The Rolling Stones -Beggars Banquet 1K/2K Stereo Unboxed UK 1968 VG+

	£		17
	$		23

The Rolling Stones -Beggars Banquet 1K/2K Stereo Unboxed UK 1968 EX-

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And loads of the same collection here in my other items!

A real triumphant comeback for the stones, not just in terms of the misguided previous album, but overall, a complete re-invention of themselves, and the beginning of a new gear in the stones trajectory, that would become their early 70s country blues rock sound. Certainly obvious here, I'm just going to list the whole album's track listing to jog your memories,

Side 1

Sympathy for the Devil

No Expectations

Dear Doctor

Parachute Woman

Jig-Saw Puzzle

Side 2

Street Fighting Man

Podigal Son

Stray Cat Blues

Factory Girl

Salt of the Earth

Good... now that we're back there in the moment, let me start telling you about this particular copy!

The sleeve is in lovely condition, the front is a lovely white mirror but for a few things (as always I'm going to concentrate on the negatives, if I don't mention it it's not a problem!). Where it has been lined in chronological order on the shef alongside it's successor, Let It Bleed, it's been very happy, but when Let It Bleed has been taken out to be put on the turntable it has danced cheek to cheek with the Zipper of Sticky Fingers, it would appear that this has only happened once, as there is one indent (that doesn't penetrate through the laminate) where it has rested against the zipper, and a very feint indented trail running from it to the side (whereit has been withdrawn from the shelf against it), please see photos for closeup of this. Also about a third up from the bottom edge of the opening mouth there is a little miscoloured spot, this is a very small spot that is not laminated, this could either have been in manufacture, or some kind of abbrasion, though it doesn't seem like an abbrasion, no damage to the laminate other than that spot. I believe it to have been something caught under the laminate in manufacture and then shelf wear has liberated it but also left the tiny spot bald, as, almost exactly centrally, under the "G" of rollinG stones there is another such speck of dust still caught under the laminate since manufacture. One slight "thumb handling crescent" has also caused a minor ripple in the laminate, though very minor indeed. On the back cover there is another single "thumb handling crescent" though other than this the back is great. The inner of the gatefold is magnifficent and completely unblemished,  though the very bottom left corner seam is just beginning to come away from the back cover. The opening mouth edges are crisp and hadly worn at all. The top and bottom edges are pretty much shelf-wear free, though the bottom has (as a few of this collections Stones abums have had-where mentioned), slight colour rub off from the shelf, though as it hasn't broken the laminate, this may clean off... BUT as has been noted on a few other previously listed items from this particular collection, the previous owner had a parrott in the early 70s that would roam the house freely, and it had great "tastes" in music, so to speak, in as much as it would take to certain records (and really oddly only certain ones!) and peck at the spines of them, the other Stones albums got off scott free, but this parrott was a Beggars Banquet fan! Therefore the spine, whilst fully legible in all the texted areas, does have two suspiciously parrott shaped bites just above "Decca Stereo SKL 4955", and a couple of taster nips near "The Rolling Stones" text. I partially respect the bird for it's tastes...but as a record collector...only partially!

The label is completely free of writing/stains etc.The beautifully clean, deep royal blue of the Decca Stereo label by this time, which is usually so unforgiving to spindle marks shows only a few localised and feint trails within the cm rim around the centre hole. 

Conditions at a glance:

Sleeve Condition: VG

Annoyingly, apart from the parrot damage mentioned above, this sleeve is about the best you see them!no notable laminate folds at all, though very oddly you might notice almost dead centre to the front cover is a little black mark, that's actually a bit of dust caught UNDER the laminate! I've never seen that before, but I guess this white laminate would show it more than most! Just take a look at the photos, really annoying that the parrot chose this one!

Printed By Garrod and Lofthouse.

Inner Sleeve Condition:VG+

No nicks/tears/wiring/stains etc, a 3 blue box company inner. Poly slightly coming away from paper.

Record Condition:

Visual:VG+

Really strong, beautiful sheen hardly any hairlines either, but on side 2 there are 5 visible surface marks, though only one of these turns out to be at all audible!

