Up for sale is a beautiful archive worthy copy of the much revered Robert Ludwig hot cut of Led Zeppelin II. As most will know, this record is often found in less than desirable condition and understandably so, this was a party record and no one was thinking about maintaining its condition so it could one day end up on eBay. So we’re left with trying to find the veritable needle in a haystack - one that was taken care of and played a minimum of times on proper equipment. Well, this is one of those rare copies. As a collector myself, I have had multiple copies - I can’t even remember how many - I’ve lost count. In an effort to upgrade, I have spent many hours searching, buying, selling and trading copies with other collectors. This is the product of years of that process. The only reason I’m selling is my recent find of a white label promo. And guess what? The stampers are identical to this copy! I have provided you with the full audio below to check out the record for yourself. Apart from a few spots of very light background, this plays as clean as any copy I have heard. There were no pops, clicks or anything else of the sort. And best of all, there is no groove wear distortion from play on bad equipment. Fantastic, killer playback. You will want to crank this one and scare the neighbors!

VISUAL GRADE

Vinyl: Strongest VG++/NM. There are a few of the lightest wispy sleeve removal marks and one hairline mark on side 1 that I can only see if angled in the right light. There are absolutely no deep marks or scratches, full gloss remains, just a beautiful example. The cleanest stock copy I have laid eyes on and I’ve looked at A LOT. It really doesn’t get better than this. 

Labels: Side 1: VG+ / Side 2: NM. Side One label is in superb condition just that “C. Lohr” wrote their name neatly in ballpoint pen (see pictures).

Jacket: VG++. The original matte gatefold jacket is also a fantastic example, beautifully preserved. Cream and brown colors are accurate with only minimal aging from its close to 50 year existence. There is minor rubbing to the seams but there are no splits. The spine is clear and legible with only a small amount of foxing and darkening of the white. All letters in the title are fully clear and legible. Please look at all the photos and judge for yourself.  

PLAY GRADE 

(cleaned on a VPI 16.5 and played on my system: Rega RP6 - Dynavector 20x2 - LFD LE Phono Stage - LFD LE mkIII integrated - Vandersteen 1Ci speakers)

Strongest VG++/NM throughout. Even most of the quietest moments play with a minimum of surface noise and as noted previously, no clicks, pops or any other distracting issues. You may know already that the typical copy of this record plays with constant surface noise - not this one, not even close. I suggest **listening to the audio** all the way through if you are serious about bidding on this record, to form your own opinion. 

FULL MATRIX INFORMATION

Side 1: ST-A-691671-A LWP W AT RL

Side 2: ST-A-691672-A LWP AT RL SS W

WHY YOU SHOULD BID ON MY RECORDS WITH CONFIDENCE

I have been buying, selling and trading records for years, here in Los Angeles. We have tons of amazing stores and shows to peruse which has led me to dub the city the unofficial vinyl capital of the world. I have also been selling collectible records on the Steve Hoffman Forums steadily for several years. At last count, I had sold over 500 records to very satisfied (and VERY picky) collectors. I am also a collector myself and I am very fussy about condition and making sure I have the best pressing of my favorite music. In other words, you and I are probably alike and have the same standards. 

Unlike other hyped up record sellers on eBay, I don’t write a huge essay about the record’s musical content. If you are looking at one of my for-sale ads, chances are you already love the music and you certainly don’t need me to sell you on its merits. You’re just looking for the best pressing in collectible condition.

GRADING SYSTEM

As previously stated, I am a very picky collector myself and I have been dealing with inexperienced dealers on eBay and Discogs for years. I hold myself to strict standards when grading and would rather have you feel that I under graded rather than the other way around. I use the following grades, falling in line with the Goldmine system:

NM / Near Mint - to me NM means perfection. No defects whatsoever. Will play with virtually no surface noise.

VG++ means pretty much perfect in my opinion. A few lite wisps are acceptable to receive this grade but not much else. Should play beautifully.

VG+ respectable solid condition. Lite hairlines and a few marks are acceptable. Playback will have some surface noise in quiet sections.

VG decent amount of hairlines and marks. Some may be deep and cause repeating clicks. Noise will sometimes overpower the music.

G fogettaboutit!

My grading skill comes from tons of experience, taking into account all aspects of the record including its play grade which is above all else, the most important thing. It doesn’t matter how a record looks if it plays poorly. With that in mind:

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC

Check out the links below. They are the record in its ENTIRETY for you to check the play grade. There is no better way to know if you want to bid than to listen to the exact record you will have in your collection. I suppose this goes without saying but listening with good headphones or through your own speaker system is highly recommended. The first link is all of side 1 and the second is all of side 2.

Watch this video on and learn how to get yours free!

Watch this video on and learn how to get yours free!

CLEANING

All records have been properly cleaned on my VPI 16.5 vacuum record machine using MoFi fluids. Once cleaned, they are re-sleeved in a high quality poly-lined inner sleeve and separated from the record jacket to prevent seam splits during travel. 

SHIPPING

All records will be shipped in a BRAND NEW proper LP mailer with 2 cardboard pads and a layer of bubble wrap to prevent bends and corner damage. Shipping cost domestically for this valuable piece is $15 via USPS priority mail, fully insured. I am also making this available to select other countries via Priority Mail Express International at a cost of $50. I understand that this is high for shipping but this is a valuable item and needs to be tracked and insured. I won’t ship it via any other method so kindly don’t ask and please keep this in mind when bidding. It’s the only way to make sure that a record this valuable is traceable once it leaves the USPS system. Thanks for understanding.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

My records are 100% guaranteed. If you don’t feel satisfied, you are always welcome to ship the record back to me for a refund. 

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.