Led Zeppelin iii 3 Vinyl LP 1970 All 1st Press Attributes In Place Great Copy

£ 108

$ 143

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Mar 1, 2020 Sold Date

Feb 21, 2020 Start Date

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Description

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin iii

Atlantic 1970

A vibrant copy of the very first pressing of Led Zeppelin’s third album.

A disappointment to fans at the time, but seen in retrospect as a classic, and a clear bridge between the rocking second album and the creative heights of the untitled fourth.

The 1st pressing has these noticeable differences from the second pressing:

1. Executive Producer: Peter Grant

2. ‘2401002’ catalogue number has no gaps or hyphens

3. Central white band is parallel

4. Publishing credits ‘Warner Bros. Music Ltd’

the later issue also mis-names track 2 as ‘Celebration’ instead of ‘Celebration Day’ as well as deleting the Peter Grant credit and moving Jimmy Page’s producer credit into the lower ‘plum’ segment. The publishing credit has also dropped the ‘Ltd’ from Warner Bros. Music.

There is another version of the later pressing with all of the above changes but without the ‘Celebration’ error.

(Source: rarerecordcollector.net)

The earliest matrices for this album are A5/B5. Page was said to be unhappy with the first few test pressings and rejected them in favour of the 5th pressing, hence the earliest matrix you’ll find on either side will be A5 and B5. There are later matrix numbers. Also interesting is that the matrix was hand etched throughout and also includes the infamous Aleister Crowley quotes on either side:

Do What Thou Wilt

So Mote It Be

a complete 1st press should have the Peter Grant credit, hand etched matrices with both quotes as above.

(Source: rarerecordcollector.net)

Released on the Atlantic "red/maroon" label, in a fully laminated gatefold sleeve with working wheel.

1st Cat on labels , 2nd Cat on sleeve

Specific to the first pressing ;

(1) 2401002 (on labels)

(2) Produced by Jimmy Page , Executive Producer : Peter Grant (credited on top half of labels)

(3) Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

(4) Matrix numbers end with A5 and B5.

Various matrix number combinations from A6/A7 to B5/B6/B7 may exist with the above described first generation of label. They are transitional copies from the first pressing to the second pressing (the ones without Peter Grant credits), and they are later copies.

Under License from Atlantic Recording Corp., U.S.A.

Manufactured for Polydor Records Ltd., London

Printed and made by the E. J. Day Group London and Bedford.

Directly after the Peter Grant credit was removed another label was released with a track error

the track 'celebration day' was incorrectly typed 'celebration' and was immediately changed to the latter label variarion

? 1970

(Later subsequent pressings released on the Red/maroon labels do not have the Executive Producer Peter Grant credits on the label, the label Cat# appears as 2401-002 and the publisher credits appear only as Warner Bros. Music)

(Source: discogs)

The copy listed here has all first pressing attributes: Peter Grant credit; A5 B5 on the runout along with the Aleister Crowley quotes; 2401002 unhyphenated.

The vinyl is in solid VG condition with some light surface marks but no deep scratches. It plays through with no skips or jumps but some background static and crackle in parts. The red and plum labels have some spindle marks but are sound and bright.

The sleeve is near excellent. The wheel works perfectly and it is clean and robust with only the odd light mark here and there. Remarkably well preserved overall with clear spine and very little handling wear.