JOHN MAYALL Blues from Laurel Canyon STUNNING N/M UNBOXED UK MONO. ARCHIVE COPY.

	£		270
	$		358

ONEADAYRECORDS – Serving-up a Christmas Feast of Entertainment.

I would like to wish all my customers, regulars and newcomers, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Over the Christmas Holiday Period, I will be offering some really lovely pieces for your purusal and future enjoyment, so please keep watching.

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 – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

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. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full 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. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers will now be blocked 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.

Artist or Band: JOHN MAYALL

Album Title: Blues from Laurel Canyon.

Producer(s): Mike Vernon & John Mayall.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Vacation; Walking On Sunset; Laurel Canyon Home; 2401; Ready To Ride; Medicine Man; Somebody’s Acting Like A Child.

Side 2: The Bear; Miss James; First Time Alone; Long Gone Midnight; Fly Tomorrow.

Label/Format: Decca – original unboxed red mono format with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both are truly immaculate: ultra clean, fresh with deep colour. Quite honestly, this is one of the very best 1960s mono records I have ever seen or heard, a copy that looks like it just been pressed and I am certain, played only once prior to my mandatory play-grade. There may be just a tiny ultra faint spindle trace on side two, but this using a magnifier to confirm. An extraordinary record that will remind those around at the time what a brand new mono record once looked and sounded like. A flawless Decca classic and my favourite John Mayall album – you want perfection … you got it.

Cat Number: LK 4972.

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: 145 grams. A very good weight for any record, and a top quality example as you would expect from Decca.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: An original mono without the peep-hole cover in this type of condition are very rare indeed. Finding a 1968 mono record that could pass for new is near impossible. That along with a cover and inner sleeve of almost similar quality makes a very special record for the connoisseur collector. This one will prove the ultimate upgrade for any serious fan and collector.

Original Year of Release: 1968.

Matrix Nos: ARL-85342-1B / ARL-85343-1B

Mothers / Stampers: 1 H / 1 B 1

Musicians: John Mayall – harmonica, organ and guitar; Mick Taylor - guitar, Hawaiian guitar; Colin Allen - drums, tablas; Stephen Thompson- bass. Guest guitarist Peter Green.

Brief Info: Sometimes a record shows up that will stick in the mind forever – this is such a record – one that time has completely overlooked. A brilliant album inspired by his visit to the United States where he eventually ended up living. This was his first album after the breakup of the Bluesbreakers and also was his final release on Decca before signing to Polydor. The playing surfaces of the record are unbanded as the songs blend into each other to form a musical suite based on his experiences of his visit and the people he met. One such meeting was with Frank and Gail Zappa and his his daughter Moon Unit, then a baby. The song ‘2401’ where Mayall describes Zappa as his hero, has references to The Mothers and even the GTO’s, Miss Christine specifically. The album is something of a recording triumph and sounds stunning. It starts with a jet aircraft roaring and then blends into the music, a very dramatic and effective opening and the quality never lets up. With, or without The Bluesbreakers, Mayall has rarely sounded better or more inspired than this. An album that will delight even non-blues fans, this is a documentary tour de force and still sounds as fresh and vibrant as when first issued. In terms of condition, the cover is hugely impressive and the record goes even beyond that. In vinyl terms, this is not even run-in and plays beautifully, even though it does include some very quiet passages that will test any record of this considerable age. But this immaculate mono original excels and offers the best sound you will possibly ever hear, it leads you directly into the recording studio. Even the deep red mono inner sleeve is of the same quality, only one in many thousand will ever show up like this. This is not just a record that has surived the mono era, quite honestly I think the one-owner-from-new forgot he even had it. Exceptional hardly even begins to describe it.

Cover Grade and Format: MINT(–): a gatefold format with a single thickness front. Both front and back are Clarifoil laminated and there is NO peep-hole on the back, these were introduced from 1969 until the mono was phased-out altogether. Printed and made in England by Robert Stace. This includes the red mono inner sleeve.

Lamination – Front & Back: This is little short as spectacular as the record it stores: both sides retain immaculate shine, freshness and clarithy with barely even a hint of any friction rubs or dulling, this even when viewed under angled light. The only tiny blemish worthy of mention (just), is a tiny rub on the back bottom left corner tip. This is almost nit-picking on such a beautiful cover. One tiny lift on the back top spine edge, this hardly even shows when viewed normally full-on, and I do not even consider this ‘wear’ as many covers had adhesion issues from new, this is as small and light as it almost gets. With a thin card front, the lack of laminate issues is almost extraordinary, the back is simply fantastic, but the front is IMMACULATE and like the record, looks practically brand new. Not even a hint of record rim impression or dulling, a 46-year-old cover that thinks it was made yesterday. A tiny hint of thickening on the storage bottom edge, but at this age I think it has earned the right. This cover will prove immensely difficult to match or find better, it could also prove a massive upgrade.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside is like new, little else to add.

Top Edges: Both straight, flush and showing minimal traces of thickening to the fragile thin card.

Bottom Edges: A little thickening to the back end panel that is near impossible to avoid totally. The main fold has barely any wear and the front also neat and still quite sharp.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, and still sharp with little wear at all. Again, any hint of thickening or burring very light and both guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. Both sides have the fine exposed strip fully intact and with barely any wear or grubbiness. Also seen end-on, it reitterate just how thin this card is. Record enters on the back edge.

Spine and Text: Absolutely pristine Mint. Solid and straight with no compression. Folded square, so the edges meet up closely together and parallel. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid and uncracked laminate. For extra good measure, all text is perfectly centred on quite a narrow depth.

Corners: The odd tiny tip rub only. Excellent to full near mint shape retained, so difficult to find this format of cover with corners this neat.

Cover Summary: Fragile covers this great age are rarely seen this lovely. This one simply exudes freshness and pure good looks. With just a little thickening of the storage edges, this beauty has little else to fault and will delight most-all collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT(–): and practically as made. This mono red Decca polylined inner has barely aged at all. Both window circles are pristine and the lining very clear with a only light crinkle. No creasing worthy of mention and all edges unsplit with no repairs. This is British patented with ‘Foreign patents pending’ text. The old adage of a very clean inner meaning a very clean record rarely was more correct.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: PRACTICALLY MINT: mono records hardly get better than this, a record that could quite easily pass as new. Even under bright angled light, spotting any super-fine surface traces is proving difficult. An absolutely outstanding visual copy that is ultra clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. This is quite a long and unbanded record, it has some very compact grooves which makes ultra fine hairline traces difficult to totally avoid on the most carefully preserved and handled record. But this I feel sure has hardly ever been removed from the inner and has probably not seen light-of-day for decades (if indeed ever). A record that defies it’s great age and it should please all collectors. An ultimate upgrade that is unlikely to be matched or bettered. Yes a bold statement I know, but this is as good as vinyl records ever get.

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: One of the most difficult in the Decca-era Mayall catalogue due to several quiet sections – finding one with no audio blemishes is a considerable ask with so many being ruined by the heavy-tracking, thick stylus of the time. Well this copy has barely seen a turntable of any kind and offers audiophile sound throughout – even the very quiet sections. This has powerful, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is immensely high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. If the mono format is your choice, few will ever get close and this offers mastertape quality. Clear, crisp and focused sound with no distortion or pressing issues – Decca, for me the very best record manufacturer rarely fail to please and this is no exception. Nothing whatsoever spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, without any doubt, the cleanest and best-sounding mono copy I have yet heard, this is TRULY immaculate and superb. It will prove nigh-on impossible to find better and my highest possible recommendation is mandatory. You want the perfect mono original, look no further – it’s here.

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 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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’.