ROLLING STONES Aftermath UK Unboxed Mono STUNNING EX++

	£		90
	$		119

Hi, I am Mike, I am 46 and have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 33 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and ellusive items now. 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, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirity, not just bits to guess a grade (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - 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 reader – 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. The only thing I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. Variation can sometimes occur too in colour of the label scans and labels taken next to the sleeve with a digital camera, the scanned full label pictures should be the most accurate. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert. 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 or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I by quality single items and collections also (Email me please if you have quality items for sale).

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions of their intended payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions. NOTE: I WILL NOT ACCEPT BIDS FROM UNREGISTERED USERS, I will cancel them immediately, and sorry, I cannot give valuations on people’s personal items just for their own curiosity, no item can be accurately valued blindly.

Please read all the information carefully - these adverts take an age to compile properly - so it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read the details thoroughly. I really cannot take any responsibility if any bidder fails to read any facts that are clearly stated in the advert - Thankyou.

Artist or Band: THE ROLLING S TONES

Album Title: Aftermath.

Track Listing: Mothers Little Helper; Stupid Girl; Lady Jane; Under My Thumb; Doncha Bother Me; Goin’ Home; Flight 505; High and Dry; Out of Time; It’s Not Easy; I Am Waiting; Take it or leave It; Think; What to Do.

Label/Format: Decca (Original Unboxed Red ffrr - full frequency range recording - with ear logo.

Label Condition: A splendid high-class looking pair, clean and attractive and only showing light+ and very light spindle traces and any wear around the hole area of as minimal as you are likely to easily find on a vintage Stones Decca mono record. This lovely copy has clearly received modest plays which reflects visually and audably - this is a lovely copy. (Please see label scans for all information needed).

Cat Number: LK 4786.

Mono or Stereo: Mono (this was issued on stereo too).

Country of Manufacture: England, UK

Rarity: I personally think Stones albums are harder to find than Beatles albums - both sold in large numbers, but Stones albums in this kind of condition show up far less often. I consider a copy like this to be scarce and mono copies that look and play this fine are exceptional.

Original Year of Release: 1966

Matrix Nos: XARL-7209-4B and XARL-7210-4A The stampers are 1UC / 1U11 - not too easy to read but I think these are correct.

Brief Artist & Album Info: The fourth Rolling Stones LP was the first to consist solely of Jagger/Richard compositions. As such, it reflected a switch from pure R&B, although the group’s roots are still to the fore, particularly in Brian Jones’s slide guitarwork. The same musician was also responsible for introducing exotica to the quintet’s overall sound, marimbas, dulcimer, harpsichord and sitar being added by him. The result is a selection of unrivalled scope, where the Knightsbridge chic of ‘Lady Jane’ sits beside C&W (‘High and Dry’) and improvised workouts (‘Goin’ Home’). ‘Under my Thumb’ would, meanwhile, remain an integral part of the Stones’ lexicon throughout the subsequent two decades. Aftermath confirmed that the directions suggested by ‘The Last Time’ and ‘Satisfaction’ could be successfully sustained. Again superbly produced by Andrew ‘Loog’ Oldham this is a varied and classic Stones set.

Cover Grade and Format: EX++, single format, laminated front, the word mono is printed on the front, back and spine. It was printed in England by Robert Stace and is a superb example with little wear.

Lamination: Apart from a dry area on the bottom right this laminate is near perfect and looks pretty stunning with an immaculate semi-gloss sheen - not the deep rich shine of some 60s covers, this is more subtle and is more forgiving of finger-marks. The dry area is about an inch by 1.5 inches and I noticed it does not really show on my picture, the flash has washed it out again as so often happens on a dark background but it is there. This is a neat one and does not detract too much especially in the out of eye line area its situated. This truly is beautiful vintage laminate, it has no peeling or indentations and is almost totally crease-free, such an important factor on this dark cover. Even surface marks and pressmarks are as light and minimal as they can ever get and overall this laminate is exceptional - so close to perfection - wonderful.

Cover Front: They simply dont come much better than this, clean and unworn and retaining a freshness that is so often lacking on vintage Stones covers. The lilac hue on the artwork is quite dark, some are more pale and wishy-washy - not this one. It retains deep rich colour that’s almost vibrant. This front is almost close to perfect.

Cover Back: Very strong and generally very clean, any discolour or grubbiness is as light as can reasonably be expected on a cover this age. No rubbing, major marks or dreaded ringwear, this back is way above average and again looks nice. A few light marks and a miniscule small stain hint adjacent to the left box edge near the top that shows very little anyway. This back sets a high standard and I would be happy to offer this quality any time.

Top Edge: Virtually unworn.

