KING CRIMSON / Larks' Tongues In Aspic - UK 1st Press Pink Rim Island LOVELY

	£		46
	$		61

A marvellously clean, *very* early copy from the first UK pressing, and a five-star masterpiece of an album if ever there was one. While not a copy for mint-crazed collectors, it is very hard to find in this tidy condition for less than a small fortune. The front sleeve is immaculate, the rear very clean, and the vinyl shiny and lustrous; see notes below about the playgrading. This is the very first edition, on the pink rim label, with the pinched spine, the Basing St. address, the 'SARK' etching, and no EG music publishing credit on the rear sleeve. It is unstickered, but the fact that this copy has such early stamper numbers and no sticker suggests to me that the hype stickers may have appeared slightly later. Please read the detailed description and examine the pics before bidding.
ARTIST:   King Crimson
TITLE:   Larks' Tongues In Aspic
YEAR:   1973 LABEL:   Island COUNTRY:   UK CAT. NO:   ILPS 9230
DEAD WAX:   ILPS 9230  A-2U  SARK  1 GA   //   ILPS 9230  B-2U  1 GA
ALLMUSIC:   https://www.allmusic.com/album/larks-tongues-in-aspic-mw0000194480 DISCOGS:   https://www.discogs.com/King-Crimson-Larks-Tongues-In-Aspic/release/1634869
SLEEVE:   EX VINYL:   VG+ INNER:   EX
VINYL: Visually, the disc is close to NM, with only superficial evidence of handling (wisps), a lovely sheen and just one very short little fingernail mark (beginning of side B) which does not sound. Playback is bright and powerful, with no skips or jumps or persistent ticks. The sound reproduction itself is fabulous, the bass is full and rich, and the all-important high end on this delicate, often quiet recording is crisp. However, there is surface crackle discernible through much of the record. I imagine it’s had a fair few plays, and this is an album with very, very quiet passages and extreme loud/quiet dynamics. It may well benefit from a professional cleaning, though it does look clean to the naked eye. A proper clean can get 40-year-old residues out and make a world of difference, which might work here, given that the disc itself has no obvious visible wear. At any rate, if you find vinyl crackle very distracting, then this isn’t the copy for you. If you don’t, then this fabulous listening experience will not disappoint.
The 2U matrix numbers are consistent with the first pressing, and the mother/stamper numbers indicate that this was pressed from the 1st mother, 13th stampers (using the EMI ‘GRAMOPHLTD’ alphanumeric code, where ‘GA’ = 13). Very early indeed. 

SLEEVE:    The sleeve is in fantastic shape, an easy EX. There are no splits, tears or sticker marks. The front sleeve is almost perfect, just super. It has only a little rubbing at the bottom and one fleck of white to fault it. There are some little marks here and there on the rear, a name written neatly in biro at bottom rear, and some moderate edge wear at the top and bottom edges (particularly near the opening end at bottom). The spine is immaculately sharp, uncrushed and perfectly legible, with just one little crease bump. A real pleasure to behold. The corners are pretty sharp with only slight rubbing/bumping, nothing major. These Larks’ Tongues albums came in a delicate, somewhat flimsy sleeve (probably Robor Ltd but there’s no credit), which is a lustrous eggshell white and, as you will know if you’ve been hunting for a copy, these are rarely found unmarked, uncreased or un-grubby. This one’s not mint, but its overall impression is pretty damn tidy.
  LABELS:    Labels are lovely with just one small visible spindle trail on Side B. There is a sticker from the ‘BBC Television Gramophone Library’ on the side B label, which IMHO is the cool kind of label sticker, rather than a defect, and it adds a little charm to this first pressing’s original provenance.   INNER:    This copy has a plain white ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’ sleeve, the standard plain inner for EMI-pressed records of the era, rather than the printed lyric sleeve which may have come with the album when new.
I grade conservatively under bright directional light, play-test everything from start to finish, pack very carefully, and guarantee my records. So bid with confidence.
Good luck and thanks for looking.

