NEIL YOUNG (1st) VERY RARE ORIG UK 1969 EX LP with BEAUTIFUL 'NO NAME' COVER.

	£		173
	$		229

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

Artist or Band: NEIL YOUNG

Album Title: Neil Young.

Producer(s): David Briggs; Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder & Neil Young.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Emperor of Wyoming; The Loner; If I Could Have Her Tonight; I’ve Been Waiting For You; The Old Laughing Lady.

Side 2: String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill; Here We Are In The Years; What Did You Do To My Life?; I’ve Loved Her So Long; The Last Trip To Tulsa.

Label/Format: Reprise – original first press tri-colour format with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both clean, still fresh and attractive with only very few and light spindle marks that have minimal visibility. For the small few who bought that album as a genuine first UK pressing, most played it heavily and this is never easy to find.

Cat Number: RSLP 6317.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 163 grams. A typical heavyweight first issue, few pressed records heavier towards the back end of the 1960s than Reprise.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity & Overview: Rare: and it always has been. The title itself is fairly easy to find as a tan K- prefix reissue, but that is very different to a first issue. The repressings were also remixed and put in the more common ‘named’ cover and with the new Kinney number. Firstly, a poor selling record and many sources state it was not issued in the UK initially but was delayed and appeared after the US release date, so the amount of time this title would have been available on either RSLP format would have been very limited. Only early copies of this record included the cover without his name appearing on the front, an unusual and bold thing to do on a debut solo album, later pressings had his name included near the top. Remember, Neil Young was a relative unknown at this time. A member of Buffalo Springfield, but they had very modest sales in the UK, and many would not even know who this man was. Another major factor about these early pressings, they were the only source to the original mix which Young himself was not satisfied with. Subsequent pressings had some songs remixed with his voice a little more prominent and clearer in the sound. Two tracks had additional guitar added also. Many Young connoisseurs preferred this original mix, his slightly muted voice actually adds to the atmosphere and mystery of the songs. The remixed version is different, the original sound is the most cherished by his fans. A delicate album that many acclaim as one of his finest ever, it experiments by blending folk, rock with orchestral elements and it works brilliantly. This is a massively pressed record and a very early pressed example as mentioned above – it was briefly repressed on the new tan label still with the RSLP number – for most, the tri-colour is the ultimate one to own. It plays very well too with very little unwanted – a brief few ticks on side two a gentle reminder of what you are listening to – a 46-year-old vinyl record, and not a squeaky clean digital alternative. Young himself a massive fan of the analogue sound and I am sure he would more than approve of this vintage gem. This album was not issued in mono, so more than likely a high percentage that did initially sell were subjected to much harsher mono record-player treatment – and most collectors will know what that potentially means. The deep-grooved heavyweight record has one visible mark, but is largely superficial and ignored, a few brief ticks heard on side two on the penultimate song, but little else. ‘The Last Trip to Tulsa’, the epic final song, plays beautifully and one of the few examples on a first issue I have heard that does. The prized ‘No Name’ cover looks stunning and is a strong contender for the very best I have yet seen. This a work of beautiful art and highly collectable in it’s own right – this one could indeed prove a massive upgrade for many, lacking the grubbiness and creasing so many seem to acquire. So a lovely copy, the record not perfect, but how many first issues ever truly will be? A terrific album that got Young’s legendary solo career started and rarely looked back since. This arguably the most important album and variant within his impressive discography.

Original Year of Release: January 1969.

Matrix Nos: RSLP 6317 A-1 *T / RSLP 6317 B-1 *T

Stamper Codes: L 1 / E 1

Musicians: Neil Young: guitar, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, vocal; Jim Messina: bass; George Grantham: drums. Also: Ry Cooder: guitar; Jack Nitzsche: electric piano. Guest Vocalists: Merry Clayton; Brenda Holloway; Patrice Holloway; Gloria Richetta Jones; Sherlie Matthews; Gracia Nitzsche.

Brief Info: After the breakup of Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills stayed with Atlantic records but Neil Young went his own way to pursue a solo career and signed for Frank Sinatra’s still fledgling label Reprise. This debut album received mixed reviews at the time and sold poorly making the early ‘original’ pressings incredibly difficult to find. I have outlined the details of the production and it’s subsequent remixing above. The material is varied: from rock to folk and unusually, the opener is an instrumental. The Young classic ‘The Loner’ follows and actually benefits from the low vocal mix. There is not a bad track throughout and time has acknowledged this album a ‘classic’. ‘The Old Laughing Lady’ has genuine eeriness and mystery, the death-like creepy backing vocals again work brilliantly on this original mix and here, plays beautifully. These vocals are intense and often break-up or clip with crackle even on modestly played copies if played on less worthy equipment from the distant past. Here focused and sharp, most will fail this test, this to on very revealing equipment. ‘The Last Trip to Tulsa’ is Young’s first solo epic, a long finale with a distinct folk-rock sound – the guitar sounds stunning with an in-the-room presence. An astonishing piece that set out the pathway for future great songs and eventual popularity, although the path at times became rocky. This is a rare record as a first UK pressing and this is possibly hard to imagine for a man who is now a household name, but this was the beginning of the journey that made him a superstar. The actual time this was available in this format was only quite brief and few took any notice. Initial copies with no name on the cover front was also a bold move, again more mystery was the order-of-the-day. The one original owner, clearly a major fan, decided to ‘decorate’ the inner sleeve as can be seen on my picture. I feel this is a nice touch and adds to the history, but for the purist, I will ALSO include a similar style inner with no modifications – so BOTH will be included. The record is very clean with lovely shine, it has one visible mark that is largely superficial as stated already. Anything else mild and faint and overall, a lovely example, this is a real opportunity to experience this now legendary ‘original’ recording.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): quite possibly my best yet. A single fully laminated format that was printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse. It was distributed by Pye Records. This is the very scarce original ‘No Name’ cover that was later replaced with his name printed on the front, and also the laminate dropped. It was made with very thin card, which is the main reason why is rarely seen anything like perfect, most have significant laminate issues and this seldom ages well.

