Sold Date: July 28, 2021
Start Date: July 18, 2021
Final Price: $285.00 (USD)
Bid Count: 33
Seller Feedback: 2012
Buyer Feedback: 0

SIMON & GARFUNKEL

Bookends

Super RARE MONO! KCL 2469

Super Hard To Find Early Pressing with 1C/1C Stampers on both sides of the deadwax!!  

Does NOT include original poster 

VG+/VG+

Graded Cover/Record

Very conservatively graded

Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends Columbia KCL 2729 MONO: VG+/VG+ Stampers on the deadwax on Side 1 are stamped XLP 118885-1C and Side 2 are stamped XLP 118886 -1C.  The 1C means this is very early First Pressing and therefore will sound fantastic due to the freshness of the original master tapes!  Another clue that this is a first pressing is the White lettering on the red Columbia labels! 

Vinyl is super clean VG+ condition and looks to have been rarely played!  At first glance, one will think this is Near Mint and many dealers would have graded this as Near Mint.  And sounds absolutely fantastic.  The only flaws keeping it from Near Mint on Side 1 are several very minor superficial scuffs and hairlines. Side 2 is about the same but with more longer minor scuffs and hairlines.  Looks like the record has been played several times.   from taking Several of the scuffs and hairlines appear to be from taking the record out of its sleeve that will happen every single time one takes the record out from the sleeve!  No deep scratches.  Just very minor marks.  I played it last night and being this is a first pressing the sound is fresh from the master tapes so there is no degradation in sound as on later pressings.  Flat red Columbia labels are in excellent condition with just a few very light almost unnoticeable spindle marks.  Columbia MONO pressings are known for their fantastic fidelity.    

Cover still has the original shrink wrap and so any ring wear/flaws that you see in the pictures are the flaws on the shrink wrap itself and not the cover.  Spine is perfect.  The top seam is perfect.  The only reason for the VG+ grading is due to several minor flaws: the bottom seam has some fraying where the shrink wrap has torn away and the right edge has about an inch of fraying.  Cover still has super nice gloss and no noticeable ring wear front or back except on the shrink wrap.  Original paper inner sleeve is in very good condition with some browning/ageing.   

Sound Quality: The MONO Mix is the way to go because it has a totally different mix and blows away the tinny, echoey and lifeless stereo mix!  All CD releases of this iconic album have been remixed in stereo and unfortunately, it is highly likely this LP will never be officially released in MONO because Paul Simon has refused to release the mono masters and has said so!  Why does the mono sound so good?  Because the master tapes were fresh at the time and were not degraded when later pressings were done many years later.

This is a fantastic sounding mix and it sounds fantastic! You all know that the 60's, 70's and 80's vinyl pressings are the way to go and the recording, mastering, quality, and sound are FANTASTIC! You won't find this stuff anymore. Just take a listen for yourself like I did.

I am selling off my entire Pop, Rock and Roll, Jazz and Surf record collection that I have been collecting for over 40 years.  If you're a record collector and audiophile, the cover condition is not the important part.  It is the fact that the vinyl are in super clean VG+ (almost Near MINT) condition!  Warm analog sound! Note that I have conservatively graded everything.  In other words, if a record is graded VG+, it is more than likely closer to Near Mint.

Condition: I grade according to Goldmine standards. That means a VG+ vinyl will be just that, an LP that is in beautiful condtion! I am very picky when it comes to grading and grade to Goldmine standards. I absolutely hate it when dealers ameliorate the condition of the vinyl!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially when I am the buyer!! All my Lp's have been stored in my house upright on a shelf in an air conditioned and dry environment, meaning no warping, staining or mildew! 

Track Listing: Please see the photos! If you need more photos or a better description, please let me know and I will gladly describe it in detail for you.

Shipping: Shipping will be via USPS Media Mail $6 and will be mailed in a sturdy LP mailer. Copy 1