MARSUPILAMI A1/B1 1st Press 1970 VG+ Textured COVER & Superb As New MINT- AUDIO
£
125
$
166
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Description
4I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges. However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale. No shipping to Russia currently.
Marsupilami : Marsupilami A1 / B1 1 st Press Textured Cover 1970
This first pressing plays with a clarity and definition you would not believe! There is quite simply no interference on either side - not even one light tick. You might expect a little background static? No not even that! There are only a very small number of very light, barely audible statics and I cannot impress enough just how pristine the audio is. It is easily a FINAL UPGRADE archive press which isn't bad considering it's 56 years old! Every track is graded as either Mint- or Mint and believe me that is no exaggeration. I do not over-grade my listings as my feedback confirms.
The vinyl has some light hairlines but they clearly have no impact on the 'as new' audio. It's the first time I've listened to this album and I was very impressed. Musically very strong, an eclectic mix you could say and they certainly cover various genres. In essence it could not play any better.
The textured cover is in very good condition and any wear is mainly restricted to the edges. The original inner sleeve is also in very good condition with not too much wear.
As per the first pressing the cover is textured and 'Its' is misspelled as 'It's' on the label, T3.
TRA 213 // STRA-213-A1 --- STRA-213-B1
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The textured cover is VG+
The original inner sleeve is VG+
The Transatlantic labels are Near Mint
Visual description
The vinyl is in excellent condition and still has a strong glossy look with no actual marks or scratches. There are some faint hairlines but they are purely superficial as you can see from my audio grading below. A little mottling also but it is again very faint and again has zero impact on the immaculate audio. The Transatlantic labels are very clean with only minimal spindle wear.
Play Grading
The intro on 'Dorian Deep' is breathtaking! I was expecting a little background (I don't know why!) but the clarity of sound is incredible. I heard only a couple of very light statics and then the opening vocal section is equally as impressive. It's a very esoteric album, an acquired taste you could say, but there is no doubting the audio quality. As the pace and volume pick up the power and depth of the audio is superb and Stanley-Clarke's flute section is perfect. The next quieter passage / spoken vocal is close to that with only a handful of quiet statics - minor background and totally non-intrusive. The following instrumental is so powerful and dynamic and there is no distortion. Fouracre certainly had a lot of energy on the drums! Sonically this entire section is stunning and the final vocal has no intrusion either. This has to grade as Mint- and it provides a sensational and memorable start to the album.
'Born To Be Free' more than keeps up the standard with sublime clarity, depth and warmth from the first note to the last. The intro and opening vocal section is 'as new' and the progressive, jazzy, improvised type mid instrumental has no background not even a minor static. In essence this is perfect audio and the remainder is of the same calibre. The depth and resonance of the audio, as well as the clarity, really stand out - Hicks' deep bass sound a key reason for that. This track is undeniably Mint all the way through.
'And The Eagle Chased The Dove To Its Ruin' completes S1 with phenomenal audio once more. Every vocal and instrumental section play with stunning precision and for a final track the sonic quality is amazing. There is no distortion and of course it has a number of powerful sections. The first quieter section has 3/4 barely audible statics, so quiet I don't know why I mention it! The closing section is so powerful and yet plays with such a well defined, clean sound. This also deserves a Mint grade and I really cannot overstate how immaculate the audio is across the entire side.
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The 'musical box' intro on 'Ab Initio Ad Finem (The Opera)' plays perfectly as does the next 'odd' section! They certainly had ideas! The clarity is again stunning. As the organ comes there is no let up in quality, a couple of minor statics only. The audio through the next drum / instrumental section could not be any more impressive and the quieter flute section plays beautifully. The next 'part' (heavy on the organ!) lasts for 3/4 minutes and then the quieter organ passage that end this instrumental plays with exceptional clarity also. A handful of minor statics near the end but I am confident in grading this 10 minute opus as Mint- such is the quality.
'Facilis Descencus Averni' ends the album with suitably eccentric music. Every vocal and instrumental play with unrivalled quality i.e. nothing could sound better! The quieter sections play beautifully and the powerful, faster paced sections can also be described 'as new'. Actually the more I listen to it the more I can't believe what I'm... listening to! It's rare you find an album of this age playing with such precision and the quieter sections really do stand out. There are a couple of minor statics 3/4 of the way through but they are not even ticks I hasten to add. The end vocal is flawless and this is another track that has to grade as Mint - this truly is one STUNNING album!
The Textured Cover & Inner Sleeve
I'll say the cover is in very good condition but with some excellent features. The edges and spine have some rubbing but not an excessive amount and the corners have a little wear also. The opening edge is in superb shape and the textured front cover is very clean with a minor touch of ringwear and a 'signature' in the bottom right corner. The back cover is even better but yes on both sides you can see some of the rubbing on the edges. A respectable example though.
The Patent Applied For inner sleeve has no side splits but does have one very small tear on the top edge. There is some browning / fading around the edges and a little creasing.
TRA 213 // STRA-213-A1 --- STRA-213-B1
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT VM-95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
Recent Feedback
THIS IS WHAT A SELLER SHOULD BE LIKE ON HIGH END VINYL! Exactly as described if not better ! I could not be a happier customer .. well packed for international flight .. and shipped and received very fast .. No worries here this guy is the topsGREAT AS DESCRIBED BEST SELLR OF ALL THE UK PEOPLE AND I HAVE BOUGHT FROM ALL OF THEM
Beautiful record as described, fast safe delivery, top seller. Cheers Steve.
Another fantastic LP from this seller - condition exactly as shown and the audio as described! Fast delivery, vinyl properly and carefully packed. Very highly recommended A++++
Another stunning LP from this very reliable and helpful seller.
Very quick delivery. Album exactly as described. Excellent packaging. Once again all perfect. Thanks!!!
Great item and seller (no.1), many thanks from ITALY !!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic! Record as Described! Excellent Packaging and Fast Overseas Shipping!
One of the best on Ebay!
Another amazing record from this exceptional seller. Absolutely delighted!
Great seller and great vinyl record, professionally packaged. I’m very satisfied with my purchase and will certainly buy again!
Postage & Packaging
I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping. This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage. The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered. Any over-payment will always be refunded.
The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD). An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known. Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing. Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Many thanks.
All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection. They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection. I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.
The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each. There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up! Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!
UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £20.95 then £2.50 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £19.95 then £2.50 per extra
If you are not entirely happy with your purchase please contact me before leaving feedback and I will always resolve any issue, 100% guaranteed. If you would prefer to send the item back I will also pay the return shipping cost if I am at fault, I am only human after all!!
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