Led Zeppelin 2 - Vinyl - Robert Ludwig Pitman Pressing (Good)

SD8236

Side One: ST-A-691671 CP (label) and RL SS etched in the dead wax.

Condition:

Vinyl Media - Visual Assessment: Seems in Good (G) condition based on below guidelines for grading (referenced in italic, underline).  Most of the photos were taken in bright sunlight to expose imperfections. Hairline & light scratches from paper/jacket sleeve wear are very evident on both sides of record along with some scuffing.  There are also some other scratches  - especially on side two - that are more pronounced though lacking obvious feel.  Labels are a bit worn and faded.

Vinyl Media - Sound & Audio: Crackling noise is very evident and pervasive throughout both sides of record.  Crackling sounds are most noticeable in between tracks and during quieter songs.  However, during louder rocking songs, the crackling surface noise is less prevalent and can sometimes seem relatively buried by the music.  Through multiple listening tests, no skipping was observed or noticed.  The louder songs on this record sound very good despite the crackling, while the brilliant RL 'hot mix' sonic treatment is still alive-and-well.

Cover: Obvious wear and tear on the cover with spine tear approx. 2-3 inches (see photo).  There is some discoloration and fading of color.  Previous owners had drawn on the cover with green and blue crayon, which I mostly erased with some success.  Overall, the cover is intact, but shows its age and is a bit fragile.

Grading Guideline:

MINT (M): Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed.

NEAR MINT (NM): NM records are shiny, with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannot appear on the label, If played, it will do so with no surface noise.  Covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+): VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable.  VG+ covers should have only minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location.

VERY GOOD (VG): VG records have more obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpower the music otherwise. VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won’t be obvious upon looking. Someone might have written on it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

GOOD (G): The record still plays through without skipping.  It has significant surface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn.  The record might have ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failing miserably. A Good cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing.

FAIR (F) and POOR (P): Records are cracked, impossibly warped, or skip-and-repeat when an attempt is made to play them. Covers are heavily damaged, with massive seam splits, tears, etc.