JOHN MAYALL's BLUESBREAKERS - Crusade. RARER ORIG UK 1967 UNBOXED MONO EX++ LP

	£		83
	$		110

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World £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. More details on this 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 ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: JOHN MAYALL’S BLUESBREAKERS

Album Title: Crusade.

Producer(s): Mike Vernon.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Oh, Pretty Woman; My Time After Awhile; Snowy Wood; Man of Stone; Tears in My Eyes.

Side 2: Driving Sideways; The Death of J. B. Lenoir; I Can't Quit You Baby; Streamline; Me and My Woman; Checkin’ up on My Baby.

Label/Format: Decca – original unboxed format with deep ridge. These have matt, smooth surfaces (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both look fantastic: very clean, fresh and attractive with only two or three ultra light, fine and faint spindle traces. For a mono record especially, these spindle marks are almost as light as they ever get, and without any doubt, this superb record has hardly been played.

Cat Number: LK 4890.

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: 135 grams. A typical top quality Decca pressing around average weight.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Very scarce, and a first issue mono in this condition even more so. Far harder to find than just about any other UK John Mayall album and mono copies this clean are immensely sort-after. The record is exceptional and the offers fantastic clean sound. The cover has a date on the back, but only a little gentle ageing on the vulnerable back. Still a beautiful piece that will delight many, if not most fans.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: ARL-7995-1A / ARL-7996-1A

Mother & Stamper Codes: 1 GC / 1 I

Musicians: Mick Taylor - lead guitar; John Mayall - vocals, piano, guitar, harmonica; John McVie - bass guitar; Hughie Flint and Keef Hartley - drums; Rip Kant and Chris Mercer - saxophones.

Brief Info: Brilliant follow-up to ‘A Hard Road’, this features the young Mick Taylor, pre-Rolling Stones era who is arguably the real star backing member of this set which features some outstanding songs. For me, the hardest Bluesbreaker’s album to find, I have had several ‘Beanos’, ‘Hard Roads’ and ‘Bare Wires’ over the years, but few of these, and hardly any that matched the superb clean sound of this example. This has suffered no old stylus abuse and the audio quality is immense. The back may have a ‘December 1971’ date on the back, but this is a pre-1969 copy with the unboxed labels. Often records hung around in shops before selling - indeed I remember clearly, a copy of Zappa’s ‘Freak Out’ in mono still being seen brand new in a Colchester record shop in 1974. For fans of this legendary bluesman, this is a very exciting find and this record can be treasured indefinitely if treated with the same respect as the previous owner.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: (with a date written neatly on the back), arguably better. A single format with front Clarifoil laminate, the wraps around the closed edges but only on to the back via the spine, there are no flipbacks. No peep-hole mono/stereo indicator, these came later in 1969, so as stated, this is an early example. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press and includes the original polylined inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: The front is definitely worthy of the extra plus (at least). Clear, shiny and fresh laminate that has no lifts and minimal traces of any friction rubs or dulling. Any of the few fine creases show little. A mild rim impression near the top edge but little else and a front that has aged little and gracefully with any discolour to the white borders, only very light.

Cover Back: The back has aged only a little with some fairly light traces of grubbiness/mild toning near the edges. As stated already, this has a date month and year written near the top left corner, but very fine and neatly. The laminate end clean with no grime and again, hardly any creases, also no ring wear. .

Top Edge: Minimal traces of wear and still mainly straight, often Clarifoil laminated, thin card covers bow badly.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with barely any wear and guaranteed untrimmed. No thickening or burr traces worthy of mention, even viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: A fantastic spine: solid, straight with hardly any compression. The ends are gently pinched in manufacture and also look very neat. All text is perfect and unworn, also well centred under the solid and unpeeled laminate.

Corners: All crisp and neat with very little tip rubbing and no dinks. Very fine to excellent shape retained.

Cover Summary: An impressive all-round example of this elusive original 1967 mono cover, one that could prove difficult to find much better. At this sort of age, few will better this significantly, even with a little gentle ageing and neat dating on the back. So not for the perfectionists, but many fans and collectors will enjoy it.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): this being critical of any inner sleeve this great age. One corner crease, these often made to stop the record falling out, and mildly darkened on the seams (in places only). All edges unsplit with no repairs. Both window circles immaculate and ultra crisp and the lining crystal clear with barely any crinkle. The lack of real wear on this vintage inner gives very clear and strong indication the record has hardly made the trip out.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): which again hardly does this splendid vintage mono record full justice, few will survive a great deal better. The playing surfaces are very clean, shiny, intense black and a solid, top quality Decca pressing as you would expect from this master vinyl company. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence reitterated by very impressive, clean sound of the highest quality. We all what these old mono records were likely to be subjected to and few survive so clean and lightly played with audio clarity that almost reminds of new. Any surface traces as seen with utmost close scrutiny under bright angled light, are ultra fine and faint with no penetrating marks or blemishes at all. Classic monos when found like this are a vintage treasure of genuine beauty and never, ever to be taken for granted. This should please many, if not most collectors.

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 well preserved record plays even above it’s high visual grading with practically 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. Even any surface sound barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing, but again typical of Decca whose standards were second to none. Unfortunately, so many were heavily played on old mono record players, that is what they were made for let’s face it. Where there was a choice, people who bought mono usually did not to use on the appropriate equipment. Often with blunt, inferior sapphire stylus that wore very quickly and were rarely replaced in time to save the records from damage. The lack of groove wear on this impressive copy must and can never be taken for granted and so few play with fully focused and sharp sound. This was an absolute joy to listen too. The guitars and reed instruments are unclipped and precise with pristine clarity. Almost a gateway into The Bluesbreakers recording studio itself. Few copies will match, let alone outperform this very early pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – this up there with the very best I have heard, and I really do regard this one as one of the hardest to find. This record will prove very difficult to find better and merits my strongest recommendation. This is very close to audiophile territory, this too being played on a highly revealing stereo system as outlined further down, that such records were not really designed for – John Mayall fans – do not lose this one.

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’.