YES Fragile SCARCE ORIG UK 1971 Atlantic Plum EX++ LP

	£		71
	$		94

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all. More details on this nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: YES

Album Title: Fragile.

Producer(s): Yes and Eddy Offord.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Roundabout; Cans and Brahms (Extracts from Brahms’ 4th Symphony in E Minor, Third Movement); We Have Heaven; South Side of the Sky.

Side 2: Five Per Cent for Nothing; Long Distance Runaround; The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus); Mood for a Day; Heart of the Sunrise.

Label/Format: Atlantic – original red and maroon (‘Plum’) format with smooth surfaces and a very slight satin sheen (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both in beautiful condition: ultra clean, fresh and highly attractive with only a tiny few ultra fine, very light and faint spindle traces and no wear around the hole area. This is the way the discerning collector wants their classic albums, hardly played and offering very clean and detailed sound.

Cat Number: 2401019.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 115 grams. Not the heaviest pressing I have offered, but fairly typical towards the end of 1971 when the oil shortage made pressing weights less. Better that than mixing new with recycled vinyl, this record plays beautifully.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarcer as an original. One of the last albums made on the Plum format before being repressed on Kinney on the more familiar orange and green labels. The inside booklet then, in most cases, becoming a detached insert rather than fixed to the centrefold as per this. The catalogue number also changed. The earliest pressings are also very difficult to find with a decent cover which is massively wear-prone and seldom seen devoid of major rubbing, ring wear and major price sticker tears. Indeed this record is so late on the Plum label it’s sometimes seen with ‘transition’ stickers on the back. This one has some wear but the main areas are still fine and attractive. Also, a Plum copy that plays to near perfection is a rare and wonderful experience, a fragile album in more than just name. This often crackles and if played on unworthy old equipment from the distant past, the damage caused to the very challenging short track ‘Cans and Brahms’ is irrepairable. This song is incredibly hard to find that will play devoid of surface noise and distortion, many are rife with it. Only the most lightly played copies – and this easily qualifies – have any chance to track and reproduce the complex sounds on this Wakeman instrumental to the standard of a new copy. This track should have NO inherent crackle or noise when suffering no abuse or wear – or indeed any inground debris in the grooves – this album plays this challenging track beautifully with very little at all unwanted – in fact the whole album plays close to master-tape quality – and so few ever will. Super-detailed with stunning production and top quality musicianship, who needs more?

Original Year of Release: 1971.

Matrix Nos: 2401019 A // 1 1 2 4 and 2401019 B // 1 1 1 2 1

Musicians: Jon Anderson - vocals; Steve Howe - electric guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals; Chris Squire - bass, backing vocals; Rick Wakeman - Hammond organ, piano, RMI 368 Electric-Piano and Harpsichord, Mellotron, Moog synthesiser; Bill Bruford - drums, percussion.

Brief Info: One of the band’s most cherished albums, their fourth, and first to include the incredible talents of new keyboard player Rick Wakeman who replaced Tony Kaye. Noteworthy also, it was their first album to employ the skills of graphic artist Roger Dean. This was a highly popular album within the progressive rock genre and sold well. Hence finding Plum copies is far from impossible even though it was a very late one prior to the Kinney change. What is harder, as mentioned above, is conditions. Highly gifted musicians and complex music does not tolerate old worn stylus abuse and this includes some very quiet passages and the difficult-to-track ‘Cans and Brahms’, a short instrumental that in most cases crackles and distorts. But it shouldn’t of course. Only user abuse and inground dust and debris or a bad pressing is to blame – this non-applicable on this record. Although the cover (as per usual) has some wear, the important factor is the sound and music, and on that account, this beauty delivers.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(–): as most fans and collectors will know, this has always been a very difficult cover. A heavyweight unlaminated gatefold format with a matt smooth surfaces and original 2401019 number. The 8-page booklet is glue-fastened to the inside centrefold and stapled, later ones, in most cases, were a lose insert. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press and marketed by Polydor. Includes the 1971 date-code polylined inner making this copy early.

