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

This very early pressing plays with fantastic audio and is the most impressive I have heard in a long time.  There is only the one stamper '1' on S2 confirming it as one of the earliest pressings.

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

The laminated cover is also in exceptional condition with hardly any shelf wear. It is identical to the Turquoise lettered cover and but has orange lettering and the silver band on the bottom edge.  It has the 'Printed and Made by MacNeill Press Ltd, London SE1' and 'Uptight an' Outasight' info on the back of the cover.

588171 (2nd 8 crossed, replaced with etched 8) A // 1  1  2   3 0

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

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 2 ranges between Ex+ and Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority / track 1 intro VG+)

The laminated cover is Ex++

Visual grading

This vinyl has been extremely well cared for down the years and is a stunning example of its kind.  It still has a lovely glossy sheen and there are no scratches at all.  There are some fine hairlines and a couple of minor faint scuffs but they have no bearing on the wonderful quality of the audio as detailed below.  Considering this vinyl is now over 50 years old it really does have a very impressive 'look' and is certainly one of the cleanest red/plum pressings you will find.  There is not too much spindle wear either suggesting it has not been over-played and that is certainly borne out by the quality of the audio.  The labels and run out grooves are also very clean.  A superb version of this iconic album.

Play grading  

'Good Times Bad Times' begins superbly from the very first note and plays with stunning precision and clarity.  You would not think you were listening to a now 50 year old vinyl!  Having played the track twice now I can confirm this is one of the most impressive versions of this classic that I have heard.  The definition of the sound is so precise and the only 'background' is one 'tick' in one of the quieter sections towards the end.  Page's solo have never sounded better with no distortion at all.  I do not over-grade and I can confidently grade this as Near Mint and even the fade out has no interference!

The quiet acoustic intro on 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' is stunning with only a couple of obvious light static sounds.  This truly is a superb intro, the clarity is incredible!  It continues to play in much the same way.  A hint of light static in the next 'low key' section but there is nothing intrusive here at all.  The loud and powerful acoustic mid section is the most dynamic I have heard in a long time and from then on the audio is 'high end' and has no 'background'.  There is no distortion on the top end and for a track with so many quiet sections this is a fantastic version of this classic.  Even the quiet end section plays beautifully with only a minimal amount of static.

'You Shook Me' has very light static hiss on the intro but it really is very minor and non-intrusive.  I only mention it to be complete in my grading, 99% would not!  There are no clicks or pops.  It continues to play very impressively with only a mild hint of mega quiet static hiss here and there.  Don't get me wrong this is still a wonderful version of this track!  The true audiophile would still be very impressed.  The instrumental section is superb and plays with great power and clarity.  Thereafter it is without fault and the end section is absolutely stunning with barely any 'background', just the one dull static sound.

The bass intro on 'Dazed and Confused' is as good as when released back in '69!  Wow what an intro!  It continues to play to the same immaculate standard and the definition of each note is stunning i.e. there is no 'muddiness' or distortion on the sound and you can hear note perfectly.  This is such a strong version of this classic and even the quiet instrumental section plays fantastically well with no real 'background'.  I cannot stress enough how beautifully this plays!  And the following crescendo section is mind-blowing and I have never heard better!  With Page, Bonham and Jones going bonkers ! the power is incredible and you can turn it up loud without fear of distortion.  Wow what fantastic audio!  This provides an astonishing finale to S1 and to think it's on a mega early red/plum pressing!  To the very end it plays with wonderful depth and is Near Mint without question.

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As any LZ fan knows there is always some 'background' on the 'Your Time is Gonna Come' organ intro and whilst there is some static/crackle here it isn't particularly intrusive.  There is just one click prior to the drums coming in and once the vocal begins the audio is exceptional and there is no interference for the remainder.  Audio does not get much better than this!  The clarity and depth is 'high end' to say the least and the seque into the next track is perfect with no 'background' of any kind.

'Black Mountain Side' then plays 'as new'.  It is Mint- and the minus is only there because the album isn't sealed!  There are no clicks, pops, static or crackle and not even one iota of static.  100% stunning!

'Communication Breakdown' then plays as intended.  It 'rocks out' in true LZ style with no clicks or pops and there is no distortion on the top end, a rarity for a red/plum pressing.  This is another indication of a vinyl that has not been over-played.  The guitar solo is awesome, the finest I have heard in a long time and the fade out plays with perfect precision.  A truly stunning version that grades as Mint- again.

If any further proof was needed of the clarity on offer here then the quiet intro on 'I Can't Quit You Baby' provides just that!  It plays so clearly and the only 'background' is three light 'ticks' 30 seconds in.  From then the sound quality is of the highest standard imaginable and with so many relatively quiet sections the clarity is obvious.  It plays faultlessly to the very end.  Another fabulous version!

The bass intro on 'How Many More Times' is superb.  A couple of mega light 'ticks' only (you might even miss them!) the clarity is again nigh on perfect.  As the volume increases the quality does not decrease in any way.  There is no distortion on the top end and the first guitar solo is electrifying!  Such power and depth and the quiet section that follows is incredible!  With no 'background' this is pure audio heaven and I am running out of superlatives for the amazing audio here!  The 'Rosie' section plays as well as it did 50 years ago and the audio continues in the same immaculate way.  So often the end section has some distortion but that is definitely not the case here.  For fear of repeating myself this has to be one of the most impressive versions of this classic I have ever hear and it provides a stunning finale to this classic album.

In summary this is a final upgrade archive red/plum pressing without doubt.  The only obvious 'background' is on the intro to S2 but as stated there is no escaping that and is on all the early pressings.  You could not wish to find greater clarity and power and the vast majority of this album plays with Mint- quality audio.  As stated there is not very much spindle wear and this in part accounts for the 'high end' quality here.  This is why we listen to vinyl, for when you find a record as well preserved as this one the depth and warmth of the music cannot be beaten by any other medium.  I grade honestly as my feedback confirms as it is quite frankly not in my interests to do otherwise.  No one likes returns!  This is an incredible red/plum pressing that will not disappoint the avid collector.  An absolute stunner!

The Cover

The laminated 'MacNeill' cover is one of the finest I have seen in a long time and has barely any shelf wear.  I will do my best to describe all its attributes and flaws however minor!  The edges are in fantastic condition with no rubbing/wear of any kind and the thin pinched spine is near perfect aside from a couple of tiny crease lines.  The corners have been remarkably well preserved and this is such a rarity for a now 50 year old cover.  50 years and a few days to be more precise!!  There is hardly any corner wear, just a miniscule amount, and the opening edge is also in lovely condition with only a minimal amount of handling wear.  The front cover is so incredibly clean and has only one tiny area of laminate lift next to the spine.  This is so rare as this area is always affected by laminate lift all the way down the spine area.  There are just a few small creases next to the spine but these can only be seen when held at a certain angle.  There are three minor creases on the 'airship' but aside from that the cover is perfect, as I say it is just so incredibly clean!  The 'silver band' along the bottom edge remains in superb condition.  The back cover is equally as clean and has no marks at all.  There is some laminate lift next to the spine on this side but it really is not that obvious.  This is a wonderful example of this cover, one that would be very difficult to improve upon.

Inner sleeve

The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags Can Be Dangerous' sleeve has no splits and only a small amount of creasing.  You can also see a little age related fading along the top edges.  It has 1170 printed on one side which refers to the release date.

The labels

The red/plum labels have lost none of their vibrant colour and have no marking or writing on them.  There is not a great deal of spindle wear either and what you can see is centred around the spindle hole only.

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, replaced with etched 8) A // 1  1  2   3 0

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

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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