JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - 1970 1st UK PRESS FOLD OUT STAR COVER - DEEP PURPLE

	£		37
	$		49

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you.

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During nearly eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,600 positive feedbacks from over 2,000 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund. 

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PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL.

Not to be confused with the fairly common and much later German or Italian copies (which borrowed the design for the cover), this is the very rare, first UK pressing of Jesus Christ Superstar which has the old 1960s-style MCA 'swirl' labels in the E.J. Day fold-out cover.

The rarity of this album should not be under-estimated. The album's official release date was 16th October 1970 by which time MCA had introduced the new 'bow-tie' label design. Copies of the fold-out star cover are rare, but most copies that come up for sale have the later pink and red MCA 'bow-tie' labels. This is because only a very small number (believed to be just a few hundred 'advance' copies) were pressed on the old 1960s-style MCA 'swirl' labels.

Even the booklet is slightly different from later copies. Like the cover, it is printed by the E.J. Day Group and it has shiny paper and rounded corners (later copies are printed by Moore and Matthews Ltd on matt paper with square corners).

This has the following first matrix numbers, first mothers and second and third stampers.

Side 1:   7-214-2           1         U
Side 2:   7-215              1         U
Side 3:   7-216-2           1         C
Side 4:   7-217                                       (I could not see any mother or stamper on side four)

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl looks great and has retained its original high sheen. Under bright light, hairlines, sleeve-removal lines and fine marks and scuffs were visible, as well as a handful of small, fine scratches, but there is nothing significant anywhere. I have played the entire record (all four sides). There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and a few clicks, but there is nothing which lasts longer than a few revolutions except for a click on side four which persists during the first part of ‘Trial before Pilate’. Play-graded as follows:

• Side 1: Very Good plus (VG+).
• Side 2: Very Good plus (VG+) or Excellent minus (Ex-).
• Side 3: Excellent minus (Ex-).
• Side 4: Would be Excellent minus (Ex-), but the click downgrades it to a strict Very Good (VG).

Labels: The labels have no damage, writing, stickers etc, just spindle marking.
Sleeve: These envelope covers are very hard to find in decent condition. This one isn't perfect but there are no significant issues except for some noticeable wear at the edges and corners. Unlike many copies, all of the star points are complete and intact (as shown in the picture where I've put them into a pyramid shape - photo 9) and there are no pieces missing.
Edge wear/corner wear: Three of the folded edges/spines have moderate wear, but the left spine is heavily worn so that the printed surface has worn away on a lot of it, and only parts of the text are visible.  You can see all four edges/spines in the photo of the cover unfolded (photo 7). There is heavy corner wear.
Booklet: Original first press E. J. Day booklet is grubby and has some foxing and noticeable signs of use and handling with some creases, small tears and marks etc, but it is complete and intact.
Inner sleeves: Original blue Decca poly-lined inner sleeves (one of which is date-coded 6-70 which is four months before the official release date). They are showing their age with creases and general signs of handling and use but there are no seam splits and they are intact and perfectly useable.

Detracting features not covered above:  None.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded.  A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may sometimes use recycled packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges - totally transparent pricing

I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

From September 2013 sellers get charged final value fees on the entire value of a transaction including P&P. This means that I get charged a 10% ebay fee and a 3% Paypal fee on the postage element (as well as on the value of the item). To reflect this I have had to adjust my P&P charges accordingly.

To quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

The basic postage cost (i.e. what the post office charges me) to send a 550 gram item using the services I offer, is as follows:

UK 1st Class Recorded Delivery - £4.10

UK Special Delivery - £8.25

Europe, International signed for (insured up to £50) - £11.70

Europe, International signed for (insured over £50) - £14.30

Rest of the World (anywhere outside Europe), International signed for (insured up to £50) - £15.20

Rest of the World (anywhere outside Europe), International signed for (insured up to £50) - £17.80

I add a nominal £0.50 to cover the cost of packaging materials etc (it is often much more than this) and add 13% to cover the final value fees charged by ebay and Paypal. This is how I have arrived at the prices shown below.

Depending on the precise weight of your parcel, you may occasionally end up paying a few pence more or a few pence less than it actually costs me, but if there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £5.20.

UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £9.90 for one to four LPs and £13.00 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £13.80, each additional LP or 12" add £2.20.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £17.80, each additional LP or 12" add £3.80.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.