ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details 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 ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS

Album Title: The Grand Wazoo

Producer(s): Frank Zappa

Track Listing:

Side 1: For Calvin (and his next two hitchhikers); Grand Wazoo.

Side 2: Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus; Eat That Question; Blessed Relief.

Label/Format: Reprise – Dark Tan original with matt, smooth surfaces, correctly for first issues, NO Warner credit logo on the rims.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and highly attractive with deeper tan colour than later ones. Any of the few spindle marks are fine, small and faint. This is a superb example with beautiful clean playing surfaces, labels, sound and cover. One I would be more than happy to keep if I did not own a practically Mint copy.

Cat Number: K 44209

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: 126 grams. A very good solid average weight.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Moderately scarce – harder as a first issue with the heavier vinyl and darker labels. Finding high-grade examples – that is cover, record and sound – is very difficult.

Original Year of Release: December 1972

Matrix Nos: K 44209-A1 / K 44209-B1 (both punched, fully raised, clear and distinctive)

Run-Out Groove Etchings: ‘RAYS + KIPS’ [on side two]

Musicians: Frank Zappa – guitar, percussion, vocals; Mike Altschul – woodwind; Bill Byers – trombone; Chunky (Lauren Wood)– vocals; Lee Clement – percussion; George Duke – keyboards, vocals; Earl Dumler – woodwind; Aynsley Dunbar – drums; Tony Duran – guitar, bottleneck guitar; Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) – bass; Alan Estes – percussion; Janet Neville-Ferguson – vocals; Fred Jackson, Jr. – woodwind; Sal Marquez – bass, trumpet, vocals, brass; Joanne Caldwell McNabb – vocals, brass, woodwind; Malcolm McNabb – trombone, horn, trumpet in D; Tony Ortega – woodwind; Joel Peskin – saxophone, woodwind; Don Preston – Mini Moog; Johnny Rotella – woodwind; Ken Shroyer – trombone, brass, contractor and spiritual guidance; Ernie Tack – brass; Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone, C Melody Saxophone (the ‘Mystery Horn’), woodwinds; Robert Zimmitti – percussion; Gerry Sack - phantom tambourine.

Brief Artist & Album Info: A classic Zappa album in the type of condition his fans demand. Certainly one of the most treasured albums he produced in the early 1970s. Those who expected the sexual humour of Fillmore East and Just Another Band from L.A., were to be disappointed. This carries on the ideas on Waka/Jawaka and extends them much further with a big band of session musicians and a few of the remaining Mothers of Invention. This is a predominately instrumental set and includes some stunning solos and virtuosity. The Grand Wazoo must have surprised those who thought Zappa had gone down the road of bawdiness and wanted more of the same – this proved yet again the unpredictable nature of his albums, and that was just one reason why his music and career was so fascinating. It was recorded when he was recovering from the horrendous fall suffered on stage at the London’s Rainbow Theatre after being pushed. This is a superb set, one of my personal favourites from his wonderful catalogue. This is big band jazz-rock, often dubbed as ‘Art Rock’, few albums I have heard sound quite like it. Highly rhythmical, with Aynsley Dunbar on drums, George Duke on keyboards and featuring a great Moog solo by Don Preston. An album including 22 musicians including Frank, this is brilliantly produced and this copy plays beautifully. Appearing little used and then with utmost care. Something of a landmark album that provides a stepping-stone to his later complex instrumental works. The cover is beautiful with little wear, featuring stunning artwork from Cal Schenkel, this would have helped sell a few albums for those curious buyers at the time – but like most – it failed to chart. One all collectors will want near perfect and this will not disappoint, never easy being somewhat prone to all forms of wear if not treated and protected carefully. The record is superb with very clean, shiny and hardly marked playing surfaces – this on a record over 43 years old. The cover does not have sticker, but that arguably is not bad news as it obscures some of the artwork. For those who found a vocal Zappa a little too extreme at this time, this classic mainly instrumental set is well worth checking out – I guarantee, few will be disappointed – this is kind’a like jazz, but not as we know it – Parompa pom pom.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): an unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces. Printed in England by Howards. Later ones had a semi-glossy sheen, some included a manufacturer’s sticker to help identify who the record was by, this does not have it. When present it does cover quite a lot of the graphic and arguably is better without it. Includes the plain white inner sleeve.