Cover Front: The first thin to mention, is this cover is not folded quite square, so the edges do not meet up flush or parallel, this a purely manufacturing blemish and hardly unusual, especially on thicker-made gatefolds. This front is consider above average and has only fairly light rubbing, mostly near the edges. A few light marks seen more under light but hardly any creasing and no sticker marks. Very respectable indeed.

Cover Back: The back even more vulnerable to wear, especially ring wear that few ever escape, this has only gentle traces. Overall, very similar to the front with just a fairly fine crease on the bottom edge.

Cover Inner Gatefold & Booklet: The inside covers are practically as made and look fantastic. The 8-page booklet is rock solid and the two original staples unloosened and clean and unpulled. All pages clean and fresh looking with no creasing. All very impressive with lovely early band artwork as seen on my pictures.

Top Edges: Most of any rubbing near the back centre and front right. That apart, very little and patchy.

Bottom Edges: Moderate patchy rubbing on the back, very little on the front.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp and very straight with minimal traces of wear. Even viewed end-on, hardly any thickening or burring and both are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. Record enters on the back edge, the front is closed.

Spine and Text: Solid, thick, straight, with little compression but a tilt to right. This one is not folded square, so the edges are not flush or parallel. In terms of wear, it has a little gentle patchy rubbing but more moderate on the ends, especially the bottom one. Both folds retain most-all ink and are not scuffed, and the most significant plus is ALL text is fully present and unworn, that never to be taken lightly on this unforgiving cover.

Corners: The corners have moderate rubbing, and how many will ever avoid it? Fine shape is generally retained, some better still.

Cover Summary: One of prog-rock’s more delicate, yes even fragile covers, it has some wear but less than many seen, not for the perfectionists of course, but it should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: only marked down a little for natural darkening. This a Polydor-style polylined inner that is date-coded 1171 (November 1971). The lining is very clear as seen through two mainly crisp and neat window circles, barely any creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): very clean with lovely shine, freshness and intense black. Quite solidly pressed and appearing hardly played with sound quality to match. Any surface traces are few and very light as seen critically under bright angled light. One for the discerning vinyl and Yes enthusiast.

Album Played For Grading: Yes – and what a pleasure it was to do so. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This quality record plays up to it’s high visual grading and most-all beyond with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. A high fidelity masterwork with complex music from virtuoso musicians. The incredible detail and clarity has to be heard. Cleanly pressed and near devoid of surface sounds, pops or clicks, this can be enjoyed on the mega systems I know some of my regular buyers own. Few copies will even match let alone outperform this late Plum pressing I feel sure. All the intricate sounds, vocals and instruments fully focused and sharp and nigh-on crackle-free, this is an impressive copy that is unlikely to need upgrading. Truly a journey into the recording studio with mastertape audio quality. The tiny details stand out, can your system detect that small high-pitched cymbal from the left channel near the beginning of ‘The Fish’? That ultra difficult Wakeman solo ‘Cans and Brahms’ plays very well too with very little unwanted at all. Those stunning rich bass-lines from Squire’s guitar twang from the speakers and are beautifully prevalent in the mix. Also the gorgeous acoustic ‘Mood For a Day’, the guitar was simply in the room with me and plays blemish-free. The final test: that door reopening with preceeding silence – again very quiet – so often seen marked by premature lifting of the arm when owner’s thought the album had ended. A near reference standard original record, it really will take some beating. Nothing spoilt my immense pleasure when play-grading this wonderful piece. The rare tingle factor was achieved several times on this one, only the cleanest, best recordings ever achieve it. This record will prove very difficult to find better for beautiful sound, and as good as any I have heard for some time, it merits strong recommendation – a great opportunity and a copy that does the performance, production and engineering full justice.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. 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, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - 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 collector – 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 and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. 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, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.