The Doors LP Earliest 1967 Monarch Error Label NM/NM Rare Time Capsule Grail

$

1,000

From the estate of a record executive who played maybe once and put to tape, I have personally spun it once and stashed away. This is the grail of my collection even over my recently sold NM RL Led Zeppelin II. Unforeseen circumstances force me to sale….
Yes, this is the often discussed “Unicorn” pressing which many say either came straight from the original master tape or is as close to the master of any release ever. Has the misprint label with “Oher” instead of Other Side, M (MR) stamped both sides,Witmark credit, and matte jacket which are the hallmarks of the earliest first pressing in late ‘66.
Both jacket and record are in NM condition, I honestly can’t see another one in existence being in better shape, a true time capsule that I never touched except for the one spin.
This will be packed in new record mailer and placed in another box and shipped priority…..

Label:
Elektra – EKS-74007
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo, Monarch Pressing
Country:
US
Released:
Jan 4, 1967
Genre:
Rock
Style:
Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Blues Rock

Reviews…..

This is the 'unicorn' pressing by which all other pressings should be judged. If you can find this or the Monarch reissue with the same matrix run off then you've got the best pressing of this album.
Jim's voice leaps out at you as does Ray's keyboards and the detail of the instruments have incredible presence & clarity.
As some have said, maybe the Monarch plant received access to the master tapes from Elektra for their '66/67 pressing instead of a copy.

Very doubtful any further reissues will be able to match this as the orig master tapes are worn out.

Monarch (Stereo) First Pressing Shoot-Out:

74007A (M) MR (on BOTH sides) ("OHER" typo w/Witmark Credit) pressed in late 1966 vs.
74007A-2 (MON) MR (on BOTH sides) (corrected label) pressed in 1967

The (M) MR is the true first pressing; it sounds phenomenal --it's hard to describe, but even compared to the -2 (MON) re-cut, the (M) sounds more "alive" and spacious, the music bursts out of the speakers. Jim's vocals are crystal clear and out in front, instead of being muted as in later pressings. The -2 MON is still great, but it doesn't have the power and detail of the (M). Things to look for: the (M) jacket sleeve has a 'matte' finish whereas as the -2 (MON) as the semi-gloss sleeve, similar to what all pressings have to the present day. The (M) center label has a slighter darker gold color. Another thing to note: just because your copy might have the OHER mispelling doesn't guarantee its a (M) --you have to check the deadwax. I have a Monarch (Mono) with the OHER mispelling and its -2 (MON) in the deadwax with a semi-gloss cover. The (M) pressings from 1966 are extremely rare --in 20+ years of collecting I've only ever found one copy with (M) both sides w/typo. It is the grail and I feel should be listed as separate from the -2 MON which is slightly later. Maybe in the future the Discogs community will reach a consensus on this. Update: I measured the width of the deadwax between the (M) and the (Mon) --between the two, there is less deadwax with the (M) [half an inch], whereas the (Mon) has about 3/4ths of an inch of deadwax width. So they were cut differently and maybe that's why the (M) sounds more "alive" to me.