THE DOORS Morrison Hotel SCARCE ORIG UK 1970 EX LP with SUPER SOUND & NICE COVER

Sold Date: October 18, 2015
Start Date: October 13, 2015
Final Price: £69.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 7
Seller Feedback: 7248
Buyer Feedback: 255


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 DOORS

Album Title: Morrison Hotel (often referred to as ‘Hard Rock Café’)

Producer & Engineer: Paul A. Rothchild

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Roadhouse Blues; Waiting for the Sun; You Make Me Real; Peace Frog; Blue Sunday; Ship of Fools.

Side 2: Land Ho!; The Spy; Queen of the Highway; Indian Summer; Maggie M’Gill.

Label/Format: Elektra – original red format with matt finish and a gentle hint of texturing, this being one of the earliest ever pressings as confirmed by the matrixes (see further down) and the date code on it’s original inner sleeve (seen on my close up picture).

Label Conditions: Both fresh, clean and attractive with only a small few light, fine and faint spindle marks.

Cat Number: EKS 75007

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: 130 grams. A very good solid weight.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Original UK originals are fast becoming rare. Finding lesser played copies harder still. Most copies seen are on the Butterfly (or even later format) labels.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: EKS 75007 A // 1 420 1 1 2 & EKS 75007 B // 1 420 1 1 1 [these punched, and very clear and pronounced]

Musicians: Jim Morrison - vocals; Robbie Krieger - guitar; Ray Manzarek - organ, piano; John Densmore - drums. Guests: Ray Neopolitan (bass), Lonnie Mack (bass), G. Puglese (harp).

Brief Info: The Doors fifth album and one of the very best within their supreme Morrison-era catalogue. After the mixed reviews for ‘The Soft Parade’, which did not please all fans (personally, I loved it), this saw the band switch to more bluesy material and includes some stunning tracks. The critics of the day again raved about The Doors, some citing it as their best album, some went further still rating it album of the decade and masterful return to form. It proved to be their best-selling album in the UK as well. Now with a gritty, heavier sound, and again with a strong production, Morrison was back in commanding form. This also includes some truly memorable quieter tracks and certainly one of my favourites ever in ‘Indian Summer’, a song probably less known than many to non-Doors fans, but this slow sensitive track exudes sheer beauty with Jim as tender as he ever got. This solidly pressed and well preserved first issue offers lovely clean sound and will thrill fans of the ‘Lizard King’. The change in direction worked magnificently and is a wonderful prelude to the stunning ‘LA Woman’ that brought the original Doors career to a breathtaking climax – sadly that proved to be Morrison’s classic swansong.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: a very conservative grading for a cover that actually looks better. Also this is one that simply does not wear well and seldom seen anything like this nice. An unlaminated gatefold format with smooth matt surfaces. Printed and made in England by MacNeill and, of course has the original EKS prefix and 75007 number. Beware of later Kinney substitutions that look virtually the same. This includes the original date-coded 1/0470 (1st April 1970), that within the first month or so of issue.

Cover Front: The famous photograph taken in secret at the real Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles after being refused permission to do so. It has become an iconic photograph within The Doors album catalogue, here it will seldom be seen a great deal better. Generally clean, still fresh with hardly any rubbing or marks. A fairly light crease near the right edge shows little, and any surface marks the same. Prone to sticker pull and tears, this has none, a classic cover front looking really nice.

Cover Back: Largely similar again: a light thumb crease just to the right of ‘COCKTAILS’ and a couple of fine others, but little else. The lack of ringwear being a significant plus on a cover rarely seen without it.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Practically as made – beautiful deep colour and vibrancy – any blemishes minuscule. Another classic group picture as seen in close-up.

Top Edges: Straight and flush with around moderate rubbing, but as far as rubbing goes, this is quite neat and barely any spreads to the main surfaces.

Bottom Edges: Similar again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, mostly sharp with little wear and all guranteed untrimmed, the back edge a fraction proud of the inside to emphasise the fact. Any thickening or burring only small and light as seen viewed end-on. Record enters on the back edge.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight, minimal compression and folded very square and all the edges meet up flush and parallel which always makes quite a difference to attractiveness. All text is perfect and unworn which is a big bonus on these type of covers. One or two smallish rubs have been improved, the only area of any evidence of this on the entire cover.

Corners: Light to moderate tip rubbing with mostly very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A strong all-round example of this deceptively wear-prone and unforgiving first-made 1970 cover, one that could prove difficult to find much better. I have seen some pretty poor examples of this cover before, many damaged, torn or heavily ringworn to put an attractive one like this into true perspective. Few will avoid some edge rubbing or minor blemish, so I feel confident this will please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): just a fairly light darkening to gently remind of age. That apart, a superb Polydor-style inner with pristine window circles and very clear, and hardly even crinkled polylining. Any creasing very gentle and little with all edges unsplit with no repairs. That important 1/0470 date-code (seen in close-up) confirms this as one of the earliest copies made from 1st April 1970.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: and probably worth of a +. An impressive clean visual copy that retains fine shine, freshness and solidly pressed. Any surface trace marks are mostly very fine and faint as seen with scrutiny under bright angled light. No penetrating stylus scratches and this plays beautifully. Visually a lovely, and appearing little-played record that should please many collectors again.

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 well preserved classic album plays even above it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - audio quality is of studio quality with the precision and detail of the mastertape – a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound with no tracking issues*. Any surface sounds minimal and faint, hardly anything note and few original Morrison Hotel’s will better this. Even the quieter songs gave of their very best and this is a genuine first issue that many will feel will not need upgrading. Few available copies will outperform this one significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, generally well stored and the record itself appearing only lightly used. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, all Doors albums are difficult to find clean and playing this well. This could prove difficult to find better as an EKS original and merits strong recommendation.

* 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 programmes. 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’.