LED ZEPPELIN Houses of the Holy RARER 1973 ORIG UK A2/B2 EX LP.

	£		87
	$		115

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. 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: LED ZEPPELIN

Album Title: Houses of the Holy.

Producer(s): Jimmy Page.

Track Listing:

Side 1: The Song Remains the Same; The Rain Song; Over the Hills and Far Away; The Crunge.

Side 2: Dancing Days; D’Yer Mak’er; No Quarter; The Ocean.

Label/Format: Atlantic – original deeper coloured green and orange labels with smooth, matt finish and two ring ridges.

Label Conditions: Both clean and fresh looking and in terms of spindle marks, hardly any, those tiny few present being very fine and faint. The only blemish of note is a small (possibly) adhesive stain in manufacture on side one at the 3 o’clock position. This clearly seen on my label scan. Also this copy has the ultimate first A2 / B2 matrixes which are much harder to locate.

Cat Number: K 50014 .

Country of Manufacture: England.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 137 grams. A very good solid weight for this one, considerably thicker and robust than later pressings.

Rarity: Moderate: as this again was a top selling album. But the first issue with A2 / B2 matrix copies in very fine condition are much harder to find. Some early copies included an Obi strip on the cover, these are very hard to find and this copy does NOT have it. But I always consider condition, and especially sound quality the most important factor bar none, and this record really delivers. I have found in most cases, only the very first issues offer that really top-end sound. Later ones often crackle and sometimes even have pressing issues, this hardly played example plays superbly with practically nothing unwanted and I am sure the earliest cuts have that extra small details and clarity the others lack. Also, this has a very fine cover too with few blemishes. Lastly, the first issues included the lyric inner sleeve with a textured finish, later ones were totally smooth. These often split, become grubby and tatty, this one is fully intact and clean. So overall, a strong very early copy that looks impressive and importantly, offers the sound the more discerning collector wants. These are at more of a premium and far scarcer.

Original Year of Release: 1973

Matrix Nos: K 50014 A2 / K 50014 B2

Run-Out Groove Text: ‘STIRLING RL’ / ‘STERLING RL’.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Their brilliant fifth album and the first that never appeared on the famous Plum format in the UK. Often underrated, compared to the first four but unjustifiably so, how could any band follow classics of that stature indefinitely? - answer, to do something a little different, and Houses of the Holy works beautifully, only slightly blemished (in my opinion) by two lesser songs: ‘The Crunge’ which experimented with a funk sound and the reggae track ‘D’yer Mak’er’, which really does not work for me. The other six songs are pure classic Led Zeppelin at their very best. Chart topping in both the UK and US this album again proved a popular big-seller. Please note, I have carefully placed items to obscure the more sensitive closer cover images due to Ebay policy on these sort of things, but NOTHING unwanted is hidden in terms of wear, marks or blemishes. This is a quality original copy, no Obi (as per most), but if supreme sound, detail and utmost sonic delivery is wanted, this really packs a BIG punch.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces that has no text printed on it whatsoever. This includes the textured inner sleeve which was printed and made in England by MacNeill Press.

Cover Front & Back: Both sides very similar being clean, fresh and attractive with little wear, creasing or marks, any present are small very light seen under angled light. Very faint traces of a rim rub on the back near the top and few will escape this as a bare minimum, here almost as light as it gets. I state again, I have covered the more ‘visual’ part of this cover, but nothing is hidden in the way of unwanted wear or marks.

Cover Inner Gatefold: One of the greatest inner gatefold spreads you will ever with to see, this one has incredibly dark and rich colour hue. It is practically wear-free but does have a curious pale streak across the skyline that looks almost like an aircraft vapour-trail. I am 99% certain, this is something to do with the printing plate or process, but I have not seen this effect before, and it just my opinion. There is a very small stain on the fold near the top.

Top Edges: Both straight with minimal traces of rubbing, a little towards the right corners, little else.

Bottom Edges: Very light rub traces on the front edge, little shows on the back at all, all very commendable for these traditional storage edges.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with barely any wear, any thickening or burring hardly registers. Record enters on the back edge, both guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with barely any compression or rubbing – just a little near the very ends. Folded square, so the edges meet up very closely and parallel. No text was printed on this one and the design flows around with minimal traces of any wear even to the folds. Also this retains fine colour without the usual fading so many seem to naturally acquire.

Corners: Tip rubbing is light to near moderate with fine to very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: Never an easy cover, these early matt finished examples are prone to all forms of wear. So one with little to fault should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): this one of the best I have seen for some time. It is the heavier card with the original textured finish, they were not lined. It has the original MacNeill Press English credits. Few marks or discolouration, hardly any creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs. That is quite unusual, but makes a considerable difference for the more discerning collector.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: a very clean first pressed A2 / B2 copy and without doubt very little played. A few visual blemishes seen under angled light, but these are within the pressing, but have NO affect on the quality sound of this record – and never take that for granted. This is very clean, with a lovely shine, intense black and very solidly pressed – heavier than most subsequent pressings. Evidence, including superb sound quality, suggests a copy little played. Visually an impressive ‘House of the Holy’ that 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 genuine first issued 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. Any surface sounds registered little and no pops or significant clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly difficult album that sometimes can disappoint, even on the cleanest looking copies. This is one of the best UK pressed examples of this difficult album I have heard. Sonically superior to later pressings, most are seen with 3 or 4 digits, ‘2’s are seen less and are true firsts. As most fans will know, this album has some very quiet passages and total silence is a near impossible task, but this copy proved very enjoyable with any reminders of listening to a 40-year-old record gentle, few and very infrequent. Few copies will match or outperform this very early pressing significantly I feel sure and this was a joy from start to finish. A record (and cover) clearly well looked after and modestly handled, I doubt if this record has seen light-of-day for years. Nothing of any real note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record and most fans should enjoy it. This copy will prove 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 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’.