LED ZEPPELIN II A2/B2 1st PRESS Red/Plum WRECK Light BROWN COVER SUPERB AUDIO!
Sold Date:
September 11, 2022
Start Date:
September 1, 2022
Final Price:
£460.00
(GBP)
Bid Count:
18
Seller Feedback:
4009
Buyer Feedback:
0
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Led Zeppelin II A2/B2 1st Press 'Wreck' Credit Red/Plum Label
This very collectable first pressing with the Wreck credit is visually stunning and plays to a fantastic standard on both sides, it is easily one of the best I have ever sold. S1 has only minimal interference on 'Whole Lotta Love' that only last for 5/6 seconds and is not that intrusive anyway. The remainder of the side is hugely impressive including 'Thank You' which so often has a fair amount of 'background'. S2 is absolutely stunning and is more or less 'as new' apart from the final few seconds on 'Bring It On Home' which has a little static. The clarity, depth, power and warmth of the audio is so good and it would be hard to find a better one in my opinion.
The original light brown cover is in very good condition with the only noticeable wear being around the spine. The original inner is in excellent shape with only a little wear.
As this is a genuine first press it has the 'Wreck' credit on the S2 label as well as 'The Lemon Song' credit on the S1 label of course. It has the 'Copyright Control' publishing credit as opposed to the later 'Warner Bros/Jewel Music' one. The cover also has a slight green tinge on the spine and just a hint on a couple of edges, less on this particular copy.
588198 A▽ 2 1 5 1
588198 B ▽ 2 1 3 5
The audio on S1 is Near Mint (T1 second verse VG+ / T4 ranges between Ex+ & Near Mint)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T5 Near Mint & end section Ex-)
The gatefold is VG+ (spine VG-)
The 'plastic bags...' inner is Ex-
The labels are Ex+
Visual grading
This has to be best example of a 'Wreck' vinyl that I have seen in a long time. It is visually stunning and still has a lovely glossy sheen with no scratches. There is just one small faint mark on the first mark and a small number of faint hairlines. You can tell it has been played a few times by the spindle wear but it has quite clearly always been handled very carefully which is a good sign. The red/plum labels are in great condition and have retained their original colour perfectly with only a small number of very faint 'spots' that you can only see when you hold it at a certain angle. Some spindle wear but not too much it has to be said.
Play grading
The run in on S1 as you set the needle down is very 'clean' and the opening riff on the classic then 'Whole Lotta Love' plays perfectly. Plant's first vocal plays extremely well with only a handful of light ticks. The chorus is faultless and whilst the next verse has 5/6 light clicks they are very much in the background and really not that intrusive, you can still hear the music very clearly. There are a couple of ticks right at the beginning of the 'psychedelic' section but the remainder is 'as new' the clarity is stunning. There is not even a dust tick and as Bonham comes back in soon followed by Page the audio is just as impressive. The quiet 'Way down inside...' section also plays with sublime clarity and no intrusion and the rest of the track is of the same 'high end' standard. I will grade the second verse as VG+ and the remainder as Near Mint as the clarity and definition of the audio can hardly be faulted. Perhaps even VG+ is a little harsh as this section still plays with very strong and clear audio.
The first verse and chorus on 'What Is And What Should Never Be' have no 'background' and it continues in the same way with great clarity and only a couple of light ticks. The overall sonic quality is very impressive when you consider how many quiet sections there are and the louder passages also play with great power and depth. The fade out has a handful of light ticks/clicks right at the end but it has practically finished by this point anyway! This is one of the finest versions of this track that I have heard in a long time and it is a Wreck pressing! I think Near Mint is a fair reflection of the audio.
'The Lemon Song' plays with that typical deep and rich Zeppelin tone from the get go. The opening vocal is nigh on perfect with only a small number of barely audible dust ticks and Page's first solo is breathtaking! Jones' bass adds so much to the 'sound' and that is very much in evidence during the slower paced mid section. The clarity here is unbelievable, there is no background static and only one minor static tick. There is no 'muddiness' to the sound that you so often find and then the 'high octane' finish is exceptional. Pure power and depth and no distortion. This is why the red/plums are so collectable as this warmth and depth is just not replicated on later pressings. This again deserves a Near Mint grading.
