ROLLING STONES Beggar's Banquet RARE Orig UK 68 MONO LP

	£		166
	$		220

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Rock Masterpieces to the World

Please see my Detailed Packing Description Further Down & All Shipping Rates.

Artist or Band: THE ROLLING STONES

Album Title: Beggars Banquet.

Producer(s): Jimmy Miller.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Sympathy for the Devil; No Expectations; Dear Doctor; Parachute Woman; Jig-Saw Puzzle.

Side 2: Street Fighting Man; Prodical Son; Stray Cat Blues; Factory Girl Salt of the Earth.

Label/Format: Decca – Original unboxed mono format (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive. A very popular record with only small, fine and quite faint spindle marks that are less than moderate in number. So many original mono copies of this classic album are a swathe of thick, heavy and matted spindle marks that remove ink and cover the labels. The hole rims can become scuffed, whitened and the hole itself expanded from many plays. We have all seen such copies and this one is nothing like that at all. All evidence strongly suggests on this copy, modest and careful plays, this is reinforced by super clean and ultra dynamic mono sound. In terms of this album, this has been sparingly played. An all-round very strong example and I really enjoyed playing this one.

Cat Number: LK 4955.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 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: 145 grams. A typical heavy Decca pressing from the golden era.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Moderate in theory, most all Rolling Stones albums sold well but it’s the conditions that make the difference and I have always found this title one of the harder ones to find nice especially in the mono mode. Even the boxed copies rarely show up with a record this clean and so modestly played. So many were played into submission on harsh, heavy-tracking record players of the times, that was the method of the mono record player. So-much-so, many copies were disgarded and replaced with new copies to enjoy the experience again. The cover, although laminated, does not wear well with the spine especially susceptible and indeed this one does have some wear. Obviously covers get moved around over the years and handled and finding 40+ year-old covers pristine is an immensely challenging task. An unboxed mono copy of this universally popular title that looks and plays so well is getting increasingly difficult to find and the price guides at last are getting more realistic.

Original Year of Release: 1968. One of the less easy unboxed ones to find as the format was replaced the following year.

Matrix Nos: XARL-8476-4A / XARL-8477-2A

Mothers & Stampers: 8C UA / 1 C A (some characters are unclear and these are my best interpretations).

Musicians: Mick Jagger – lead vocals, backing vocals, harmonica; Brian Jones – slide guitar, backing vocals, sitar, tamboura, mellotron, harmonica; Keith Richards – acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, lead and backing vocals; Charlie Watts – drums, percussion, backing vocals; Bill Wyman – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion. Guests: Rocky Dijon – congas; Ric Grech – fiddle; Nicky Hopkins – piano; Dave Mason – Mellotron, shehnai; Jimmy Miller – backing vocals; Watts Street Gospel Choir – backing vocals.

Brief Info: Most interested collectors will know all about this title already and needs no introductions suffice to say, it was their seventh original studio album from 1968 and many consider it their very best ever. I will concentrate more on it’s condition.

Cover Grade and Format: Excellent(-). A fine one but as per most early examples, this does have a few issues. A gatefold format with laminate on front and back. This one has a solid, no peep-hole back. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse International Ltd.

Lamination, Front & Back: Like The Beatles’ ‘White Album’, this is usually seen more an off-white these days and this is no exception, but only quite mildly so. The laminate retains a very fine shine and clarity and is fully adhered with no lifting or blistering at all with the exception of the spine as described further down. Even under light, this has only light traces of any friction rubs or dulling. Not too many creases either with just three or four half moons on the front, most of any others are fine edge types. The back does have a few lightish pressmarks and there is a surface scratch near the top that (as so often) was almost certainly caused by that zip on the ‘Sticky Fingers’ album as it’s in that type of position. Oh so common on Rolling Stones albums, that zip sleeve has a lot to answer for sometimes. Not too bad here but a couple of surface scratch scuffs are evident. Overall, still a fine looking cover but not for the perfectionist of course, but this is really getting a hard one to find as an original that survives unscathed.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Practically nothing to fault at all, any rub traces are minuscule.

Top Edges: A little light patchy rubbing.

Bottom Edges: Three small surface chips on the front, little else at all.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear and no feathering, minor burr traces to the front with odd minute nick trace. This one has both edges open and there appears little to no evidence of the front ever being glued in manufacture e.g. no glue line.

Spine and Text: This is always the most difficult part of this cover. A bit like the standard ‘Sgt Pepper’ cover, this compresses and sheds it’s laminate so easily and few are ever unaffected. This naturally creases by opening, the laminate cracks, dries and peels and this has happened here too. Some does remain but is a little loose and flaky. This has some compression and some of the band name text h as rubbed, mostly on ‘Stones’. The rest is mostly to fully present. A little scuffing, minor wear, a pretty much typical spine on this cover being honest.

Corners: The corners have some tip rubs and mildish crinkle or creasing.

Cover Summary: A more than respectable all-round example of this deceptively delicate cover, one that will prove difficult to find much better and remember, it must be a Garrod & Lofthouse version with an unboxed record inside with no peep hole to be early, those came alone in 1969. Not so many of those around of course. This still an attractive example should please many collectors but not the perfectionists or highly discerning. Any doubts, do not bid.

The Inner Sleeve: EX. The lining is solid and secure with a lovely neat window that remains very clear with near pristine circles. All edges solid and unsplit and there is little creasing, none heavy or barely even moderate. Slight glue darkening on the seams is the least anyone can expect but it’s far less than usual. A lovely old inner that looks just right for it’s considerable vintage.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Grading this Excellent is hardly doing this lovely record full justice. A very fine early mono copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and heavily pressed on the highest quality vinyl as you would expect from Decca. Few marks of any real note: A faint and small paper surface scuff on side one and a very fine hairlines, these have NO sound. Ultra faint surface traces under light of course, how many of these will avoid those at the very least? Visually, this is a lovely record, asking for a totally unmarked record of this era and mode is a massive ask.

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 attractive record plays even above it’s high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very full-on, loud and ultra dynamic. The mono mode simply presents the music in a different way. This gave a great performance and was a real pleasure from beginning to end. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and the powerful mix is focused and most-all sharp and enjoyable. No piledriver thick, heavy needles have ruined this one, any marks on show are very fine indeed and do not penetrate to cause audio issues. Few copies will better this copy significantly I feel sure, remember this is a still a record over 40-years-old+, hardly a spring chicken in vinyl terms for sure. The details gleaned from these clean grooves even raised my eyebrows. Small details I swear I had never heard before, that’s the joy of a quality recording and system to enjoy them on. A record not really made to be played on clinical stereo equipment, but when they are this clean sounding, they are a joy to experience. It’s the small details that make the difference as all hi-fi fans know. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this evergreen popular classic. This record will prove difficult to find much better and merits high recommendation.

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 QED Silver terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

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 Moth 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 thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) 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 THREE or EVEN FOUR 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. 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. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. 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. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners 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 6,000+ items sold in over 8 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 stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

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 unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. 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 – it’s always worth asking.

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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (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 [£40 maximum]) = £9. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2.50 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); 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 [£39 maximum]) = £13. Add £4 per extra LP. (insurance 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: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 neccessarily 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’.