Led Zeppelin "Houses Of The Holy," 1973 SD 7255 RL STERLING 1st Press, Near Mint

$

154

Led Zeppelin "Houses Of The Holy," 1973 SD 7255 RL STERLING 1st Press, Near Mint!

This record qualifies as a final collection copy of Led Zeppelin's 5th studio album from 1973 for even the most discerning of collectors. The L.P. has a mirror-like finish and appears hardly played. Visible are only a spare few wisp marks that you must strain to see under bright light. There are no discernable spindle marks on the labels, which are bright, colorful, and vibrant. There is a tiny ink blemish that appears to be from the pressing plant on label side #2 (SEE PICS). 

The gatefold cover and original inner sleeve are also in excellent condition. The cover makes a slight cracking sound when you open it because the inner spine is still tight. The colors are amazing, and there is only a hint of ring wear, which is rare for this cover. There is also a bit of edgewear and bumping, but the corners remain sharp. The inner sleeve is, likewise, superb and has only a small tear at the bottom (SEE PIC).

Finally, this record is a Presswell pressing from the Presswell Pressing Plant in New Jersey, meaning that it is made of rigid, heavy vinyl. It was also mastered by the legendary sound engineer, Robert Ludwig, at Sterling Sound Studios. His initials, "RL," are etched into the deadwax, and the word "STERLING" is stamped there as well. This may be the final copy you're looking for in your collection!

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Stay classy, and thanks for stopping by!

Grading

L.P.: Near Mint-

Cover: Excellent

Labels: Near Mint-

Grading Scale (Albums graded visually. Will gladly play-grade upon request.)

Mint (M): Sealed only, with no signs of handling, damage, or wear to the cover. Such vintage albums hardly exist in my opinion.

Near Mint (NM): Virtually flawless, appearing mirror-like in unplayed condition and with no damage to the cover.  Labels will likewise be free of spindle marks. (Unplayed records cannot, by definition, have spindle marks!!!!)  There will be virtually no background noise, like loud pops or ticks, and will have a “just opened” sound. Although nearly all vintage records have some degree of insignificant warpage, NM L.P.'s will display only minimal amounts.

Excellent (EX): Still free of any significant defects, with only superficial flaws.  Such albums will show some minor signs of play and storage, but minimal wear, plenty of shine, and will still be considered in “collectible” condition. Background noise will only be audible during quieter portions of the album, if at all, and will not be prominent to the point of affecting sound quality.  Labels may have none, to only a few, spindle marks and covers will have only minor edge and corner wear, or discoloration.

Very Good (VG): An album that has obvious signs of wear, perhaps slight warpage, but plays through without skips, jumps, or long repetitive ticks.  It will be entirely playable with moderate background noise.  Covers might have small stains, edge, spine and/or corner wear.  Vinyl will have surface level scuffs that may affect playback but still allows the music to shine through.  Unlike most sellers, a grade from me of VG does NOT mean that the album is trash.  It will still be a “very good” listen.  

Good (G): An album that has had a full life but is still worth listening to.  Sound quality will be diminished by background noise, and perhaps some loud pops and skips.  Covers and inner sleeves will have stains, tears, or other signs of damage, but will still adequately protect the vinyl and acceptably present the original artwork. Labels will be diminished by spindle marks and other forms of damage.

Poor (P): An album on which the surface noise and skipping is too distracting to listen too enjoyably, and that has a cover with major stains, tears, or other significant defects.  I will sell an album in this condition ONLY when it is highly collectible because of its age and/or rarity.

(+/-): I will use plus or minus designations freely to nuance the grading of each album, and to bridge the gap in describing albums that fall in between grades.

 PLEASE NOTE:

1. I seek to grade ACCURATELY and strictly according to the grading scale above. Proper grading is my top priority. I am a grading “literalist,” and I strive to be as precise as possible. My ultimate goal is to be among the best record graders on eBay.

2. All records are cleaned on a VPI 16.5 using a 3-step, enzyme-based process.

3. All L.P.'s will be shipped separately from their cover's and placed in a replacement sleeve. They will also be well protected in an outer poly sleeve and safely packaged with more than adequate cardboard reinforcement. (No worries here, I promise.)

4. Sealed albums cannot be returned if opened, partially or completely.

5. I am not a wholesale collector or a large-scale seller. I’m just an average dude who loves vintage vinyl and has been collecting for many years. Be assured that I will always strive to be as accurate as I can with the grades I assign. I know how important that is to us vinyl enthusiasts, and how frustrating it is when albums come over-graded! If you disagree with my grading upon receipt, please contact me immediately for a resolution before leaving negative or neutral feedback.