Heritage Auctions of Dallas is in the early days of a one-month auction of Music Memorabilia. The auctions will end on December 4, 2024. The two headlining lots are the original illustration art for the album cover of Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) and legendary mastering engineer Bob Ludwig’s personal copy of the test pressing for his legendary “Hot Cut” original version of Led Zeppelin II. Click here to see the lots.
The single item that is most likely to attract a lot of attention is Bob Ludwig’s personal test pressing for Led Zeppelin II and we say that with all due respect to Alan Aldridge’s illustration for Elton John’s Captain Fantastic. With framed dimensions of 22.75 by 35.5 inches, it is sure to make an impressive piece of wall candy for a well-heeled fan.
By the way, reading Heritage Auctions’ description of Alan Aldridge’s illustration, we learned that Aldridge was inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, which was painted circa A.D. 1500. Once you learn that, Aldridge’s work does seem to snap into focus. But we also think that hi-fi fans will be more interested in the legendary Led Zeppelin II “RL Hot Cut” test pressing.
It’s a famous rock and roll story… Eddie Kramer, director of engineering and mixing at A & R Studios, asked the 23-year old Bob Ludwig if he could make Led Zeppelin’s work-in-progress new album, which had already been mixed and mastered, even more dynamically impactful. Apparently, Kramer used the term “Hotter” but the intent was that the dynamics be more impactful (rather than, that the high frequencies would have more sizzle).
Therefore the first thing to remember is that, even though the “RL” version of Led Zeppelin II is often referred to as a “Hot Mix,” that is not the case. That label is somewhat misleading. Bob Ludwig did not remix the album using the original eight tracks from the recording sessions. Instead, Bob cut new lacquers from the mixed-down stereo master tapes. Those lacquers, from which the test pressing stampers were made, are distinguished by the scribed initials “RL” inside the dead-wax area.
Nearly everybody in a position of power at the time loved Bob Ludwig’s new cut, which was chosen for the commercial release. A quick look at the stats reveals how significant Led Zeppelin II was. The album was released in the United States on October 22, 1969, with advance orders for 400,000 copies. Despite the fact that many critics were less than enthusiastic, within six months, Led Zeppelin’s second studio recording had sold an impressive three million copies. The case can be made that Led Zeppelin was the first heavy metal album.
LPs of the original Bob Ludwig cutting, the actual first Led Zeppelin commercial release, were distributed to radio stations and to music critics. Nobody complained about technical problems while playing the LPs. Indeed, as a precautionary check, Bob had taken his test pressing to a friend’s house, to play it on his friend’s turntable.
Unfortunately, Ahmet Ertegun’s niece’s cheap record player mistracked on Bob Ludwig’s Led Zeppelin II Hot Cut LP’s robust bass. Even more unfortunately, without investigating, Ertegun told his employees to recall all the LPs and to trash them. He then had staff engineers remaster the album from a cassette tape, with bass cut and dynamic compression. (audiophile gasps are fully warranted here…)
Very quickly, the remaining Bob Ludwig’s “RL” Hot Cut LPs became lusted-after collectors’ items. A “Mint” copy sold not too long ago on eBay for more than $3,400.
Bob Ludwig made an oral-history video for the Audio Engineering Society about his experiences with Led Zeppelin II:
(Side note: Bob Ludwig mistakenly states in this AES video that it was Ahmet Ertegun daughter’s phonograph. But Ahmet Ertegun apparently was childless, so it was more likely a niece’s record player.)
So now, Bob Ludwig has now consigned his personal Led Zeppelin II test pressing to Heritage Auctions. The expectation is that Bob’s Led Zeppelin personal test pressing will set a new record (pun intended). We asked record producer and music and audio journalist John Marks, who has “eyeball estimated” more than 14,000 LPs, for his thoughts:
Heritage Auctions is the world’s foremost auction house for enthusiast collectibles; but they also manage to set records in traditional auction house categories such as American paintings. Heritage Auctions recently sold a George Herman “Babe” Ruth New York Yankees baseball game-worn jersey for $12,000,000.
Closer to home, Heritage sold a Bob Dylan record-store record—another case of an original issue’s being hastily recalled—-for $150,000. Therefore, I think that whatever result Heritage Auctions achieves what Bob Ludwig’s Led Zeppelin II personal test pressing, almost by definition will be the best result possible.
The big money will only pony up during the last 24 hours of this auction. So don’t be misled by where the auction price is today. My guess is that the bidding should end up north of where the Dylan record ended up thus well above $150,000.
Are you in?
As the say in the South, “Well, Shut My Mouth.”
The RL LZII Test Pressing grossed $35,000. Respectable, but not up there with the Bob Dylan Canadian Stereo Recalled Mint Record-Store LP.
Lesson learned, I guess.
john