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BEFORE YOU BID:
I am happy to answer any questions, so please ask away. I will ship within two days of receipt of payment, and expect payment within three days. 
All records are from my own personal collection. I'm not a dealer, just an experienced collector, who's fussier than most. Images are of the exact object you are bidding on.
I offer a no-quibble return policy. If you are unhappy with the item, please just let me know as soon as possible and we can sort out a solution. If the item is as described but you decide you don't want it, the buyer pays return postage for full refund of item, plus original P&P. If you sincerely feel the item to have been misgraded or misdescribed, I will pay for the return postage too, provided it comes back in exactly the same condition in which it was originally sent out. I have yet to have an album returned though. 
Please do NOT leave negative or neutral feedback without giving me an opportunity to sort out any problem that might arise. Oversights and differences of opinion happen from time to time, but I try to be an honest grader and want all buyers to walk away happy.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Your records will arrive very securely packed against damage from both outside and in. They'll be clean and packed in fresh new inners and outers. No grubby old shit.

Each LP is removed from its original jacket and inner, and placed in a fresh new polylined inner sleeve. The disc and the paper parts are then placed in two separate outers, with a cardboard stiffener between them to keep the disc from impressing itself on the outside of the sleeve. Further stiffeners and/or bubble wrap are then placed either side, and bundled together to secure the package against outside impact or crushing. I use either sturdy cruciform mailers or purpose-made wraparound mailers. I don't use card envelopes or old recycled cardboard sandwiches. I also use plenty of FRAGILE tape. 
I have never had any problem with this method, and I guarantee all sales against damage just in case. 

PACKING & POSTAGE RATES:
UK:   £5.00 first LP, 2nd Class Signed For.  EUROPE:   £9.00 ALL OTHER COUNTRIES:   £15.00
If you buy more than one album I will gladly combine postage, but please wait for an invoice from me before paying. It won't take me long. Combined postage: + £1.50 per additional LP. Doubles always count as 2.

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GRADING:
I grade carefully and do my best to list every flaw that might be of concern. I do not use a thousand + signs or exclamation points. I also don't believe in grading anything M which is unsealed, so my highest grade for a used record is NM. Also, I won't tell you a record is in great shape "for its age", which is a hustle. Mint is mint, and wear is wear. Grading is subjective but not arbitrary or relative. 
NM Like new. The item shows little or no visible or audible signs of use. No scratches, bumps, splits, or creases beyond what you might find on a new record, with everything present and in nearly-new condition. Some natural ageing of materials may be allowed (such as yellowing of paper or laminate shrinkage), but not if it is the result of bad storage. This is what a record might look like after it's come home from the shop, been played with great care a few times and stored away in a safe place without incident. 
NM- / EX+ 
EX Vinyl retains its original lustre, but may have a little spindle wear or superficial sleeve marks (whisps), without any significant lessening of sound quality bar the odd light tick. Faint marks which are not obvious at a passing glance and which do not sound are allowed. Jackets or inners may have minor creasing, bumping, laminate lift or faint ringwear or edgewear, but are basically unmarred by any careless handling, abuse or neglect. No tears or splits or loss of legibility. A very small and unobtrusive bit of writing may be allowed. All items should be present (inners, inserts, etc.). This is the grade I myself am usually very happy with. Very well looked-after and a pleasure to behold.
EX- / VG+
VG Record has been mostly well looked after but suffered some visible or audible wear along the way. Minor scuffs, scratches or surface noise may be noticeable but not ruinous to the listening experience. Briefly repeating ticks or a moderate build up of noise in some parts of a record is allowed, but no ugly skips, jumps or persistent repeats. Spindle wear will likely be evident. Equally, wear to the jacket might include visible ringwear, minor tearing, rubbing, edgewear, corner wear, some flaking, and moderate writing or staining, but nothing hideous. This grade I personally find acceptable for those older, rarer or sturdier-made items which have been around the block but are still a good listen and a pleasure to have around. They aren't trashed, just a little more loved on.
VG- / G+
G This grade is for items that have suffered damage that affects listening pleasure, such as a serious repeating scratches, skips or jumps, or which have visible damage that is ugly to look at, such as serious staining damage, significant spine or edge wear, flaking or rubbing, ugly sticker tears or seam splits, water damage, etc. I would only offer very, very scarce and collectable items in this condition. The record is still playable and may be very enjoyable and acceptable to some. But usually not to me.
NEW TO THIS?  Please understand that even brand new vinyl usually has a little surface noise, it really is part of its character. But a well looked after record will also sound great after a ton of plays.