The Jimi Hendrix Experience : Electric Ladyland 2/2/2/2

This 'Track Record' stereo pressing is one of the finest examples I have ever sold and the vast majority plays with Mint- quality and that is no exaggeration.  Not only that but the records are super clean with only a small number of faint hairlines and gleam beautifully.  The previous owner assured me they had hardly been played and there is only a minor trace of spindle wear on two of the labels!  The clarity of the audio is sensational and I don't think I have ever heard better!

The laminated gatefold is also in fantastic condition and is one of the cleanest and strongest examples you are ever likely to see.  Only very very minor wear and it still has a stunning glossy look!  It has the smaller photos of Redding and Mitchell on the inside of the gatefold and is known as the first press cover. 

I am happy though to call this a second pressing due to the matrix as a first pressing does have the 1/1/1/1 matrix.  There is still a lot of conjecture as to what constitutes a first pressing but it is about time the 'blue text' misinformation was put to bed!  There is a lot of evidence that says the cover with the white text and small photos is the true first press.  Redding and Mitchell were not happy with the small photos hence why they are larger in later pressings.  The blue text one was a miss-pressing with...larger photos and the error was soon rectified.

Side A / 613008  A // 2 ? 420   1 1   1 3

Side B / 613009  A ? 2  420  1 1   1 2

 Side C / 613009 B // 2 420   1 1  1 6

Side D / 613008  B ? 2 420   1  2   1 2

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the vast majority)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 1 Ex / track 2 Near Mint-)

The audio on S3 is Mint- (track 1 Near Mint)

The audio on S4 is Mint- (track 1 Near Mint-)

The gatefold is Ex+

The 'Plastic Bags...' inner sleeves are Ex+

The labels are Mint-

The vinyls are in superb condition and it's remarkable to think they are 51 years old!  They have a stunning mirror-like glossy sheen and it is patently obvious they have been hardly played as there is hardly any spindle wear - there are only a couple of traces on Side A, just one on Side B and nothing on C and D!  There are no scratches and only a small number of hairlines, they really are in lovely condition!  Side A has a couple of hairlines of which only one is a little obvious and Side B just has one triangular shaped hairline mark on track four but has no bearing on the stunning quality of the audio.  Side C is stunning with only a couple of very small faint hairlines and Side D does have 3/4 longer hairlines but they are not immediately obvious at all.  They are very faint and being hairlines they again have no affect on the Near Mint / Mint- audio.  The run out grooves are in sublime condition as are the labels which look almost 'as new'.

Play grading

This has to be one of the most impressive 'And The Gods Made Love' I have ever heard.  There are only a couple of light ticks on the quiet intro, no static or crackle, and the swirling tape loops then 'play' with stunning quality and quite honestly sounds 'as new' and even the fade out has no 'background'.  What a start!

There is then complete silence in the dead wax prior to 'Electric Ladyland' which then plays with wonderful audio - I've never heard the Grandfather clock play as clearly as this!  There is no 'background' of any kind and these opening two track grade as Mint- I am happy to say.

'Crosstown Traffic' is almost equal to this although I did hear one faint click as the vocals begin.  Aside from that it plays with immense power - loud and true with no distortion at all.  There is no interference on the long fade out either which gives a great indication of the superb clarity on offer here.

Now the intro on 'Voodoo Chile' is absolutely mind-blowing!  So quiet and yet all I heard was one faint tick.  As Hendrix's vocal begins there is no decrease in quality.  What you get on a well preserved vinyl that has been barely played is a real sense of how deep and strong Redding's bass is, there is no 'muddiness' to the sound whatsoever.  Of course it's mainly about Hendrix but the bass adds so much to this track and as it progresses the more you are impressed by the definition of the audio here.  There are so many quiet sections and yet the clarity is just astounding!  I heard only a couple of light ticks and apart from that the audio is Mint- without doubt.  I would go so far as to say this is the strongest version of this classic that I have ever heard!  The louder passages also play with incredible power and the crescendo end section is fantastic!  Such power and no distortion at all!  Wow!  The spoken 'crowd' section at the end is also very 'clean' with only a handful of light dust ticks.

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The acoustic intro on 'Little Miss Strange' is so 'clean' and plays nigh on perfectly.  There are two clicks during the first vocal, the second is a little louder, but apart from that intrusion the audio is stunning here with no other interference.  Towards the end there is a rather loud crackle type sound which is frustrating.  I would have to grade this track as Ex overall although the majority does play better than that.

'Long Hot Summer Night' has only a handful of mega light dust ticks on the intro (not clicks!) and are barely audible if I'm honest.  There are a couple of light crackle sounds after 30 seconds and thereafter it plays without fault and is a stunning listen.  A couple of light ticks but nothing intrusive and a super clean fade out.  Near Mint- this one.

'Come On' is 'as new' on the intro and I am pleased to say continues in the same manner.  The solos just have to be heard to be believed!  The playback on this classic is breathtaking and to think this is now over 50 years old!  Rarely will you hear such power and definition and it would be Mint- but for one light click on the fade out.  So Near Mint it will have to be.

The intro on 'Gipsy Eyes' is faultless and from start to finish the clarity could not be any better.  A Mint- track for certain.

That iconic intro on 'Burning Of The Midnight Lamp' is 'as new' and there is no let up in quality as it progresses.  As you always find there is a little inner groove distortion here but this is unavoidable and should not be downgraded because of it.  It is only very minimal and does not detract from the quality of the audio and there is no other 'background' anyway, not one single click or pop.  It is a stunning version to end the side.

