LED ZEPPELIN IV - 1st UK PRESS A3/B3 - RARE PETER GRANT LABEL - INVERTED FEATHER

	£		467
	$		619

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you.

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During nearly eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,400 positive feedbacks from over 1,900 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records.  Until recently I had 100% positive feedback, but I have recently received a totally unjustified negative feedback. Please see my page if you want the full story.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund. 

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PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL AND USE THE 'ZOOM' FACILITY TO GET A CLOSE-UP VIEW.

The labels on Led Zep IV were changed shortly after release to remove the credit for Peter Grant as Executive Producer and add Superhype to the publishing credits. This required a 're-design' as some other things on the labels needed to be moved around - most notably the positioning of the band's name. Because of this, there are two distinctly different lay-outs of the red/plum labels on copies of Led Zep IV.

But even before this re-design, another error had been spotted and quickly corrected - the inverted feather on the side two label

This copy features the very first label design, before any changes were made. It was only used for a very short time on a small number of the first copies and is among the hardest to find of any Led Zep rarities.

Not only is this the earliest and rarest version of Led Zep IV, this is also in superb condition.

This has the following 1st press matrix numbers:

Side 1: 2401012 A//3

Side 2: 2401012 B//3

It also has 'Pecko Duck' and 'Porky' etched in the run-outs.

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl looks great and has retained its original high sheen. Under bright light, sleeve removal lines, whispy hairlines and fine marks were visible as well as a handful of more-prominent LOOKING hairlines, but these have no audible impact. I have played the entire record and it sounds superb. There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click. There were also a handful of places where I heard a short-lived soft click, but there is nothing which lasts longer than three of four revolutions and certainly no loud, persistent clicks anywhere. The quiet tracks (The Battle of Evermore', 'Stairway to Heaven', 'Going to California') had a bit of background noise and there were a few crackly clicks in the quiet opening section of 'Stairway' but there is nothing loud or intrusive and the loud parts of 'Stairway to Heaven' sound Near Mint. The other loud tracks (such as 'Rock and Roll', 'Misty Mountain Hop' or 'When the levee breaks') also sound Near Mint. This is a superb example and was a real pleasure to listen to. I would play-grade both sides around Excellent (Ex), with side two slightly better than side one, but all the loud parts on both sides sound Near Mint (NM).
Labels: Rare, original label layout, including the inverted feather on side two. There is no damage, writing, stickers etc, just some spindle trails and slight marking around the spindle holes.
Sleeve: No damage, writing, splits, tears or stickers etc and just light signs of use. There are minor signs of handling and hint of ring-wear on the rear and a few small marks, but there is nothing significant anywhere. This is a very presentable example of this original cover and very hard to find like this.
Edge wear: There is light wear to the edges and spine, mostly on the bottom edge and the corners, but there is nothing significant or unsightly and no splits.
Corner wear: There is moderate corner wear, most noticeably at the top of the spine, but there is nothing significant or unsightly anywhere and no corner-splits.
Inner sleeve: Original inner sleeve with exposed flipbacks. This is in superb condition. There is a tear to the opening on the track-listing side which has been neatly repaired so that it is very hard to spot, a 1cm split in the middle of one side seam and small corner splits (about 1cm on one side and just a few milimetres on the other) at the opening. But all the things mentioned here are very minor and this is among the best I've seen.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is a superb example of the GENUINE first pressing of Led Zep IV.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded.  A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may send some items in packaging which has been previously used or which has been made from other cardboard packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

However, to quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 500-550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Occasionally, you may end up paying a few pence more than it actually costs me and occasionally you may end up paying a few pence less than it actually costs me. If there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items are sent quickly and securely using first class recorded post, which includes insurance up to £46. The cost for this is as follows:

First LP or 12" = £3.80, each additional LP or 12" add £0.80

First 7" or CD = £1.90, each additional 7" or CD add £0.50


UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £46 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £7.55.  Multiple-item orders weighing more than 1kg or items valued over £500 will cost slightly more to insure, so please wait for my invoice before paying.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £10.95, each additional LP or 12" add £2.00.

First 7" or CD = £6.85, each additional 7" or CD add £0.60.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £14.45, each additional LP or 12" add £3.50.

First 7" or CD = £8.15, each additional 7" or CD add £0.90.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.