LED ZEPPELIN III A5/B5 Red/Plum CELEBRATION Error SUPERB FINAL UPGRADE MINT-
£
122
$
162
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Description
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Led Zeppelin III A5/B5 very early Red/Plum pressing w/Celebration error
This very collectable red/plum pressing plays with stunning quality on both sides with a clarity, depth and power that could not be any more impressive. No exaggeration it is up there with the best red/plum I have ever listened to as there is no interference of any kind. There is literally nothing that detracts from the audio and that is reflected in my grading as below. This is a record that has hardly been played and that is clear from the amazing visual quality not only the audio. There is barely any spindle wear and there is even some vinyl 'flecking' around the S2 spindle hole which you only find on un-played/hardly played vinyls! This is a FINAL UPGRADE pressings for sure i.e. no need to ever buy another!
The iconic E.J. Day cover is in great condition with no real wear, just a couple of purely superficial things. It is extremely clean and it has a fully functioning wheel of course. The original inner is also in superb condition.
I think it's safe to say that is a genuine second press in that it still has the A5/B5 matrix but of course has no Peter Grant credit. However, it does 'Celebration' on the S1 instead of the correct 'Celebration Day'. There is also a hyphen in the catalogue number 2401-002 on the labels which the first pressing does not have.
2401002 // A - 5 1 5 6 // Do what thou wilt
2401002 // B - 5 1 5 9 // So mote it be
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The gatefold is Ex+
The 'plastic bags' inner is Near Mint
The labels are Mint-
Visual grading
As you would expect from a vinyl that plays to such a high standard it is visually in beautiful condition with an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and no marks or scratches. It has that fresh 'as new' look and I had to look very closely indeed to find even a couple of very small faint hairlines. In all my years I do not think I have seen a better one! The red/plum labels have retained their original deep colour so well and have no marking - S1 has no spindle wear and S2 only three faint traces. There is even a little vinyl flecking around the S2 spindle hole which more or less confirms it has hardly been played. A stunning example.
Play grading
'Immigrant Song' plays with genuine power and depth from the intro right through to the very end and the clarity is so good you can even hear the countdown at the start! There are no ticks, clicks, pops and no background static either. There is also no distortion and this opening classic could not play any better. A Mint start to the album.
The 'spoken intro' on 'Friends' is so clean it is practically 'as new' and all I detected were a couple of dust ticks. The acoustic section is indeed faultless and Plant's opening vocal is as good as it would have been when first pressed! It continues in the same way with no interference - the sonic quality is very impressive and has none of the distorted 'tinny' type sound but that you so often find. I will grade as Mint- but I'm not entirely sure the minus is required if I'm honest!
The moog intro on 'Celebration Day' has no obvious static and just one light tick as Page enters the scene. Once Bonham comes in the playback is so strong and it proceeds in the same way with no interference at all. It really does play with tremendous power and definition. There is no distortion and this truly is a stunning track. Every section plays with sublime quality and that includes the fade out which has no 'background'. Mint-
The entire intro on 'Since I've Been Loving You' plays beautifully with not even a single dust tick. The audio is so crisp and clean and this is extended into Plant's first vocal. Already I am running out of adjectives in which to describe the audio! It continues to play with stunning quality and no intrusion aside from one very light tick which you could easily miss. Plant's higher register has no distortion and Page's long solo is STUNNING! The clarity and power is second to none and the quiet section that follows has no 'background' whatsoever - how rare is that! The final 'high octane' vocal again has no distortion (another rarity) and to the final note there are negatives - the final few 'quiet' grooves play to perfection. Mint- is 100% deserved here, what a version!
'Out On The Tiles' is often often affected by sound issues/distortion but this is one of the finest versions I have heard in many a year and play with exceptional power and definition from start to finish with no interference. If there is any distortion it is so minor and totally non-intrusive and just what you would expect with it being the final track on the side. The 'heavier' section towards the end where the bass is so prevalent is superb! The power and definition throughout is so impressive and the fade out again has no interference. In my opinion Mint- is a honest and true representation of the audio and as my regulars know I never over-grade as it is just not in my interests to do so!
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The acoustic intro on 'Gallows Pole' and the first vocal play with outstanding clarity and I detected only a couple of dust ticks. As good a start that you could wish for. As the tempo increases there is no let up in quality and the clarity and power cannot be faulted. This demands to be turned up to loud and is a real foot tapper if ever there was one! The sonic quality here is again breathtaking and the power of the audio is on another level. This is Mint in every way.
The 'first' acoustic intro on 'Tangerine' has no 'background' and the 7 second 'silent' passage is just as good. Total silence! The next acoustic section followed by Plant's first vocal play with great clarity and only a handful of barely audible dust ticks. It proceeds in the same way and there is no interference to be heard. Each note is so sharp and precise and you would not know this vinyl is over 50 years old! Another Mint- track.
'That's The Way' plays beautifully from the very first note and the first vocal also has no intrusion. It has that 'fresh' acoustic sound of an un-played vinyl and the sound quality could not be enhanced in any way, it is perfect just the way it is! The clarity, warmth and depth of the music can only be described as Mint it truly is a STUNNING version. In fact this is the most 'complete' version I have ever heard, I cannot praise it highly enough. Wow!
The acoustic intro on 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp' again sounds so 'fresh' as if it has never been played before. As the volume increases it continues to play with sublime quality and of course there is no interference. With only a couple of dust ticks this could not play with any greater precision. Another definitive version and another Mint track.
'Hat's Off To (Roy) Harper' ends this stunning album with 'as new' audio from the first note to the last. No more needs to be said this is Mint with not even a single dust tick.
In summary this very collectable red/plum pressing plays to a standard that is rarely found today and this is largely due to two main reasons - one, it has hardly ever been played and two, it has been so well preserved down the years. It is a FINAL UPGRADE time-warp classic and I can categorically say both sides have no interference of any kind. In a way this clarity of sound is even more impressive with this album as there are of course so many acoustic sections. There are so many highlights, they are too numerous to mention! No ticks, clicks or pops and no background static this may well be the finest Led Zepp III I have ever had the pleasure in listening to! I sold a first pressing a couple of months back but that had one light click to this 'Celebration' version has to grade higher than that! Even the louder sections play with outstanding power and definition and 'Out On The Tiles' is a prime example of that which, as I mentioned, plays with a rare sonic quality. Together with a lovely cover this is one for the true collector!
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The laminated E.J. Day cover is in excellent condition with barely any wear and it has retained its original shape and strength very well which can only mean it has not been handled very much. As stated the 'wheel' still works perfectly. The edges are very clean with hardly any rubbing and as per the first/early pressings the top and bottom edge of the front cover is 'open' so as to allow free movement of the wheel. The wide spine is in superb order and remains 100% legible and there is very little corner wear - just a very minimal crease/rub bottom right - plus the opening edge has hardly any handling wear also. The front cover is close to perfect with no marking, just a couple of faint scratch lines, and the back cover is equally as good with barely any of the yellowing/fading around the edges that you so often see. There are a couple of minor creases top left and bottom right that you can only see when held at a certain angle. The inside of the gatefold is immaculate with no marking or inner spine damage. A fine example of this iconic cover.
The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner (date coded 1070) is in fantastic condition with no side splits or tears, no marking and only very minimal 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
2401002 // A - 5 1 5 6 // Do what thou wilt
2401002 // B - 5 1 5 9 // So mote it be
At the moment eBay do not allow shipping to Russia due to the ongoing crisis. Apologies to my Russian customers, you know who to blame.
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
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