LED ZEPPELIN III A5/B5 1st Red/Plum PRESS PETER GRANT SUPERB AUDIO NM-/MINT-
£
398
$
527
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Description
Led Zeppelin III A5/B5 1st Red/Plum press w/Peter Grant credit
This very collectable first pressing plays to a fantastic standard with barely any interference. And I mean barely any! S1 is 'as new' no exaggeration with a clarity and depth that is outstanding (only very minimal inner groove distortion on the final track) and the S2 is not far off being perfect with only one light click on 'Tangerine'. This is without doubt one of the most stunning first pressings I have ever played and it is also visually very impressive with only one obvious hairline on S2.
The iconic E.J. Day cover is also one of the 'cleanest' I have ever seen, it is in beautiful condition, and it has a fully functioning wheel of course. The original inner is also in excellent condition.
As this is a genuine first press it has the A5/B5 matrix and the Peter Grant credit on the labels. The 2401002 is also on the labels with no hyphen.
2401002 // A - 5 1 2 5 // Do what thou wilt
2401002 // B - 5 1 2 6 // So mote it be
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T5 Near Mint)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint-)
The gatefold is Near Mint
The 'plastic bags' inner is Ex+
The labels are Near Mint
Visual grading
The vinyl is in lovely and still has an immaculate glossy sheen. There are no actual marks or scratches on either side although there is one long (ish) faint hairline on S2 that is a little more obvious. Apart from that there are only a small number of very faint sleeve removal hairlines that you can only see under a strong light. The run out grooves are super clean as are the red/plum labels which only have a little spindle wear. They have both retained their original deep colour extremely well.
Play grading
The classic 'Immigrant Song' plays with a real sense of power and depth from the first groove to the last. Not only that but it plays with sublime clarity with no interference of any kind. The sound is so clear you can even hear the countdown on the intro! There are no ticks, clicks, pops or static and no distortion on the top end. In other words this could not play any better and it provides a Mint start to the album. No need for a minus here :-)
The 'spoken intro' on 'Friends' has no 'background', the clarity is amazing, and the acoustic section then plays equally as well. The first vocal is 'as new' and it continues in the same way with no intrusion. This track often has a distorted 'tinny' type sound but that is not the case here and the sonic quality cannot be faulted. Each note is so clean and precise and already it is patently obvious this first pressing has hardly been played. The powerful end end section has no interference and this is another Mint track for sure.
The moog intro on 'Celebration Day' plays perfectly with no background static (or worse!) and from then on plays with STUNNING power and definition. It has to be one of the most definitive versions I have heard in many a year because unlike so many others there is no distortion whatsoever. Distortion is a common 'fault' with this track and yet the sonic quality is exceptional throughout. I cannot overstate just how unbelievable this track is and already I am running out of superlatives for the sheer quality on offer here. Every section plays to perfection and that includes the fade out which has not one dust tick. This is Mint and then some...
The extended intro on 'Since I've Been Loving You' is 'as new' with no sign of any interference - the audio is just so clean and Plant's opening vocal is of the same 'high end' standard. I'm not sure I've heard clarity like it on a red/plum pressing! So quiet and yet there is not even a single dust tick! Plant's first vocal on the higher register is flawless and Page's long solo then plays with great distinction and the quiet section that follows has no 'background'. How often is that the case? Hardly ever! The final 'high octane' vocal has only very minimal distortion and is still very clean with no interference. Not surprisingly the final few 'quiet' grooves play perfectly. Mint- is a fair assessment of the audio.
As any Led Zepp collector will know 'Out On The Tiles' will always play with some inner groove distortion -and it is just a matter of how much. It begins in fine style with no interference and only on the first chorus is there a little distortion but still much less than what you often find. The next verse is faultless and the more I listen to it the more I am impressed! There is only very minimal distortion on the top end and the 'heavier' section towards the end where the bass is very much to the fore is superb! The power and definition here is so strong and the fade out has only light static right at the end. This is still one of the finest versions of this classic that I have ever heard and I will grade as Near Mint although perhaps that is underselling it.
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The acoustic intro on 'Gallows Pole' again plays with incredible clarity and opening vocal is just as good. As the tempo increases there is no decrease in quality and it continues to play as per S1. There are no negatives, what a version! The clarity and power of the audio is just on another level. From start to finish this is Mint in every way plus I've never heard a fade out like it!
The very quiet and brief acoustic intro on 'Tangerine' has no 'background' and the 7 second 'silent' section that follows is totally 100% silent! The next acoustic section is as impressive and Plant's first vocal just has one light click (shock!) and a small number of very light ticks that are so much in the background. The chorus is 'as new' and the next verse is close to that with just one tick at the beginning. From then on it plays with stunning precision and no other 'background'. I will grade as Near Mint- as the vast majority still plays with pristine audio.
'That's The Way' plays beautifully from start to finish with no interference. It has that 'fresh' acoustic sound of an un-played vinyl and the clarity could not be improved. This is why the red/plums are so collectable as you don't get sonic quality such as this on the later pressings. It plays with a warmth, depth and clarity that can only be described as Mint it truly is a STUNNING version.
The acoustic intro on 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp' is faultless and that applies to the rest of the track. Every vocal and instrumental section is as 'clean' as they would have been over 51 years ago! Another definitive version and another Mint track.
'Hat's Off To (Roy) Harper' ends this stunning album with a quality we have come to expect now! There is no interference - not one dust tick even - and Mint is again infinitely deserved.
In summary this first pressing on the red/plum label plays to a standard that you rarely find today and to say 99% is 'as new' is no exaggeration. There are of course so many acoustic sections and yet they all play with unbelievable clarity - yes there is one light click and a small number of barely audible ticks on 'Tangerine' but that is the only 'imperfection' across the entire album. If you are lucky enough to win this album just listen intently to every note you and will understand what I mean. Even the louder sections play with outstanding power and depth and 'Out On The Tiles' is a prime example of that with only very minimal inner groove distortion. As always I have played every track in full so as to provide a 'complete' grading and this is definitely one of the most stunning first pressings I have the pleasure in listening to. Together with a superb cover this will not disappoint!
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The laminated E.J. Day cover is in superb condition and has maintained its original shape and has clearly not been handled very much. There is hardly any shelf wear and as stated the 'wheel' still works perfectly. The edges have barely any rubbing and as always with the first/early pressings the top and bottom edge of the front cover are 'open' so as to allow free movement of the wheel. The wide spine is perfect and remains 100% legible and all corners are so clean with no obvious wear at all. The opening edge just has very minimal handling wear. The front cover is close to perfect with no marking and just one barely visible crease in the top right corner. The back cover is just as impressive and has none of the yellowing/fading around the edges that you so often see, a genuine rarity. It has only a couple of faint laminate scratches that you can only see when held at a certain angle. The inside of the gatefold is immaculate with no inner spine damage and again has no marking around the edges. This is a stunning example of this iconic cover.
The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner (date coded 0970) is in great condition with no side splits and only one small tear on the central window. It has a couple of small spots and one very faint mark on the 'reverse' side and only minimal creasing.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
2401002 // A - 5 1 2 5 // Do what thou wilt
2401002 // B - 5 1 2 6 // So mote it be
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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Postage & Packaging
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