JOHN MAYALL Looking Back RARER Orig 1969 UK EX++ LP

	£		172
	$		205

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Please see my Detailed Packing Description Further Down & All Shipping Costs and Options – NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment.

Artist or Band: JOHN MAYALL

Album Title: Looking Back.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Mr James; Blues City Shakedown; Stormy Monday; So Many Roads; Looking Back; Sitting in the Rain.

Side 2: It Hurts Me Too; Double Trouble; Suspicions (Part Two); Jenny; Picture on the Wall.

Label/Format: Decca – original unboxed stereo format. (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both in superb condition – ultra clean, fresh with intense colour retained that makes these look extra attractive. Just a tiny few, very fine and faint spindle traces. This from that superb collection of hardly played records I have been offering over the past couple of weeks.

Cat Number: SKL 5010.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 137 grams. A typical quality very solidly pressed Decca record.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce as an unboxed copy. Issued in 1969, the year of the change to the boxed format, the originals were only available for a relatively brief time. Finding ultra clean, hardly played geniune originals is harder still, and this is a beauty that will delight most-all fans of this legendary bluesman.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: ZAL-8987.P-2W / ZAL-8988.P-2W

Stamper Codes: 1 H (or M) / 1 BU (the ‘B’ being unclear, it could be C or G).

Musicians: John Mayall – Jack Bruce – Eric Clapton – Roger Dean – Aynsley Dunbar – Mick Fleetwood – Peter Green – Keef Hartley – Dick Heckstall-Smith – John McVie – Mick Taylor.

Brief Info: Eleven songs that track Mayall’s musical progression over the previous five years and including the host of blues stars and musicians listed above. Looking Back is a collection of his Decca singles, most are scarce and the tracks are in super stereo - this album was available in both modes. This is a superb collection for the blues collector by arguably the greatest artist of the genre ever. A wonderful opportunity to own this scarce unboxed stereo copy in fantastic condition, this was a joy from beginning to end.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): and a mere whisker from Mint(-), this is a lovely looking example. Laminated with Clarifoil front and back and a gatefold format with the front being only single thickness card making the perils of creasing all the more obvious. This was printed and made in England by Clout & Baker and has the mono/stereo peep-hole on the back. In this case, the blue inner fills this hole and denotes this is a stereo example.

Lamination – Front & Back: Verhy impressive indeed: the laminate has barely aged at all and retains a lovely more semi-glossy shine, freshness and clarity. The only lifting is minor on the bottom of the spine on the front with a mere sliver upwards. With normal viewing, this hardly even shows and is only minimal and unbroken or peeled. Clarifoil is notorious for non-adhesion or lifting by tightening contraction over the years, this is superb and really looks lovely. The back is near perfect and the front almost the same. A very fine surface crease near the right edge again only shows under light and a couple of light. small ones near the bottom corners – little else of note. Even under light, there is hardly any traces of friction rubs or dulling with barely any marks to the laminate surface at all, even ultra fine hairlines. A quality, superbly looked-after vintage cover that will take some beating. The rear peephole is crisp and unblemished and the vulnerable edges, particularly on the thin card front, are ultra neat and crisp without the usual burring and thickening which often chips and spoils the appearance. I hope my pictures do this one justice.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside is in amazing, almost as new condition, barely anything worthy of mention, this has avoided any ageing and even creasing.

Top Edges: Barely any traces of wear, even the front single thickness card edge has avoided any burring and any burr traces are minuscule.

Bottom Edges: Very slight thickening to the traditional storage edges that few will avoid avoid. The lack or burring and chipping is what sets this one apart. I have seldom seen one of these or similar style covers better.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with minimal traces of wear or thickening. No feathering either, these thin card edges often soften and separate, well not this one which is strong proof the record has hardly made the trip out. Both edges are guaranteed untrimmed. Record entered on the back edge.

Spine and Text: A superb spine: solid, straight with minimal traces of compression. Folded square, the edges meet up perfectly together and parallel. This all adds to the neatness and visual pleasure of a gatefold cover. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid and uncracked laminate. They rarely get seen better than this.

Corners: Any tip rubbing is tiny and faint, these are also unfeathered or softened and few will ever retain such excellent shape and definition. Even cover-protected ones are vulnerable, the fragile front pair often catch and soften and these are regularly seen eroded and frayed.

Cover Summary: A beautiful all-round example of this somewhat fragile late 60’s cover, one that will prove immensely difficult to find better. This hugely impressive item should please most-all collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): and blue to indicate a stereo copy through the peep-hole at the back. Lined and a very deep shade of blue, this has aged little with hardly any creasing and no splits or tears. The window circles supremely neat and sharp and the lining clear with minimal crinkle. None of the usual glue browning on the seams which all remain unsplit. This is British patented with ‘Foreign patents pending’ text and is not date-coded.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): and arguably, undergraded as such. A super visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed on top quality Decca vinyl. These late unboxed stereos I consider very special – most of the stereo examples that show up are on the boxed repressings. This has been played very little with any surface marks very fine, few and faint. This record was not even that easy to remove from it’s polylined inner. So a faint trace of ‘bag-rash’ is just seen on the run outs – this has no sound of course and is hardly unusual. I doubt if this record has seen light-of-day for decades and was a joy to play-grade after it’s careful removal. Visually a fantastic record that should please most-all collectors again.

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 magnificent record plays even beyond its high visual grading with nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. The quality sound will seldom be heard better with most being affected by vintage record players that were never groove-friendly – we have all seen and heard such copies. Any surface sounds barely even register and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing, but as you would expect from Decca – the label I respect above all others for pressing standards. Few copies will match or outperform this original stereo pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled within a non-smoking environment. Unlike most of the early monos, this has never been subjected to thick, worn, heavy tracking mono stylus and has been carefully stored and lightly played and with utmost care. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful John Mayall album. This copy will prove very difficult to find better and is strongly recommended.

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 QED Silver 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 7,000+ items sold in nearly 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 3 or 4 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). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please as 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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (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 [£46 maximum]) = £10. (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 [£46 maximum]) = £14. Add £4 per extra LP. (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’.