MOBY GRAPE 69 Orig UK very late rare 69 Mono N/M LP

	£		104
	$		138

Hi, I am Mike, I am 46 and have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 33 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and ellusive items now. 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, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirity, not just bits to guess a grade (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - 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 reader – 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. The only thing I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. Variation can sometimes occur too in colour of the label scans and labels taken next to the sleeve with a digital camera, the scanned full label pictures should be the most accurate. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert. 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 or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I by quality single items and collections also (Email me please if you have quality items for sale).

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions of their intended payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions. NOTE: I WILL NOT ACCEPT BIDS FROM UNREGISTERED USERS, I will cancel them immediately, and sorry, I cannot give valuations on people’s personal items just for their own curiosity, no item can be accurately valued blindly.

Please read all the information carefully - these adverts take an age to compile properly - so it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read the details thoroughly. I really cannot take any responsibility if any bidder fails to read any facts that are clearly stated in the advert - Thankyou.

Artist or Band: MOBY GRAPE

Album Title: Moby Grape 69.

Track Listing: Ooh Mama Ooh; Ain’t That a Shame; I am Not Willing; It’s a Beautful Day Today; Hoochie; Trucking Man; If You Can’t Learn From My Mistakes; Captain Nemo; What’s to Choose; Going Nowhere; Seeing.

Label/Format: CBS (Stunning bright original full orange format).

Label Condition: Wow, these dont come much better. A pair that could almost pass as new, by now the rough textured finish had gone but this 69 pair do still have the texturing on the very innermost circle around hole for about an inch. Spindle traces are as light and few as you could ever imagine, if only all mono albums could be found like this! (Please see label scans for all information needed).

Cat Number: M 63430.

Mono or Stereo: Mono (this was issued in stereo too, and will be less rare).

Country of Manufacture: England, UK

Rarity: Pretty rare I would guess. Any album issued in 69 in mono will be scarce to say the least. By now this format was becoming extinct and many classic albums never even were pressed in mono. Stereo was easily now the most preferred and common format and most record shops did not even stock monos and they had to specially ordered, unless one of the larger retailers. Couple this up with a record that would probably have only sold a mere handful of copies and one thats virtually mint, this in real terms could be one of the very scarcest items I have yet offered on the Net. A definite piece for the connoisseur collector.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: 6340 A1 and 63430 B1

Stamper Codes: A2 / A2

Brief Artist & Album Info: The band’s highly underrated third and ‘come-back’ album. Minus Skip Spence due to illness and still trying to live up to the hype and that highly rated debut, this is a very strong album, but of course it was never going to sell in huge numbers and I can imagine this sold but a mere handful in the UK. This is another that came from a DJ source and its probably been played just the once. Apart from a mild laminate crease on the top of the cover, and the record especially could almost pass for new. Its simply another ‘lost’ gem from the late 60s, check out the typical cover, so similar to many classics from this period. If you missed this one first time, well it here again, dont lose it again - its the very first I have seen and in mono too. A double rarity finding a copy that looks and plays like new.

Cover Grade and Format: EX++, and downgraded half a point due to the mild crease, it shows little anyway. Its a single format, laminated on the front. It was printed and madey by Ernest J. Day & Co. London and has the very early and scarce patent pending text on the back bottom right.

Lamination: Super clean and shiny but has a mild crease along the top about 1.5 inches from the edge, but its relatively unobtrusive due to the fact its mainly lost against the covers artwork and not in direct eyeline. That apart this laminate is superb - no peeling, dry areas, dulling or indentations.

Cover Front: I always love this type of psychy band picture fronts from this period and this is no exception. Its super clean and unworn and looking great.

Cover Back: Very nice indeed and very clean and unworn, considering the great age this is truly exceptional. No ringwear or even mark and no rubbing. Marks are few and handling evidence is minimal. A very fine back for this rare cover.

Top Edge: Virtually unworn.

Bottom Edge: Virtually unworn.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: Solid and square with some light rubbing, its not laminated and some text has rubbed but the important album title is still almost fully intact with just some erosion to the BY in MOBY.

Corners: All four show a little wear to the ends, but only light and minor. Shape is still fine.