The slow build up intro on 'Thank You' has no interference and for once there is no static distortion. Plant's first vocal is so clean with only a couple of light dust ticks and as the volume increases the playback does not falter. This track often has a 'muddied' sound quality but if there is any here it is so so minimal and totally non-intrusive. The mid section instrumental is superb and the next vocal equally so with just one light tick near the beginning. The super quiet 'If the sun refused to shine...' passage plays beautifully with no real 'background' and just how rare is that?! The clarity is STUNNING! The fade out/in/out section plays with great precision and only very minimal static. This is a very impressive version to say the least and ranging between Ex+ and Near Mint is fair but certainly more of the latter!
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The classic opening riff on 'Heart Breaker' plays to perfection and Plant's first vocal is 'as new' with no interference. From then on it plays with outstanding quality and the 'high octane' section following the first vocal section is a a prime example of that. The power and depth of the audio here is fantastic! Never heard better. Page's 'quieter' stand alone solo has no 'background' and the next instrumental section also plays with incredible power - the sonic quality is just out of this world! The final vocal is as good as it was back in '69 and to the end there is no interference. A Mint- track although I'm not sure the minus is required!
'Livin' Lovin' WRECK' plays with sublime power and depth from start to finish with...no interference. In true Led Zepp style it plays loud and true with no distortion on the top end. A STUNNING Mint version.
The acoustic intro on 'Ramble On' can again be described 'as new' and the opening vocal is just as impressive with no 'background' of any kind. The first chorus keeps up this impeccable standard and it continues to play with phenomenal sound quality. The clarity and depth of the audio is in all honesty is equal to that of an unplayed record, I just cannot praise it highly enough. The long fade out just has very light static towards the end but this is without doubt one of the strongest versions I have ever had the pleasure in listening to. Let's say Mint-
'Moby Dick' plays to the same standard with no interference. The opening section is faultless and Bonham's solo then plays with exceptional clarity. A couple of dust ticks maybe but in essence zero interference and just how rare is that! There are of course so many quiet passages and yet the sound is so clear and 'fresh' - this is about as good as it gets basically! Each and every note plays with sublime depth and Page's end section is equally as strong. I'm going to say Mint again, what a version!
The quiet bass/harmonica intro on 'Bring It On Home' plays with stunning precision and Plant's first vocal is nigh on perfect with only a couple of very brief static 'moments', blink and you miss them! As the volume increases the playback is so strong and for once there is a barely any inner groove distortion, a common sound 'issue' with this track. The quiet end section does have a little more static and a couple of ticks but it doesn't really take away from what is a very impressive version. The majority is certainly Near Mint if not better and I will grade the closing section as Ex- but it's worth pointing out this is easily the most stunning S2 I have ever heard on a 'Wreck' pressing. . In summary this genuine first press plays to an exemplary standard with very little intrusion. A small number of light clicks on the first track and just a little static right at the end of the final track that's about it. The clarity, depth and power and power of the audio on both sides is stunning and particularly on S2. As stated this is the cleanest looking 'Wreck' album I have ever found so in a sense it is not surprising it plays so well. There is some spindle wear so I would also say the record has only been played on high end equipment which has helped maintain its original sonic quality considerably. This is a stunning album and would add to any 'high end' collection.
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve The light brown cover is in very good condition with no major shelf wear. The most obvious is some marking/staining either side of the spine but it isn't excessive and you can still see some of the green 'tinge' that you only find on the first pressings. The edges have some rubbing but not too much and whilst the spine has some rubbing you can still just about read the band name and the catalogue number. The corners of the spine have some wear with just a little more on the bottom corner and the right hand corners are relatively clean with only minimal wear. The opening edge is very clean with only minimal handling wear. Apart from the marking by the spine the front cover is in excellent order with very little fading around the edges and the back cover is actually very impressive. Yes some of that marking near the spine but the light brown 'effect' here is so much better than many other versions I have seen and has only minimal fading. The inside of the gatefold is in great condition with only a couple of tiny faint marks near the top either side of the s[pine. Not perfect but a very respectable cover overall.
This 'Plastic Bags...' poly-lined inner is dated 0270 and has no side splits and just one small tear on the central 'window'. There are a handful of 'spots' and a little age related fading and just a little creasing.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
588198 A▽ 2 1 5 1
588198 B ▽ 2 1 3 5
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines
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Postage & Packaging
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