PINK FLOYD WISH YOU WERE HERE A1/B3 1st PRESS SUPERB AUDIO + POSTCARD WOW
£
480
$
636
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Description
I 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.
Pink Floyd : Wish You Were Here A-1 / B-3 1st Press
This first pressing plays with a sonic quality that is hard to beat. The clarity on S1 is absolutely stunning and the only 'background' are a couple of static ticks. 99% is 'as new' I cannot stress enough just how immaculate the audio is! S2 is almost as good with only a little static for a few seconds at the start of the classic 'Wish You Were Here'. The remainder of the side is up there with the best I have ever heard and the same applies to S1 of course. The clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is just STUNNING! The vinyl is also very impressive visually with only some light hairlines.
The cover is in excellent condition with only a little shelf wear and is certainly cleaner than the majority you see today. The lyric inner has also been very well preserved with hardly any wear and the postcard is near perfect.
As this is a genuine first press it has the A1/B3 matrix. The lyric inner is cut on the three corners only and 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 5' on the S1 label is credited to Waters-Gilmour-Wright, later versions have Waters only.
SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 3 // GRO 2 / GRR 1
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T1 Near Mint+)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 VG+ for 15 seconds)
The cover is Ex-
The labels are Mint-
The lyric inner is Ex+
The postcard is Near Mint-
Visual description
The vinyl is in excellent condition and still retains a very impressive glossy sheen with no marks or scratches. It is only under a strong unforgiving light that you can see some faint hairlines but they have no effect on the audio. The labels are incredibly clean with no marking and I can only see a couple of very faint short spindle traces on each side.
Play grading
The slow build up intro on the classic 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part One)' plays beautifully with no intrusion and I mean not one dust tick, the clarity is incredible! I am up to two minutes already and so far it just could not play with any greater precision. Gilmour's intro soon after is equally as impressive and it continues to play with STUNNING audio. So far there are no negatives and I cannot stress enough just how unbelievable the sonic quality is! As Mason joins in this high end standard is more than kept up and then just after Gilmour's solo around the 6.5 minute mark there are a couple of static ticks but that is the only 'background' so far. The next section leading up to the first vocal plays with sublime clarity also with just one barely audible tick. The opening vocal then plays with perfect clarity and continues in the same precise way through every verse and chorus. The clarity and depth of sound is exceptional and 'as new' is the correct way to describe it. The 'sax' section is just as strong and only on the fade out are there a couple of very quiet dust ticks. This classic is as close to perfect as could be and you rarely find a genuine A1/B3 first press playing with such precision. If not for the two static ticks I would have no hesitation in grading this as Mint but I still think Near Mint+ is an honest assessment of the audio. What a version!
The segue into 'Welcome To The Machine' is perfect and then the 'industrial' intro has only a handful of insignificant dust ticks. No clicks, pops or static obviously. The first verse is also super clean, just a couple of dust ticks, and thereafter plays with a clarity and definition that cannot be faulted in any way. Once again I have to say I cannot believe what I am listening to! It is patently obvious this vinyl has hardly been played and so well preserved over the last 47 years. The mid instrumental is flawless and the second verse again has no interference. The final instrumental section can only be described 'as new' (again) and the 'audience' section at the end is comparable to that. For once you can easily hear the double soft 'pop' and 'cough' on the final 2/3 grooves - that provides a measure of just immaculate the clarity is here. This grades as Mint- such is the quality.
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'Have A Cigar' on S2 plays with exceptional audio from the very first note - the entire intro has no 'background' and the opening vocal is as strong and clear. It continues to play like it would have done back in '75 i.e. like it has never been played before! The track finishes of course with a quiet radiophonic section - so quiet and yet there is literally no 'background'. From beginning to end there are no dust ticks let alone anything more and Mint is an easy grade to give.