Audible: EX-

Perhaps even EX! Of those surface marks mentioned above only one is audible at all for 4 very slight ticks in a silence between Stray Cat Blues and Factory Girl, and they have completely stopped before Factory Girl begins, really astoundingly crystal clear audio (tested with high EQ boosted on closed, large diaphragm headphones to try and find ANY fault!

Labels Condition: EX-

Some very localised, very light spindle marks around the centre holes are all that show that these labels have been on a record!Beautiful copy, in a completely different league to the earlier Stones LPs!

As with a number of the amazingly preserved, seminal albums of the 60s included in this collection, the previous owner devised a sneaky way of identifying his records from other peoples’, he engraved his name, very carefully and neatly in the dead-wax (near where the matrix would be found) on one side of the record, on this record it is written at about 7 o’clock on side 1, in text 4mm high and about 4cm across, in between the run out grooves, taking massive care not to stray close to the playing surface, run-out grooves, matrix/stamper/lacquer info etc,  or label. Please see photos of this, I have tried to catch it in the light, but in truth it is as discreet, if not more so, than the Matrix info!

Matrices and Stampers

Side 1

XZAL-8476-2K

1               KK

Side 2

XZAL-8477-1K

1               CB

JT tax code stamped into the dead wax of both sides.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY ITEM THAT GOES OVER £36 FINAL BIDDING PRICE I INSIST ON SENDING IT INSURED, AS SUCH POSTAGE WILL COST A LITTLE MORE, PLEASE WAIT FOR ME TO INVOICE YOU IF THIS APPLIES, ANYONE WHO DOES NOT WAIT I WILL EXPECT TO PAY THE EXTRA BEFORE I SEND OFF THE ITEM... MANY THANKS!

Photos Below,

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Check out the rest of this collection here in my other items!

This record comes from an incredible collection of very early (1G1G, 1B1B etc laquer numbers) presses of some of the very sought after 60s LPs, the condition is remarkable, and the earliness of the laquers unique in my experience! I am listing this collection in it's entirety (though I would love to buy it all- I have taken nothing out!), over the next weeks, there are some things have never seen before, such as a Beatles For Sale with the central KT taxcode pressing INWARDS to the record! 1G1G Verve Zappa albums! A lot of Dylan TMOQ (The Mark Of Quality) and other 60s/70s bootlegs, the 3 Decca Birds singles (featuring amongst others Ronnie Wood), various Widespines (Sgt Peppers, Zappa's Lumpy Gravey etc), REMIX 11 copy of Beatles REVOLVER in really lovely condtion, Velvet Underground on early Verve... Please watch this space! I have been clearing out of non-record related stuff over January, but am listing back again now with avengance! Please refer to the pre-christmas sales' feedback for my pedigree of strict grading! Many thanks!

I will of course, if you aren't ENTIRELY happy with your item offer you a full refund upon a quick return of the item, in exactly the same condition I sent it out in, I wont however cover the postage costs- just in order to put off any time-wasters, I hope you understand. I do have here some REAL MEGA-RARITIES, and I understand perhaps your confidence in me might not be complete, as I haven't listed for a while, which is why I offer this offer of full re-embursment. However I am not a fan of the trend of people trying it on and asking to keep the item but want a partial re-fund, I haven't had it happen to me, and want to keep it that way, so please don't try that, I will happily offer your full winning bid money back upon the safe return of the item, and I think that's fair. 

I am very strict with my grading, having been a collector myself for many years, and I try to include as much relavent information as possible on sales, however if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask, I will gladly resond as soon as I can.

One thing I would ask is that the winning bidders do leave feedback, as it's annoying when people overlook it.

I happily offer reductions of postage costs on multiple-items, 

I try grade using direct sunlight which shows up more than anything (hence where poss I take my photos in direct sunlight too), however living in the Pennine Hills, contrary to popular rumour it isn't sunny here EVERY day! So when this isn't always possible, as a backup I also use a 100 Watt lightbulb, though when poss I try to use both.

