MusicStack has partnered with a vinyl to CD conversion service who will convert the LP to recordable CD for you. It will sound great with no annoying clicks, pops or background noise. All recordable CDs come in a standard jewel case with artwork printed on glossy paper.
How does this service work?
The seller will ship the LP to the digital conversion center in Arizona, USA where it will be format shifted onto a recordable CD directly from the LP only for your ears. The LP and the recordable CD will then be mailed to you. The digital conversion center will not retain any copies of the item.
What does it cost?
Price of the LP + $35 USD for the conversion to recordable CD + cost of shipping of the LP to Arizona + cost of shipping of the LP from Arizona to your location paid in advance.
I've had this obscurity in my collection for years. I remember finding it at a yard sale; playing it once, being under-whelmed, and putting it on the shelf where is sat for years. Anyhow, a couple of weeks back someone bought the LP. They asked about it and really all I could remember was "pop". Anyhow, this person bought the LP along with two dozen others; seemingly pulled an all-weekend listening session and promptly sent me a scathing email accusing me of mis-representing the LP (along with various other crimes) and demanded I replace it with some other high-priced LPs on their want list. Well that episode triggered my curiosity and I thought I'd give the LP another shot. There simply isn't a great deal of information to be found on this group. Here's what the 'Smile!" liner notes say in terms of biographical information: "Johnny and the Blue Notes originated in Englan (the england of the early Beatles at the start of the British music scene. The year was 1962, at the beginning of the dcade that was to revolutionize rock music, when the three Elizondo brothers from Newbury, a little town fifty miles west of London, formed Johnny and the Blue Notes. The group's name was derived from the Blue Beat, an English dance craze in the early '60s - a name that is still indicative of the down-to-ear soul and hard rock sounds the group puts down. Michael Elizondo is the leader of the group as well as lead guitarist. His brother Johnny plays the drums and serves as lead vocalist. Ronnie, the youngest, is the rhythm guiatrist and in 1968 they added cousin Louis Ackerman on bass. The music is a true cross-section of what a versatile group can do - from Latin beats to country and western. The group has been playing locally in Ogden, Utah where all the members are college students. On this first album you'll hear all the excitement that has been building in this group since their first gig at Greenham Common Teen Clib back in '63 with all the freshness of their first recording." Having read that background material, I'll admit thinking it was all made up crap, until I happened to stumbled across an on-line obituary for the band's former manager. Guess they were a true performing band. Somehow the band was signed to the Capitol affiliated Winsor label, making their album debut with the self-produced "Smile!". Musically the album was a hodgepodge of originals and covers, the band taking stabs at a broad array of musical genres including garage ('Smile!'), psych (a cover of The Yardbirds' 'The Nazz Are Blue', soul (a cover of The Temptations' 'Just My Imagination Running Away with Me', and curiously, a pair of Santana-styled Latin rockers ('No Me Llames Chicano' and 'Venga com Migo'). Was this a great LP ? Not by a country mile. Judging by these eight tracks these guys had minimal musical talent and virtually no creativity. That said, the title track was enjoyable fun and the two Santana-styled rockers were just so bizarre ... "Smile!" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Smile! (Michael Elizondo - John Elizondo) - 3:28 With a mid-'60s garage-rock feel, the title track was probably the album's most commercial number. Yeah it sounded way more 1966 than 1969, but kicked along by Johnny's ragged, blued-eyed soul voice, this one was catchy and goofy enough to be fun. Imagine Three Dog Night at their funkiest and you'll have a feel for the song. Would have made a nice single if it had been recorded and released a couple of years earlier. rating: **** stars 2.) The Nazz Are Blue (Drega - Relf- Samwell-Smith - McCathy - Jeff Beck) - 3:28 Their Yardbirds cover opened up with Michael providing some impressive driving fuzz guitar and then fell into sub-par bar band cover moves with some of the album's most irritating vocals. I will give them credit for showing good tastes in cover material. rating: ** stars 3.) Just My Imagination Running Away with
Payment Accepted: PayPal, Cash (USD - at your risk), Personal Check (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), Certified Check (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), Postal (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), PayPal (make payment to )
I've used the Goldmine Grading Guide in grading the collection. Most of the catalog is graded VG or slightly higher. To me that reflects an LP that's been played, but with care and attention. Neither the cover nor the vinyl are pristine, but the cover will be intact without substantial flaw and the vinyl will play without substantial hiss and without skips. Exceptions are noted for each offering. Since I buy music 'cause it's stuff I want to hear, virtually everything I sell is play graded - in other words, I've actually listened to the item. Finally, albums are graded cover first, vinyl second, i.e. VG/NM means a very good cover and near mint vinyl.
Goldmine Grading Standard:
Mint [M]: Absolutely perfect in every way - certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed below). Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.
------------------------------------------------------------ Near Mint [NM or M-]: A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious sign of wear. A 45 rpm sleeve has no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.
An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same is true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, and the like. Basically, Near Mint looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.
------------------------------------------------------------ Very Good Plus [VG+]: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK.
The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but is should be barely noticeable. The center hole is not misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turn-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket my have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.
In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
------------------------------------------------------------ Very Good [VG]: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.
Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
------------------------------------------------------------ Good [G], Good Plus [G+]: Good does not mean bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear.
A jacket or sleeve has seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. If it's a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it.
------------------------------------------------------------- Poor [P], Fair [F]: The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and/or writing. The LP jacket barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, and written upon.
Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each.
Payment Methods Accepted
PayPal, Cash (US Dollars - at your risk), Personal Check (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), Certified Check (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), Postal (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), PayPal (make payment to )
Shipping Costs
I ship domestic orders via USPS media mail. Typical delivery is in 3 - 5 days.
I can usually pack 2 - 3 LPs into a mailer
Rates may change as USPS seems to modify their rate structure on a regular basis.
Currently I am limiting sales to the US.U
I ship via USPS media mail which has proven dependable and the most economical delivery for buyers
I can normally pack 1 to 3 LPs in an LP mailer $6.00. $1.00 for each additional LP.
Return Policy
Obviously, grading is subjective and there are bound to be cases where someone disagrees with the way we've graded an album. In cases where you feel I'm way off the mark, let me know and I'll work to reach a mutually agreeable solution. I've sold several hundred albums over the last couple of years, including many on eBay. During that timeframe I've run into two disagreements. I sold a Tommy Boyce solo album which noted the cover had a tiny tear where someone had taken a price sticker off. The buyer was upset since she had known Boyce and wanted to frame the LP for display purposes. Even though the description clearly noted the tiny tear (and it was visible in the picture we posted), I offered her a refund, or a price adjustment to what she thought was fair. I never got a response. I sold a Richard Wright LP. The buyer told me it was a misprint sporting the same track listing on both sides. I provided a full refund and let the buyer keep the LP (he was in South America and it wasn't worth the hassle to get the LP back). Curiously, as a Pink Floyd fan I'd listened to the LP a couple of times and had no recollection of the mispressing. Oh well ...
Seller Information
Reserving items: If you contact me in advance, I'll reserve items for up to 3 weeks. If I reserve something, make sure you honor your commitment to purchase the item, otherwise I'm unlikely to continue doing business with you. Packaging information: I pack items in new record mailers with filler pads for additional protection. So far I haven't had any problems ... Unless you're buying some exceedingly expensive items, or your order totals more than $100.00 I'd suggest not bothering with insurance. If you want insurance, let me know ...
Shipping to United States
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No Insurance, No Tracking, No Signature, - days Estimated Delivery
