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.
A major American tour in support of Fat Mattress' debut album was cancelled after five performances. In spite of the setback Polydor Records remained commited to the band, financing a follow-up album. Unfortunately early in the recording sessions personality conflicts arose among the members - chiefly between front man/guitarist Noel Redding and keyboard player John Leverton. In what should have been a death knell to the band, in the midst of the recording sessions Redding walked out on the band. On the debut Redding had been the band's prime creative force. He was credited with writing, or co-writing seven of the album's ten selections. His abrupt departure left singer Neil Landon and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Leverton to pick up the creative slack. The good news is they proved up to the challenge; collaborated on seven tracks with 'She' standing as a Landon solo composition. The other three tracks reflected material written or co-written by Redding prior to his departure. Anxious to finish the album, Landon, Leverton and drummer Eric Dillon went looking for a new guitarist, settling on Steve Hammond who had played in Chris Barber's Jazz Band and been a member of Chris Farlow's backing band The Hill. Keyboard player Mick Weaver was also added to the line-up, thereby letting Leverton focus his attention on bass and backing vocals. In spite of the personnel upheavals, if you liked the Fat Mattress debut album you were likely to enjoy 1970's self-produced "Fat Mattress II". So first a disclaimer - anyone who bought this one for the Noel Redding link to JImi Hendrix and was expecting hard, jamming rock, well you were out of luck. As mentioned Redding was gone by the time the LP was released and what little hard rock influences survived on the debut LP were totally gone on this one. Musically the collection was quite diverse, the eleven tracks found the band dabbling in a mixture of conventional rock (the single 'Naturally'), folk ('Leafy Lane') and jangle rock ('Anyway You Want'). As lead singer Neil Landon was never less than enjoyable. His voice was commercial and capable of handling the band's varied repertoire without stress, or strain. While nobody came off as a blazing superstar, the band performances were uniformly tight and enthusiastic. The biggest surprise came from the fact many of these tunes reflected a distinctively mid-'60s pop/pop-psych feel. Admittedly three or four years isn't a long time, but in terms of changing musical tastes, the album sounded a little outdated - more 1967 than 1970. Certainly not a problem if you were a fan of catchy melodies ('Anyway You Want' and 'Childhood Dream') mod influences ('Naturally') and tight harmony vocals which occasionally recalled a British version of CSN&Y.('At the Ball'). Judging by the album's lack of commercial success, those weren't characteristics the early-'70s buying public were interested in. The second album routinely gets slammed by reviewers and while it won't change any aspect of your life, I like it. In fact I think it's better than the debut. Perhaps because they didn't feel they had anything to lose the collection reflected an easy-going charm and I love virtually every one of the performances. "Fat Mattress II" track listing (side 1) 1.) The Storm (Neil Landon - Jimmy Leverton) - 4:13 rating: **** stars Showcasing Jimmy Leverton's work on Hammond B-3, 'The Storm' was a laidback, rather melodic ballad showcasing Neil Landon's dry, but likeable vocals. The tune also spotlighted the band's strong harmony vocals. 2.) Anyway You Want (Neil Landon - Jimmy Leverton) - 3:47 rating: **** stars With a bouncy jangle-rock melody, 'Anyway You Want' was one of the album's best tunes. Once again spotlighting Landon's gritty voice the tune had a great hook that just built more and more energy as it flowed along. Nice Steve Hammond fuzz guitar. 3.) Leafy Lane (Neil Landon - Jimmy Leverton) - 2:50 rating: ****
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