Bottom Edge: Virtually unworn.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, reasonably sharp with little wear, light feathering hint on the back edge and the odd microscopic nick - no tears or splits. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: Solid and square with little wear, text is close to perfect and unworn under generally uncracked laminate - one hairline crease runs through the second L in ROLLING but that’s about it. Even the delicate top and bottom tapering is still sharp and quite well defined. A splendid spine overall.

Corners: All four show little wear. All still nicely shaped with even the tips showing little wear.

Cover Summary: A superb all round example of this delicate 60’s cover, one that could prove hard to find much better and is maybe even undergraded at EX++ putting into context of its great age and popularity. This strong item should please most collectors, even the connoisseur collector could consider this one.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX+/EX++ A superb visual copy . Super clean, shiny, jet black and very solidly pressed. Just a few small surface marks that remain totally superficial and non-sounding, this looks really lovely. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence. Visually a super record that should please most collectors again.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This super record plays up to its high visual grading and quite honesty easily exceeds it with little to fault. Strong, undistorted sound, a fact not to be taken for granted because so many disappoint, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a superb dynamic range and very full sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed, and few copies will play better than this. Both channels are clean and sharp and pops and ticks are virtually totally absent, I feel very sure this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and looked after, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Little, if anything spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this gem. This copy could prove near impossible to find significantly better in terms of pure sound quality. The record still retains its blue text on white background lined inner and it has the text Patent Applied For, I cannot guarantee this is the original inner but I have little reason to doubt it. Its in splendid clean condition with minimal creasing and is untorn or split.

Mono vs Stereo, an overview: Always a matter of opinion which is better or more important. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure they are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records. As a general guide to rarity, mono was the far more common format from 61–65; Around 66–67 the balance was roughly equal, then from 68-69 the balance swung more to stereo, making monos from these dates far scarcer, even rare - this guide is important and effects values greatly.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: The owner of this record was a hi-fi connoisseur and played his records on a Gyrodeck - a very high-end piece of equipment hence the clean unworn sound quality of this (and other LPs obtained from him). Rolling Stones albums of this vintage, its exact pressing date I cannot be totally sure, but its clearly early, are a joy to experience when this clean sounding and looking great. No other format quite matches the mono vinyl experience and the sounds embedded in these vintage clean and unworn grooves are testament to that fact. This is a fine copy and it should please most collectors - good luck again – Mike.

Having the Powerseller Logo: This is recognition from Ebay for the highest possible customer services, satisfaction and quality, it should reassure any potential bidder that all items are described, graded and shipped to the highest standards possible. Customer care of the highest order is a standard feature here and I am proud to have achieved this recognised standard of excellence from Ebay with help from collectors and buyers from all over the World - I thank you all.

Payment Details please read carefully - I know its boring but essential:

UK First Class: = £3.00; Recorded Delivery (Recommended) = £5.50 Special Delivery (Next day, insured up to £250), the best service available = £7.00

Europe Air Mail: = £4 Insured: £8.00

Overseas, non-Europe e.g. USA, Japan, Australia etc. Airmail:= £7; Insured with recorded delivery (where available) = £11.00

Singles: (Packed to the high standards of the LPs)

UK First class: = £2.00 Insured: £4

Europe Air Mail = £3.00 Insured: £5.50

Overseas, non-Europe (as above) Airmail £3.50 Insured: £6.00

Doubles add extra £1, triples add extra £2. Box sets add extra £3 (£4 overseas and Europe)

Any item that sells for over £85 will be sent Special Delivery in the UK at no extra cost. Items over £125 get the same service Overseas. This is gives peace of mind for the winning bidder and myself for valuable items. Reduced postage of course for multiple items.

The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£28). PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Mailing Details: Please note I do NOT profit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more and I often actually lose money on this part of service - I simply refuse to compromise with poor packing. All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken OUT of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with FOUR professional stiffners for extra protection (if space allows), I do NOT use old cardboard boxes or cereal packets for protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me. I will also include in most cases a brand new lined inner, but will include the original inner if available and in a condition to be worthwhile.

I can accept cash for payments worldwide in UK Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars - but this at the senders OWN risk. Please send registered and insured if this method is chosen. I cannot accept responsibility if any cash payments do not turn up. This system is very reliable and rarely goes astray. The same goes for any shipped uninsured item, I can only try to claim for any undelivered or damaged article at basic insurance levels if no enhanced insurance is requested and paid for (unless the value threshold is high enough for me insure as standard, see above)

Overseas bidders please note conversion rates for Pounds to Dollars and Pounds to Euros will be charged at 1.7 to cover PayPal or cash conversion costs.

PLEASE NOTE: Any PayPal user can now pay me with UK Sterling if they wish with no need to convert to US dollars (although they still can if they wish to). Any instant PayPal transaction from anywhere in the world will mean the item will be sent immediately - it makes deals fast and very efficient.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other interesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear if any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.