My Record Grading System:

Mint: I'm really loathe to use this term, if you ever catch me using it, it must be sealed, but also no holes in seal, and no knocks/bangs/other shelf-wear to seal. Doubt you'll ever catch me using it, makes me wince when I hear people dropping that casually into conversations about a record they just picked up on a carboot/found in a loft etc!

Near Mint: Probably still sealed, or possibly played once or twice, but I'm unable to see ANY proof it's been played ie. no spindle marks/surface abbrasions OF AN KIND even in the strongest light, in short, I have a strong suspicion this, whilst possibly not fully sealed has never been out of it's sleeve!

EX+: Must have been reverantly played about as many times as you can count on your hands! Absolutey nothing audible at all, and you'd have to be looking hard in strong light to find fault with any none audible elements of this record package. If I get hold of a record that sounds, and looks like it could have just been carried home from the shop this is about as high as I go unless in exceptional circumstances. In most instances I've found records like this I'd consider them the final upgrade, I'd even consider some sealed records EX+.

EX: Straight Excellent has to mean just that, the kind of copy you wonder how somebody kept it in that condition whilst still having a social life, especially rare in 50s/60s albums, certainly not a grade to be taken lightly or thrown about willy-nilly. Nothing should be audible to the listener during songs, and even in the silences I'd only allow the most minute groove noise.The kind of record that you'd have to look a long way to upgrade!

EX-: A Bloody lovely record, I'd allow the tiniest ticks to be audible on this, so long as they are only a handful throughout the entire record, and they are WELL back in the mix. This is a record/sleeve/insert etc. that has clearly been owned, but looked after to a degree that you ask questions about the previous owner's social life! Perfect for DJ-ing

VG+: The difference between VG+ and EX- for me is probably that the previous owner of an EX- possibly didn't have to worry about their collection being ruined too much, as they could count on their fingers the number of people that might have visited them annually, a VG+ is a more realistic grade, clearly played, but by a music lover, who took good care of their records. May have been present at social gatherings, but probably quickly tidied away when more rowdy guests turned up! Still usually  good for alot DJ-ing needs. 

VG: This is a good example of a record that has lived it's life without a glass bubble surrounding it, but it's owner has been quite careful, perhaps the odd feintly feelable mark if you go in search of it that would make an audible click/pop in a number of places on the records surface. Certainly won't be in any museum, but plays well from start to finnish, and whilst may not stand up to a DJs condition, alongside many collections, you'd be very satisfied.

VG-: As VG, but to a slightly heavier degree, might look a bit worse than a VG, else have the odd repeated click that bugs you in the fade-out of that epic side-ending song. Certainly not perfection, but you could do a damn-sight worse! OK for most collections, though there will be better ones that will probably come up (unless it's very rare!) 

G+:   This is starting to wane, shows more signifficant signs of wear/play/misuse. This could be through general carelesness, one bad night, or using a worn stylus, either way, certainly listenable/passable, but if you saw a better copy going at a decent price, you might think about buying it, and seeing what it's worth to sell this one.

G: Plays through but that's about it, signifficant noise that wasn't there when it was bought. Can still hear the song, but would only really be a filler. I doubt I'll sell anything this bad unless I really think someone will appreciate it in their collection. I'll take these down to the local charity shop and let them find their own homes on the whole!

I'll avoid anything less than this unless it's of signifficant interest, and then I'll clearly title is such. I really don't want bad feedback, and it isn't worth it for me, so I'll avoid this.

I feel my grading system is stricter than many I see used, but the sellers I respect on Ebay and elsewhere seem to be of the same mind as me, I'd much prefer to be known as someone who undergrades and you can get a good record from, than someone you have to wonder, "actually is their VG+ quite what I'd expect from that?". Hope I can win you over!

(SOMETIMES I MAY COME ACROSS A RECORD OF SIGNIFFICANT RARITY/DESIRABILITY THAT MAY HAVE A JUMP/STICK IN IT. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT I THINK SOMEONE MAY WANT IT (EG. IT'S COVER'S IN GOOD NICK, OR IT'S A PRIVATE PRESSING/PROMO OF LIMITED AVAILABILITY) I'LL CLEARLY MARK THIS IN THE TITLE "JUMPS" OR "WARPED" ETC.)