Cover Summary: Rarely seen and I woud guess rarely much better than this. A few minor blemishes but this sets a very high standard and try finding it much better.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-) and some would say better still. What a joy to see a mono rarity looking like this - its clearly almost unplayed. A superb visual copy. Super clean, shiny, jet black and very solidly pressed. Barely a mark to be seen, this looks really lovely. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence. Visually a super record that should please all collectors again.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This super record plays up to its high visual grading with little to fault. Strong, undistorted sound, never take any mono record for granted that can boast this, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a full dynamic range and very rich sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed, indeed if there is any at all, and few copies will play better than this, if only all monos would play like this. Both channels are clean and sharp, I feel very sure this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and looked after, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment - this one has clearly avoided the pile-driver deck arms from the 60s that wrote off many a fine mono record. Little, if anything spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this scarce album. This copy could prove near impossible to find significantly better.

Mono vs Stereo, an overview: Always a matter of opinion which is better or more important. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure they are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records. As a general guide to rarity, mono was the far more common format from 61–65; Around 66–67 the balance was roughly equal, then from 68-69 the balance swung more to stereo, making monos from these dates far scarcer, even rare - this guide is important and effects values greatly.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: My first hearing of this album myself and it came as a genuine surprise to hear such a strong record, still underrated by reference books and sadly ignored by so many in Europe. This fine SF band had only a short and often traumatic career, but for me this comes close to matching that famous debut. Better sounding with some great songs, this poor seller wont be found often and UK monos from the late extinct period for this format will only rarely turn up and probably never looking and sounding quite like this one, dont lose this fine copy – Mike.

Having the Powerseller Logo: This is recognition from Ebay for the highest possible customer services, satisfaction and quality, it should reassure any potential bidder that all items are described, graded and shipped to the highest standards possible. Customer care of the highest order is a standard feature here and I am proud to have achieved this recognised standard of excellence from Ebay with help from collectors and buyers from all over the World - I thank you all.

Payment Details please read carefully - I know its boring but essential:

UK First Class: = £3.00; Recorded Delivery (Recommended) = £5.50 Special Delivery (Next day, insured up to £250), the best service available = £7.00

Europe Air Mail: = £4 Insured: £8.00

Overseas, non-Europe e.g. USA, Japan, Australia etc. Airmail:= £7; Insured with recorded delivery (where available) = £11.00

Singles: (Packed to the high standards of the LPs)

UK First class: = £2.00 Insured: £4

Europe Air Mail = £3.00 Insured: £5.50

Overseas, non-Europe (as above) Airmail £3.50 Insured: £6.00

Doubles add extra £1, triples add extra £2. Box sets add extra £3 (£4 overseas and Europe)

Any item that sells for over £85 will be sent Special Delivery in the UK at no extra cost. Items over £125 get the same service Overseas. This is gives peace of mind for the winning bidder and myself for valuable items. Reduced postage of course for multiple items.

The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£28). PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Mailing Details: Please note I do NOT profit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more and I often actually lose money on this part of service - I simply refuse to compromise with poor packing. All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken OUT of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with FOUR professional stiffners for extra protection (if space allows), I do NOT use old cardboard boxes or cereal packets for protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me. I will also include in most cases a brand new lined inner, but will include the original inner if available and in a condition to be worthwhile.

I can accept cash for payments worldwide in UK Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars - but this at the senders OWN risk. Please send registered and insured if this method is chosen. I cannot accept responsibility if any cash payments do not turn up. This system is very reliable and rarely goes astray. The same goes for any shipped uninsured item, I can only try to claim for any undelivered or damaged article at basic insurance levels if no enhanced insurance is requested and paid for (unless the value threshold is high enough for me insure as standard, see above)

Overseas bidders please note conversion rates for Pounds to Dollars and Pounds to Euros will be charged at 1.7 to cover PayPal or cash conversion costs.

PLEASE NOTE: Any PayPal user can now pay me with UK Sterling if they wish with no need to convert to US dollars (although they still can if they wish to). Any instant PayPal transaction from anywhere in the world will mean the item will be sent immediately - it makes deals fast and very efficient.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other interesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear if any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.