Item Description
Led Zeppelin II A2/B2 Atlantic 58818 UK 1969 Red/Plum Label Wreck credit This very rare and highly collectable first pressing on the red/plum label has the incorrect Livin Lovin Wreck credit on the label as well as the The Lemon Song credit of course.
This is one of the most collectable Led Zeppelin albums today and the audio is of an immaculate standard and is the cleanest I have ever heard, the audio grades as Mint- for the vast majority.
It also has the original E.J Day light brown gatefold with the green tinted edging.
As per the first pressings it has the Copyright Control publishing credits rather than the Warner Bros/Jewel Music which is on the later pressings.
The matrix numbers also confirm this to be one of the very first off the production line as the indexing on S1 is 1 1 3 and on S2 it reads as 1 1.
588198 // A / 2 // 1 1 3 588198 // B / 2 // 1 1 The audio on S1 is Mint- Thank You is Near Mint- The audio on S2 is Mint- Bring It On Home is Near Mint The gatefold cover is VG The labels are Near Mint The poly-lined inner sleeve is Ex Visual grading This highly collectable vinyl is visually stunning and I have never seen better.
There is some spindle wear although not a great deal and it has obviously been so well cared for down the decades.
It just looks superb It still has a fantastic glossy sheen despite being nearly 50 years old and all I can detect under a strong bright light is a minimal number of extremely faint hairlines that have no bearing on the stunning audio whatsoever.
S1 in fact looks practically as new and you have to look very closely indeed to find anything resembling a hairline S2 has a couple of hairlines that are a little more obvious but as I say they do not affect the Mint- audio in any shape or form.
There are no scratches and visually or audibly you will not find a better Wreck pressing.
The run out grooves are also superbly clean as are the labels.
Play grading There is hardly any lead in static on S1 and only a couple of light ticks literally on the first note of the classic Whole Lotta Love but this classic then plays with immaculate audio and no interference.
The long instrumental section plays with perfect audio there is no other description for it.
The depth and clarity here is quite simply stunning and this is without doubt the cleanest version of this track I have ever heard on a Wreck first pressing and grades as Mint- the quality is that good.
The guitar riffs play with such precision and there is no distortion on the top end whatsoever.
There is no background either on the fade out either providing another example of the astounding clarity on offer here.
There is near complete silence on the dead wax leading into What is and What Should Never Be and the very quiet intro displays audio of the highest standard again.
There are no ticks , clicks or pops just absolute silence...apart from the sublime audio that is The remainder of the track more than matches this astounding quality and I heard only 2/3 of the lightest dust ticks imaginable.
The fade out is again superb and plays as any high grade vinyl would sound if pressed yesterday.
The Lemon Song has no lead in static and plays with immaculate audio once more.
From the opening riff the depth and richness of the sound is an audible treat The middle bass section plays in supreme style with no background and once again I m running out of superlatives to describe the quality of the audio here, I just cannot believe what I am hearing here There is not one click or pop during this long bass section and certainly no static or crackle and even the loud end section plays with sublime audio and no distortion.
If anything grading the side so far as Near Mint is doing it an injustice The intro on Thank You has no interference and the first quiet section plays with beautiful audio and no background again.
As any Led Zepp aficionado will tell you this track always plays with some distortion on the first/early pressings.
Here I am pleased to say it is absolutely minimal and does not detract from the stunning audio.
Once again there are no clicks, pops etc.
A common pressing problem is the interference on the two fade outs but here there is barely any.
Just the lightest of static in the background which is hardly worth mentioning and is obviously not intrusive.
This is without doubt the best Thank You I have heard in a long time and to think it is on a Wreck pressing Absolutely remarkable audio thus far.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amazingly for a record of this age there is no lead in static on S2 and Heart Breaker then is super impressive and has what can only be described as Mint audio.
The louder sections rock out superbly with no distortion and the bass just comes through with such depth and power.
The middle section where you can hear Jimmy s guitar only is stunning to say the least with no background to speak of.
The guitar crescendo that follows is immaculate and never have I heard better.
No clicks, pops, static or crackle throughout the entire track.
Sublime audio at its very best.
