The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love

Rare mono audiophile LP edition of Axis: Bold As Love!

Mastered from the original monophonic tapes and cut to lacquer by Bernie Grundman

Reissue plated by Gary Salstrom and pressed on 150-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings!

Complete original artwork

Sensational sophomore release showcases Jimi Hendrix's musical experimentation!

Quality Record Pressings is proud and excited to be part of a rare reissue of the mono audiophile LP of Jimi Hendrix's classic Axis: Bold As Love. Brought to you by Experience Hendrix LLC and Legacy Recordings, the reissue and its companion mono reissues of the U.K. and U.S. versions of Are You Experienced are part of the celebration honoring Hendrix's birthday.

Axis: Bold As Love, the sensational sophomore release of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, showcased Hendrix's expansive experimentation while acknowledging his early R&B and soul music influences. The album features classics such as "Spanish Castle Magic," "Little Wing," "Castles Made Of Sand," and "If 6 Was 9." Produced from the original monophonic mixes created by producer Chas Chandler, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Kramer, this reissue was cut to lacquer by noted mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. The plating at QRP was done by Gary Salstrom, master plating technician.

Axis: Bold As Love has been judged the Jimi Hendrix Experience's best collective effort, both for its incredible performances and innovative engineering by Eddie Kramer. Released originally in England in December 1967 and January 1968 in the U.S., it immediately garnered lavish critical praise. Original 1968 mono copies of this title on Reprise have brought as much as a staggering $1,400 to $2,000, if they can be found!

Mono vinyl pressings of both Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As Love are significant because they are not only difficult to find in premium condition, but they also feature discrete mixes made specifically for monophonic release. Measuring the subtle variances between mono and stereo mixes is almost solely the province of the most dedicated Hendrix devotee, but there are clear differences between the two versions.

This project presented an unusual challenge: Issuing a mono edition of one of the most heralded stereo albums of all time. For the Axis: Bold As Love session, Grundman's Los Angeles mastering facility was specifically equipped with a Studer tape machine outfitted with a full track mono head block. In addition, instead of utilizing the tape machine's more contemporary Studer electronics, Grundman refitted the machine with vintage Ampex 350 tube electronics. These technical alterations provided the closest possible approximation of the original 1967 Track Records mono mastering process. Grundman's all analog mono mastering process made a distinct impression on Eddie Kramer, who with Hendrix and Chas Chandler, created the original mono mixes more than 30 years before.

"The entire cutting amplifier chain is tube and boy, does it sound good," remarked Kramer. "There is tremendous punch to the sound."

Prior to the mastering session, Kramer hadn't heard the Axis mono mixes since 1967. "I was bemused, bewildered and pleasantly surprised at the dynamic changes that were made as a result of doing a separate series of mono mixes," Kramer explained. "Many of the mix perspectives were changed from the stereo mixes we had done to accomodate a more singular oriented direction." Listening to the playback of the original master tapes, these subtle differences were readily apparent. "EXP" lost much of its galactic power as the circular effects created for the stereo master were effectively canceled in mono. Other songs such as "Spanish Castle Magic" and "Ain't No Telling" placed Jimi's vocal more forward in the mix.

This Experience Hendrix special monophonic edition features the original gatefold sleeve artwork. "I am sure the fans are going to get a big kick out of this mono LP," Kramer said. "Hopefully it sounds better than the original. I know that we can put more dynamic range on the new vinyl as compared to the old. In particular, this version will have more bottom end and be more Hi-Fi sounding, even in mono."

 

Side 1

1. Exp

2. Up From The Skies

3. Spanish Castle Magic

4. Wait Until Tomorrow

5. Ain't No Telling

6. Little Wing

7. If 6 Was 9

Side 2

1. You Got Me Floatin'

2. Castles Made Of Sand

3. She's So Fine

4. One Rainy Wish

5. Little Miss Lover

6. Bold As Love

Customer Reviews (5.00 Stars) 3 person(s) rated this product.

Another win for QRP posted on 09/30/2020 5 Stars Reviewer: Tom Beautiful pressing. Very quiet. Love this mono version. Forget trying to find original pressings. Quality Record Pressings is the way to go for my money.

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