Led Zeppelin II A1 / B1 (2nd red/plum pressing)

This iconic album is the first pressing after the 'Turquoise' one so is generally regarded as the second red/plum pressing and has the Warner Bros/Jewel Music publishing credit on the labels.

Identical to the Turquoise lettered cover it is fully laminated with orange lettering and has the grey/silver band along the bottom edge.  It is 'Printed and Made by MacNeill Press Ltd, London SE1 and also has the 'Uptight an' Outasight' info on the back of the cover.

As detailed below this vinyl plays with stunning audio and is also visually very impressive.  It is also one of earliest of the second pressings as determined by the matrix numbers.

588171 (2nd 8 crossed out , replaced with etched 8) A // 1 1 2

588171 (2nd 8 crossed out , replaced with etched 8) B // 1 1 1 4

The audio on S1 is Ex+ (Near Mint in many sections)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint

The laminated cover is Ex

The labels are Near Mint

The 'Plastic Bags..' poly-lined inner is Ex

Visual grading

Visually this vinyl is in wonderful condition for its age and it has obviously been very well looked after down the years.  There are a small number of faint hairlines only.  There is a more obvious one on track one and a small area of 'spotting' on track two but they have no bearing on the superb audio on offer.  This 1969 vinyl has a stunning glossy sheen and is easily one of the cleanest I have ever seen.  S1 is still very impressive but S2 is absolutely stunning.  Any hairlines are no doubt caused by sleeve removal.  An archive copy without doubt.

Play grading  

With almost no lead in static on S1 'Good Times Bad Times' has two seconds of static on the intro and then plays with exceptionally clear sound.  I heard only one faint click and a couple of dust ticks during the track.  On the fade out there were a further three faint clicks but in all honesty this is a superb start to this iconic album.  No distortion, no crackle and no obvious interference at all.

'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' is stunning.  The quiet intro plays with incredible clarity and there is no intrusive 'background' whatsoever.  The rest of the track practically equals this superb standard with only a couple of faint clicks during one of the middle acoustic sections.  However, you would be hard pressed to find this classic playing so clearly on an A1/B1 red/plum pressing.  The quiet end section also impresses with sublime audio and only one faint click.  A stunning version.

The bluesy 'You Shook Me' plays with incredible depth and clarity from beginning to end.  For a relatively quiet slow paced track the lack of interference is tangible and I have rarely heard a better version.  I heard only one dull pop but to all intents and purposes this easily grades as Ex+ if not better.

The bass intro on 'Dazed and Confused' is astounding!  For a vinyl of this age to have no crackle is a testament to how well it has been cared for.  There is just one faint click about 30 seconds in but aside from that it is a stunning listen and I would go so far as to say it is the best version I have ever heard.  The instrumental part is breathtaking and there is no 'background' at all during the quieter section.  The guitar solo then plays with immense power and no distortion, I cannot stress enough just how well this track plays.  This is audio of such high quality I am confident in grading it as Near Mint.

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This is without doubt one of the 'cleanest' 'Your Time is Gonna Come' organ intros I have heard in a long while.  There is only a touch of very light intermittent static and it plays extremely well.  The quiet end section of it plays beautifully and once the drums and acoustic guitar begin the audio quality is nigh on perfect.  The remainder of the track does not disappoint either and again a Near Mint grade is deserved.  There is not one iota of interference.

'Black Mountain Side' has audio of such quality you do not believe you are listening to a record that is nearly 50 years old!  Again there is no 'background' and it quite simply plays as new.

What follows is a 'high end' version of 'Communication Breakdown'.  There is no discernible interference and it 'rocks out' in superb fashion with no distortion which is so often prevalent on this track.  No clicks, pops or jumps and even the fade out plays with no static.

The quiet  intro on 'I Can't Quit You Baby' again is another example of a vinyl that has been exceptionally well preserved down the decades.  There is no 'background' whatsoever and this quality continues throughout.  Again I am running out of superlatives here.  There is no static or clicks and the many quiet sections play with a sublime quality that is second to none.

'How Many More Times' ends this classic album with audio of the same quality as that which precedes it.  This may be getting repetitive but once more there is no interference of any kind.  I am just blown away by this immaculate audio.  Again there is no distortion and the quiet sections play in superb style.  This is the best version I have ever heard of this classic and every second plays with such dynamic power and strength and the quieter moments so delicately.  An absolutely stunning finale to this classic album.

In summary this is a final upgrade archive copy in my humble opinion.  To find such an early press playing with such sublime quality is a genuine rarity and a real find.  S1 is stunning with only a handful of light clicks but as for S2 wow!  The clarity and sonic quality on both sides is a joy to listen to and this will not disappoint any Led Zepp fan.

Cover

The laminated 'MacNeill' cover is in overall excellent condition.  The edges are very clean with hardly any rubbing and the thin pinched spine remains 100% legible with only a small number of creases.  The opening edge has barely any handling wear at all and the corners are in great order which is a rarity.  The front cover has some minor lifting of the laminate near the spine and a few small creases but it has retained its original quality extremely well.  There is just a little ringwear towards the top also.  The back cover is again very clean with no marking, just very fain staining around the edges and a little lifting of the laminate again around by the spine area.  Overall this is a lovely cover with only minor shelf wear.

Poly-lined inner sleeve

The poly-lined 'Plastic Bags Can Be Dangerous' sleeve has no splits and only light creasing and a couple of age related marks.  It has the Patent nos 800518 & 973939 and Made in England 1/0170 printed on the sleeve.

The labels

The red/plum labels are in superb condition with no writing or marking.  There is some spindle wear although certainly not an excessive amount.

Play tested on a Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

588171 (2nd 8 crossed out , replaced with etched 8) A // 1 1 2

588171 (2nd 8 crossed out , replaced with etched 8) B // 1 1 1 4

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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