Cover Front: Always loved the cover of this album, so much detail and work went into it and this example does it nigh-on maximum justice. A front with hardly a blemish to be seen, a microscopic tip crease top right going beyond critical. One to hold and enjoy – they will rarely be found fresher, cleaner or better. Overall, this cover is a work-of-art good enough to frame.

Cover Back: The back is practically the same, arguably even better if anything. Rarely do these matt originals avoid ring wear, this one has.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Few colours are more revealing of grubbiness than yellow – so glad to state any traces inside here are tiny and light. A faint of toning spots here-and-there and a possible faint small rub on the left bottom edge, but little else. All the musicians are pictured with instrument details (seen in close-up), and the text describes the ‘Legend of Cleetus Awreetus’.

Top Edges: Pristine: both dead straight, flat, flush, parallel and little short of as made with not rubbing.

Bottom Edges: Faint rub traces near the left end, then as above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both immaculate again: the front is tucked and folded with a real edge, not cut, this is little short of pristine. The back entrance is very sharp, clean and crisp with barely any trace of wear, also guaranteed untrimmed, the outer edge is a fraction wide than inside.

Spine and Text: Again in beautiful condition, just a tiny rub near the very bottom corner (look hard). A complex graphic spine that is very solid, straight, uncompressed and folded square, so the edges meet up perfectly together and parallel – this makes the difference between average and exceptional – this beauty IS exceptional. Hardly a hint of wear elsewhere and up there with the very best ‘Wazoo’ spines seen yet. All text and artwork perfect and unworn, totally unaged, faded or grubby. Even the ends are neat and crisp – all details seen on my close-up picture.

Corners: Gentle and very small tip rubs only with the odd tiny tip crease as mentioned. Better than excellent shape for all others. These delicate and vulnerable parts are seldom seen this fine.

Cover Summary: A hugely impressive Grand Wazoo cover – and one of Zappa’s most spectacular and colourful album sleeves. The amazing artwork is as complex as the music enclosed. This lovely original should please most-all collectors, indeed it could prove a major upgrade for many.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: a plain solid white unlined inner typical of Reprise for this period. Only gently aged with minor hint of discolouration and one small scuff on the bottom edge. Minimal creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): arguably better. Both playing surfaces are hugely impressive, this also being viewed under my usual intensely bright desktop lamp that highlights even the smallest of blemishes. A tiny few ultra fine and faint wispy surface traces only, no penetrating stylus scratches at all. Ultra clean with fantastic shine and solidly pressed. Finding a first issue copy a great deal better will very difficult – one for the most discerning Zappa fan – this almost matches my own prized copy.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [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 Zappa masterwork plays up to it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a full and wide dynamic range and very detailed sound with no tracking issues*. Any surface trace sounds hardly even registered and no pops or clicks noted, few available copies will match, let alone better this for quality sound. Detail from the big band and the sheer power and realism on any quality system will impress even the most demanding listener and this record gives a commanding performance. This is analogue and vinyl near it’s very best. Zappa proves again he is the master musician, a man capable of producing such varied and wide ranging styles. Who wants predictable formulated music? – every album this man made was different and unpredictable – that is why is was impossible to get bored with him. This record appearing little used, and then with care on a quality system. Carefully stored and handled within a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this Zappa classic. Jazz-rock? – art-rock?, progressive rock? – whatever you want to call it – it’s brilliant. This copy will prove very difficult to find significantly better and merits my highest possible recommendation. For those yet to discover the wonderful world of Frank Zappa – give this one a go – but be warned – his music is highly addictive and his catalogue is vast – an album to give your system and mind a good workout.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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.

Equipment Used for Play-Grading: I now play-grade ALL the records I offer (unless clearly stated to the contrary) on the following equipment:

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.