LED ZEPPELIN II TWO 2 RARE "RL SS" PRESS ROBERT 'BOB' LUDWIG WITHDRAWN "HOT MIX"

$

80

"Led Zeppelin II"

Rare Original WITHDRAWN Robert Ludwig "Hot Mix"*!

We all know the story - Bob Ludwig's original cut of the mighty Zep's sophomore release was so powerful (and befitting of the music it contained) that it caused turntables fitted with cheap ceramic cartridges to jump, disgruntled buyers to return their copies in droves, and Atlantic to pull the plug early in production, only to have a less-capable mastering engineer churn out a bland substitute that would track properly on lousy equipment but pale in comparison to Ludwig's original on any system!

ONLY THE EARLIEST 1969 US PRESSINGS FEATURE THIS ALTERNATIVE "HOT" MASTERING

Such pressings are identifiable by the following characteristics:

• "RL SS" (which stands for Robert Ludwig, obviously, and Sterling Sound, the studio at which the cut was made, respectively) appears in both run-outs**
• The run-outs on each side are far narrower than those on any later re-cut pressing. The run-out measures 9/16" wide on Side One and 1/4" wide on Side Two on "RL" pressings, which stands in contrast to the run-outs on "non-RL" pressings, which measure 11/16" and 3/4" wide, respectively.
• The catalog number is SD-8236 - this is not specific to these pressings, but no "RL" pressings were ever issued with any other number.
• The address of Atlantic Records as given on the label is '1841 Broadway, New York, N.Y.' - again, this trait isn't specific to these pressings, but a copy with Atlantic's 75 Rockefeller address is always a later, re-cut pressing.

CONDITION OF THE ALBUM:

I visually grade the disc as Good Plus (G+).

Visually, the album is in mediocre condition, with lots of light scratches (but no hideous gouges) and some evidence of groovewear.

HOWEVER, being that this album is cut so loud, most of the snap, crackle, and pop created by the aforementioned scratches is buried under the rollicking thunder of the recorded music contained herein, and only reveals itself during quieter passages, such as the acoustic verses of "Thank You" and "Ramble On" (at which point they still mostly take a back seat to the majesty of Ludwig's mastering and Zep's musicianship). The only real problem area is at the very start of "Whole Lotta Love," where there is some persistent white noise in one channel for only a few seconds.

FURTHERMORE, the recorded music itself still sounds AMAZING! Whatever groovewear there is has had no effect whatsoever upon the vivid detail which Ludwig was able to transfer from the master tapes! Even in this condition, this pressing still possesses far greater presence and realism than a standard copy in Near Mint condition!

This album did NOT skip or stick on my equipment. Should it fail to play properly on yours, simply return it!

I grade the jacket as Good Plus (G+).

I have observed the following defects:

*A 3" "beginning split" centered on the bottom seam.

*A 2" split centered on the spine inside the gatefold.

*Some edge wear.

*Some discoloration/staining.

*Some ringwear.

Before you turn away, let me remind you that "RL pressings" did not come with their own distinct jackets, and that this jacket could be easily replaced with any other Led Zeppelin II matte-finish, gatefold jacket with the SD 8236 catalog number.

I encourage you to study all of my photos thoroughly for the best idea of the jacket’s condition.

The jacket will be placed in a new plastic outer sleeve.

The original Atlantic inner sleeve is included.

*(I will be the first the point out that "Hot Mix" is a misnomer. Rather it is the mastering - the process by which the mix is transferred to disc - which is "hot". However, good mastering is equally essential to high-quality audio playback as a good mix, and thus I am in no way implying that this pressing is somehow less spectacular because it features alternative mastering rather than an alternative mix!)

**(It is worth noting that I have observed authentic, original pressings of the "Ludwig Hot Mix" which contain the inscription "RL SS" in the Side 2 runout ONLY. While I do not know the reason for this variation, I guarantee that each is equally valid, being that both feature the same narrow run-outs that are exclusive to "RL" pressings [a consequence of wider, louder, bassier grooves]. This characteristic is, as far as I and the rest of the record-buying community are concerned, of consequence to completists only, and no indication of any difference in sound quality or degree of authenticity.)

. . .

My grading system pretty much follows the Goldmine Magazine format, and is as follows:

Mint (M), Near Mint (NM), Excellent (EX), Very Good Plus (VG+), Very Good (VG), Good (G+), Good (G), Fair (F), and Poor (P).

Although thorough grade explanations are best left for specific item descriptions, I will endeavor to say that: M is pretty much left for the discs of sealed records (and SOMETIMES the jackets of sealed records); NM and EX are in the “Wow, what a beauty!/archive piece” range; VG+ and VG are in the “That’s pretty nice” range; G+ and G are in the “eh, it’s okay” range, and F and P are in the “trashed” range.

For test-plays, I use a Technics SL-QD3 turntable, with an Grado BLUE1 cartridge with an accompanying elliptical diamond stylus tracking at 1.25g.

All records are shipped in genuine cardboard record mailers. The disc will be placed in a new liner and packaged outside the jacket (but within the plastic outer sleeve) so as to prevent splits. Original liners (if included) will be kept inside the jackets, as will any inserts. The album will be surrounded by three sheets of 12” by 12” bubble wrap (two sheets over the disc). Shipping info is always typed up and printed out – I don’t take chances with shoddy, hand-written addresses! The box will be sealed with and the address sheet will be affixed by lots of Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape.

All payments must be made by PayPal. You may pay by debit, credit, or e-check, but must use the PayPal website to do so.

Payment must be made within 48 hours of purchase/auction’s end.

Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up. Do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!