Lamination – Front: A strikingly beautiful cover and this does it nigh-on maximum justice. It retains rich intense colour as seen through very shiny, fresh and clear laminate. This has no lifting and minimal traces of any dulling, even when viewed under angled light. That makes a massive difference, as does the lack of edge crease-cracks that often tone. Most of any creasing are gentle half moons that only really show with angled viewing. Seen full-on, this is simply gorgeous and a massively important piece of art.

Lamination – Back: If anything, the back is even better with hardly any creasing or dulling, also retaining impressive shine. The lack of rim impression with a 160+ gram record inside all these years is almost remarkable – any traces minimal and faint.

Top Edge: Straight, smooth and with full laminate and barely any hint of wear at all. Unscuffed and in amazing condition.

Bottom Edge: Very similar, the odd abrasion trace felt with the sensitive fingertip.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with barely any wear and guaranteed untrimmed. Any thickening or burring minuscule even viewed end-on.

Spine and Text: The spine is thin but still solid and straight, this is a superb being honest. All the text is perfectly centred on a very narrow depth, also fully present with no chips, cracks or toning. Finding this detail better will prove near impossible.

Corners: The odd tiny tip crease but hardly any wear. All retain very fine and mostly excellent shape with strong definition – the lack of significant knocks or dinks always great news.

Cover Summary: A rare and VERY attractive cover. The ‘No Name’ original graphic is beautiful and the lack of identity gives it a real sense of mysteriousness. This so clean and fresh, it is worthy of being framed, this an iconic piece or rock art. It’s flimsiness is a always such a factor, thus laminate issue are always an issue. Here the absolute least I have seen and many, if not most fans will enjoy owning it. This could be a major upgrade for many.

The Inner Sleeve (s): NO GRADE: because this hardly worn original polylined inner has been ‘customised’ by the original owner. Hence, any ‘grading’ purely subjective, but this has been lovingly done and looks impressive, adding character and history to this vintage piece. So for the ‘purist’, I have ALSO included the same style inner without modification. This a plain white, polylined inner with all the edges unsplit and no repairs. The lining ultra clear and fresh as seen through two crisp and little blemished window circles. This has aged a little with some seam adhesive darkening and tone spots. It is UK patented and has ‘Foreign Patents Pending’ text. So this replacement of the same type grades excellent minus.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++) / NEAR EXCELLENT with one, mostly and largely superficial. So one mishap in the distant past, but not serious with no tracking issues at all, it can hardly be felt, just lightly near it’s end, that small part emits a tiny few ticks, the only audible blemish on what I still consider an outstanding example. Any other visual blemishes are minor and faint super-faint scuff traces – indeed side one is superb. Still an impressive 45-year-old record that is clean with excellent shine and freshness, intense black and heavily pressed on thick, robust vinyl. This will make belt-driven turntables take an extra second or two to get up speed. A copy played modestly on the evidence and few records that have been played will not have the odd minor visual evidence of usage. This is never an easy record to find like this with most all I have seen being badly marked and played considerably more. This is a record that does not tolerate thick heavyweight stylus well and a high percentage would have been played on such equipment as there were no mono copies made. Visually a lovely record with only fairly light clues to it’s age that should please many, or even most collectors as it is not seen at all often.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This rare, very first pressed record, easily for me Young’s most elusive by far, plays even above it’s high visual grading with very little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound (a huge bonus on any record of this era), all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high and the original mix is very interesting. Often strongly implied that the vocals are low in the mix, well they are in places but not in a bad way as I have outlined in my piece above. Quite why Young insisted on a remix with all the costs involved seems harsh and most connoisseurs of the man prefer the original. I would still imagine many fans have never even heard an original being honest but they should - the differences are subjective with mixed opinions but owning the first is usually preferable. Any surface sounds are few and faint and any clicks being very few and quite light near the end of the aforementioned mark in side two. This has some very quiet passages and finding a copy this clean will never prove easy. No irritating crackle, pressing rasps or loud unwanted sounds, this offers impressive audio quality that almost takes you into the recording studio itself, and even with a small brief clicks, the experience of this record was impaired for me. The odd gentle reminder of what is being heard – that being the ultimate real thing – is not an issue for me. What I hate is groovewear, clipping, pressing noises and unrelenting crackle – well this has avoided all that. Indeed this is up there with the very cleanest I have heard, but if ‘perfection’ is mandatory, the wait continues. If anyone has a pristine copy of this, well treasure it, because few will exist, of that, I have no doubt. With record, cover and even the inner only offering mild hints of their considerable vintage, this is a copy that merits strong recommendation, and a rare opportunity for Neil Young fans and collectors. There is a special feeling and pride in owning one of these.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.