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'Rainy Day, Dream Away' on S3 has a couple of static clicks on Jimi's cough/sneeze at the beginning ! and the sax/guitar instrumental intro then plays with sublime clarity and only one soft tick.  The playback is stunning!  The vocals play to perfection and the fade out is so impressive with no interference.  This record really is defying its age!

The classic '1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)' has a near perfect intro with only one faint tick and as the vocal comes in there is no decrease in quality.  From then on the definition of the audio is superb!  I have listened to every second and the sonic quality is out of this world!  There is barely any 'background' the playback is so good, it has a CD like aesthetic quality to it but with a warmth and depth that only vinyl offers.  There is just mild hint of mega light static for a few seconds during the percussive section near the halfway point but it is so minimal and totally non-intrusive.  The following psychedelic piece which of course is very quiet in parts has a clarity that is beyond words!  Honestly it is as 'clean' as the day when first released back in '68, there is just no interference of any kind, not even a dust tick!  Mitchell's drum section is immaculate and each note can be heard with perfect precision.  I cannot praise this classic highly enough and as you enter the section where Mitchell is going ballistic with Redding and then Hendrix in attendance the audio is quite simply Mint I don't mind saying - there is no need for a minus here!  This is SENSATIONAL FINAL UPGRADE audio without doubt and I have just never EVER heard better.  I turned the volume up to loud and there is no distortion whatsoever.  Wow this is as perfect as could be!  The remainder plays to a Mint standard also and the segue into 'Moon, Turn The Tides...' could not be any cleaner.  There is just a minor touch of static towards the end but again this is so minimal.  This is probably the most 'complete' S3 I have ever heard I do not mind saying and any avid collector would be massively impressed.

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  'Still Raining, Still Dreaming' plays with wonderful clarity and strength from the first groove and there is only one faint click after 20 seconds or so.  The section where the bass really increases in volume just radiates power and depth, the playback is stunning.  There is one click during this section but it is largely buried in the 'loud' music.  The power of Hendrix's work here is legendary and there is no distortion to be heard.  This is sublime version - ok a couple of clicks but the remainder plays with perfect sound in every way.  Again I cannot adequately describe how well it plays!

The intro on 'House Burning Down' could not play any better and it continues in exactly the same way with no intrusion on the audio at all.  From start to finish this grades as Mint- with stunning definition and again no distortion which is a rarity for this high octane track.

'All Along The Watchtower' has a real power and intensity on the intro, an almost Phil Spector 'Wall of Sound' feel, and plays without fault.  I do not wish to sound repetitive but the audio on this classic could not be any better!  It has tremendous sonic quality and again....no interference.

The intro on 'Voodoo Chile (slight return)' is very quiet of course and yet all I heard was one static tick - there is no static or crackle at all.  As Mitchell enters the scene the clarity is equally as good and then Hendrix's sound comes crashing in!  His work exudes such power here and again no distortion of any kind.  It can't be emphasised enough how rare this is as this final track will often have distortion - but not here!  This is as strong a version that you are ever likely to hear and cannot be faulted in any way.  The 'wah wah' guitar plays with Mint quality perfection.  Right to the abrupt end it plays to the same immaculate standard.

In summary this stunning double LP plays with a clarity, power and definition that you so rarely hear today.  In fact the clarity is obviously of a record that has been hardly played, there is no other way to explain it.  The lack of spindle wear confirms that - the labels are beautifully clean.  Yes there are 4/5 clicks but none of them are loud and for a 50+ year old record this is to be expected really even if hardly played!  In essence this album plays with immaculate audio and is quite possibly the 'cleanest' and strongest I have ever heard on such an early pressing.  Not only that but the iconic cover is also in fantastic condition.

The Gatefold

This is one of the most stunning examples of this first press E.J. Day cover that I have ever seen.  It has hardly any wear and what there is is only very minor anyway.  The edges are in superb condition and only the top edge has a mega small area of laminate wear but it is hardly noticeable.  The wide spine is near perfect with only one tiny crease line showing that the gatefold has hardly been opened over the last 51 years!  The corners are also unbelievably clean with hardly any wear - just a tiny amount lower left - and the opening edges have no handling wear at all!  The front cover has a marvellous glossy sheen and all I could detect were a couple of small laminate creases towards the right hand side and some of the usual minor creases next to the spine.  The back cover is also in fantastic condition with only a couple of minor creases and some small creases next to the spine again.  The laminate on both sides has no splits and this is a rarity.  The inside of the gatefold is just a work of art!  It's so glossy with no visible wear and the laminated inner spine has only a couple of minor splits that you can only see if you look up close.

This is a wonderful example of this infamous cover and it would be difficult to find a 'cleaner' one.  As stated it has only very minor wear, superficial really, and this would impress any avid Hendrix collector.

The Inners

The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bag...' inners are also in great condition with no splits or tears and hardly any creasing.  They have just a minimal amount of age related around the edges.

The Labels

The iconic 'Track Record' labels are in amazing condition with barely any spindle wear - nothing on Sides C and D in fact!  They are remarkable clean and have no marking or writing on them.

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

Side A / 613008  A // 2 ? 420   1 1   1 3

Side B / 613009  A ? 2  420  1 1   1 2

 Side C / 613009 B // 2 420   1 1  1 6

Side D / 613008  B ? 2 420   1  2   1 2

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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