 3. the item is dispatched.

Informed customers are happy customers!

Postage & Packaging Charges and Payment Method Preferences:

Please read carefully, this is from the heart folks!

EVEN BETTER PACKAGING FOR 2006!!!

“Is that possible?” I hear those of you who’ve already received a perfect lp say… well, yes, actually it is! I’ve started including a pair of “bought-for-the-job” stiffeners on all packages as standard, more on multiples, along with all the other supreme packaging stuff, as listed below. Sorry this has bumped the cost a bit, but the results are WELL worth it!

Having been on the receiving end of some truly abysmal packaging, all lp’s from my organisation are dispatched in top quality, cruciform record mailers, with additional gaffer-tape protection on the edges and some pretty leery "Fragile" tape to alert the sleepiest of Postie and, as above, a pair of stiffeners. All charges listed below are inclusive of postage & (most importantly) packaging costs, not home-made, cut-up boxes or envelope mailers that are superb for 7’s with multiple stiffeners, but result in killed corners on lp’s! Yes, I do charge slightly more than some for P&P, but you receive significantly more; including a record in the same state as when it was dispatched! To verify all this manic attention to detail, please do take a gander at the feedback my buyers are both cool and kind enough to leave.

P&P Prices:

Albums & 12” Singles

Solo 12”: UK = £3.00, Europe = £4.50, Rest of World = £7.00

For additional 12’s, double or triple disc sets, please add the following cost per disc, up to a maximum of 5 discs per package within the UK and 4 to overseas destinations.

UK & Europe + £1.50, Rest of World + £2.50

7” Singles

Solo 7”: UK = £1.50, Europe = £2.50, Rest of World = £3.50

For additional 7’s, please add the following cost per disc, up to a maximum of six discs per package.

UK & Europe + £0.50, Rest of World + £1.00

OVERSEAS BUYERS: PLEASE NOTE THAT NO MORE THAN 4 12” DISCS PER PACKAGE – OR IT’S THE INTERNATIONAL PARCEL SERVICE, AND THAT’S BIG BUCKS!

COMPULSORY Registration and Insurance of Packages Valued OVER £30:00:

All packages with a content value in excess of £30:00 must be registered. Beyond that, all invoices will offer the option of registration, providing both a tracking number and up to £30.00 compensation should something go awry. These fees, on packages valued less than £30, are optional, but are offered on all sales invoices as standard, it is your choice as to whether or not to take up this additional cover.

“Signed For Service” UK = £1.00 per package. Europe & Rest of The World = £3.50 per package.

Once dispatched, all items are the responsibility of the Buyer, including damage by our postal services, though if the item was registered I will obviously assist in the tracking of any item that goes missing or is damaged with provision of the tracking/insurance number if taken up by you, the Buyer.

Please note, these are the charges - they are non-negotiable; particularly post-auction! If you think they’re unreasonable, please, do not bid. I know what my costs and overheads are and, with all due respect to first time MacLizardking customers who have yet to enjoy the experience (read that feedback folks!), you do not!

Payment Methods:

PayPal is the primo method of choice for either UK or overseas buyers. Within the UK and as long as you can handle the wait, personal cheques or postal orders are also acceptable. For overseas buyers, I’m afraid personal cheques are no longer acceptable as it’s getting too expensive (!!!) so it’s PayPal or cash, though ONLY if it is registered; cash is too easily stolen.

Non-payers, hagglers or general time-wasting losers, will be left truly stinging feedback and barred from all future auctions - I do try to keep this all friendly and light, but I’m discovering there are some real dick-heads out there amongst the rest of you fabulous, genuine punters!

Should things go “boink”…

The standard rules apply to refunds – i.e. if you’re not happy with the condition of the item in comparison with the description, neither am I. So, on receipt of the goods in the original packaging and in the same condition as when dispatched, a full refund will be made of your original payment – the cost of your return postage being traded off against my listing fees.

And finally…

Whilst this may all appear slightly excessive on the detail front, I do go to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of these listings and promote “service” and “honesty” as treasured commodities as, on occasion, I have found them to be lacking in (one or two) others with which I have dealt on e-bay - But NOT here! I feel I should also add that I have been professionally involved in either the music or entertainment industry for the last 20 years and as a fan of all genre’s of music since year “dot” – in my case, the mid 60’s – what a decade, wish I was old enough to remember it!

To verify all this manic attention to detail  please do check my feedback, which I go to great lengths to keep positive and my buyers are both cool and kind enough to leave.

 OVER A THOUSAND POSITIVE’S CAN’T BE WRONG FOLKS!!!

NO VINYL WILL EVER BE DISPATCHED FROM MY ORGANISATION IN A JIFFY BAG! IT DOESN’T WORK!!!

My thanks for looking at my listing and checking out all this blurb – or, if you’ve not, and there’s been a fracas or the like, I guess that you’ve just read this for the first time and discovered that this does actually answer most of “those” questions! Hope this finds you under “blue skies” and listening to some groovy tunes on the greatest format ever!

Cheers,

Rod.

a.k.a. MacLizardking