The segue into the classic 'Wish You were Here' is STUNNING! Again the radiophonic section plays with sublime clarity for the vast majority but there is a little static and a couple of crackles just as the acoustic guitar comes in. It isn't that intrusive and only lasts for about 15 seconds with only a couple of light ticks after that. Normal service is resumed once Gilmour's vocal begins and from then on it plays beautifully with no interference. The clarity and definition of the audio is superb, 'as new' you could say. Every verse and chorus - sonic quality of the highest calibre! The 'wind' section at the end is so often beset by static but not here and it is only that brief section near the start that stops this from being a perfect version. I will grade that passage as VG+ but the remainder is unequivocally Mint in every sense. The segue into 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part 2)' in essence plays with perfect clarity, a couple of barely audible dust ticks that is all. It continues in the same way as Wright comes in and every instrumental section thereafter is of the same high end standard, audio does not get any better than this! And as I often say this is why we buy vinyl as this sonic quality just cannot be replicated by any other medium. The vocal section is faultless and then the extended instrumental again shows how infrequently this record has been played. Each note is so clean and precise and the clarity - wow! The handover to the final section is just as impressive and right through to the end it plays a blinder i.e. with a clarity and warmth that could not be enhanced in any way and once more the long fade out has no 'background' of any kind. A fantastic Mint version to end this stunning album.
In summary this very collectable first pressing plays with stunning clarity all the way through apart from that one brief section prior to the vocal on 'Wish You Were Here'. I have sold a few A1/B3 pressings down the years but not many as impressive as this one! There are of course so many quiet sections and yet the clarity of sound is exceptional, the epic opening track 'Shine On...' is a prime example of that. I'm not sure if I have ever heard better! S2 is superb but S1 is superb and then some!! In conjunction with a fine cover and near perfect postcard I am sure the winning bidder will be very happy with this genuine piece of progressive rock history in their collection!
The Cover, Lyric Inner & Postcard
This cover is notoriously found in poor condition but this is not one of them! It has kept its original shape and structure so well and has clearly not been handled very much. The edges for once have no wear/rubbing and the corners are also in fantastic shape with no obvious shelf wear at all. The thin pinched spine is extremely clean with no marking and remains 100% legible with only a handful of very minor indentations. The opening edge as close to perfect as could be with just one barely visible minor crimp towards the top. The front cover is also very clean, not perfectly white but a lot whiter than the majority you see today! The most obvious 'fading' is near the top edge which has been caused by ringwear mainly and aside from that it has only very minimal fading around the edges. The back cover is very similar, quite clean overall with only some light fading around the edges, minor specks bottom left and a touch of ringwear near the top. A very respectable first press cover when you consider how 'white' it is.
The lyric inner, with the three cut corners, is in great shape with no side splits with only a couple of minor marks around the edges on the lyric side. The red veil side is in lovely condition with no obvious marking at all. The postcard has the serrated edges and is near perfect with only a couple of minor corner rubs.
Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 3 // GRO 2 / GRR 1
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.
THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF £250 SO IF AN ITEM SELLS FOR MORE A COURIER SERVICE MAY BE USED (e.g. Parcelforce, DPD). AN EXTRA INSURANCE PREMIUM WILL BE REQUIRED BUT I WILL NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT UNTIL THE FINAL SALE PRICE IS KNOWN. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES I WILL ESTIMATE A COST AND THIS WILL BE STATED IN THE LISTING. PLEASE WAIT FOR THE INVOICE BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH. MANY THANKS.
ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PUT IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE OF THE COVER SO AS TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS. THEY ARE ALSO PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.
I ONLY USE HIGH QUALITY MAILERS AND THESE COST ME £1.00 EACH. I WILL OFTEN USE 3 OR 4 CARDBOARD STIFFENERS AND THESE COST AT LEAST £0.15 EACH AND THEN THERE IS THE COST OF THE POLY-LINED INNER AND PVC SLEEVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IT ALL ADDS UP! NOT FORGETTING EBAY TAKING 10% OF THE SHIPPING FEE ALSO!!
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LPs/12" singles : £25.95 then £2.50 per extra
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