Livin Lovin Wreck/Maid you won t be surprised to hear plays like new .
The sheer power and clarity of the sound is high end and again this classic track easily deserves a Mint grading without a shadow of a doubt.
The quality is just mind-blowing The quiet intro on Ramble On has no background and the remainder plays to the same standard as the preceding audio.
I so often mention clarity but to my mind that is the one attribute that vinyl should aspire to.
Here it is just so obvious and you cannot beat these red/plum pressings for depth and well, clarity if they have been well preserved.
A fine example of this is the long fade out which displays such clear audio and no interference.
Stunning clarity :- This is without doubt the best version of Moby Dick I have ever heard.
I won t eulogise too much :- but suffice to say it plays practically as new such is the impeccable standard.
The drum solo has no crackle and I only heard a handful of tiny dust ticks that are in no way intrusive.
Not everyone s favourite track and of course the drum solo is a large part of it and it plays with fantastic quality.
No clicks or pops at all, it plays with exceptional purity.
The ending plays in superb fashion also.
The long quiet intro on Bring It On Home has only the lightest of dust ticks in the background and to all intents and purposes has audio of a wonderful calibre.
It still plays so clearly but perhaps falls just below the Mint- grading, more like Near Mint which is still rather good The following louder section plays superbly well with only a minimal amount of distortion here and there but again I only mention this to be complete in my grading.
It is still quite possibly the best version I have ever heard and the end quiet section is nigh on Mint with only one mega light dust tick.
This is so rare for the final few grooves to play with such clear audio.
A stunning end to a stunning album.
In summary this super rare album with the incorrect Wreck credit is definitely the best I have heard.
The audio is of such a high calibre and plays with immaculate quality throughout.
For this pressing to play with such clarity and with no intrusive background is a mega rarity and perhaps one I will never be able to repeat sadly There is more or less complete silence in the dead wax between every track and I would go so far as to say this is the best red/plum pressing I have heard of this classic album and it s got the Wreck credit I do not think I have heard a record that is nearly 50 years old play with such astonishing power, depth and clarity in all my years.
I should perhaps sell this as a bin but I am more than happy to let this take its course.
Without doubt it is final, upgrade A2/B2 press and will command a fair amount of interest.
The true Led Zepp connoisseur will not be disappointed with this classic and to find it with the original green tinted cover is also a mega rarity.
Gatefold cover The very rare light brown E.J.
Day gatefold with the green tinted edging is in overall excellent condition for its age.
So many of these mega rare covers are found in poor condition and whilst this one does have some shelf wear it has stood the test of time relatively well.
I would say the worst of the wear is on the spine which has been worn away for the most part.
You cannot read Led Zeppelin although the majority of the catalogue number is legible.
The edges and corners have a fair amount of rubbing and there is a little creasing on the corners also.
However, there are some positives - the actual front and back of the cover is generally very clean with no writing or marking and only a little fading here and there.
The inside of the gatefold is in excellent shape with no marking and only a little wear towards the top of the inner spine area.
The opening edge has next to no handling wear which is further confirmation as to how lightly this vinyl has been played.
So yes this gatefold does have some wear and I will grade it as VG but there are certainly some excellent points about it.
Inner sleeve The poly-lined Plastic Bags Can Be Dangerous inner is in excellent condition with no splits or tears and only some mild creasing.
The Labels The red/plum labels are in fabulous condition with only light spindle wear.
There is no age related fading, marking or writing and are visually in superb shape.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B W 684 Speakers 588198 // A / 2 // 1 1 3 588198 // B / 2 // 1 1 I grade according to Record Collector guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to askPlease pay within 4 days of auction end Recent FeedbackVery happy with this item, and special thanks for perfect packing Fabulous - like new.
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Thank you.Fantastic shipping, killer service, amazing seller, buy from him Best seller A always great collectible items in perfect condition Postage PackagingI SHIP WORLDWIDE BUT WHEN SHIPPING ITEMS TO ITALY, RUSSIA AND SOUTH AMERICA I WILL ONLY SEND THEM TRACKED/SIGNED FOR AND THIS COSTS AN ADDITIONAL 6.00.
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