Queen : Greatest Hits I

We all know it is easy to pick up a 'GH1' but it is not so easy to find one as good as this and even harder to find such an early A3/B1 pressing in this condition.  An A1/B1 pressing was produced but not an A2/B1 as far as I am aware so I am quite confident that this is a genuine second pressing.  It may've been produced at the same time as the A1/B1 anyway!

It plays with immaculate quality and the clarity is among the best I have ever heard on any GH1.  The cover is also in fantastic condition, almost 'as new' and the picture inner is indeed perfect.

EMTV30 // A - 3 / B - 1

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority / track 1 Ex+ but NM for the majority / track 8 intro Ex)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority / track 5 Near Mint-)

Visual grading

This vinyl is in sublime condition and has a beautiful mirror-like glossy sheen that has been hardly played down the years.  There is no spindle wear, no scratches and only a handful of very faint sleeve removal hairlines.  It is stunning!  I can only detect a couple of very small faint marks on S1 (very very small and easily missed!) and have no affect on the audio.  The labels and run out grooves are also incredibly clean.

Play grading  

From the very first note 'Bohemian Rhapsody' plays with stunning clarity and there is not so much as a dust tick, the playback is exceptional!  It's so rare for the first few grooves to be so clean on this album as it is generally over-played to say the least.  This opening section continues to play with wonderful great quality although there is one loud click on the 'body's aching all the time' line.  This is the only intrusion on this otherwise near perfect opening.  The operatic/rock section is 'as new' the depth and power could not be any better and the quiet end section has superb clarity with only a couple of light static ticks.  A stunning version overall that would be Near Mint but for that one second of interference so Ex+ is a fair grading although the majority plays far better than that!

'Another One Bites The Dust' plays with stunning precision from start to finish and there is no interference.  As you would expect on a lightly played vinyl the depth of the bass is so strong and there are no clicks, pops or crackle.  A Mint- version.

  'Killer Queen' has to be heard to be believed!  It sounds as 'shop fresh' as when first released back in '81 with 'high end' clarity and the only 'background' is a couple of dust ticks on the fade out.

'Fat Bottomed Girls' and 'Bicycle Race' play with sublime definition and no obvious interference, the playback is again of a fantastic standard.  There are only a couple of light static ticks on the latter during the 'bell ringing' section but overall the clarity on offer here is just hardly ever found on such an early pressing.  Wow!

'You're My Best Friend' is Mint there is no other way to describe it.  There is not even a dust tick let alone anything more.  No more needs to be said!

'Don't Stop Me Now' is so close to that standard and does plays 'as new' apart from a minimal hint of static on the quiet vocal section right at the end.

The final track 'Save Me' has a little static on the opening verse but it is quiet and non-intrusive in my opinion.  Thereafter it plays with stunning clarity and depth and no interference.  A couple of mega dust ticks but this is a very impressive end to a side that plays with wonderful quality for the vast majority, around 99% of it!

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'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' plays with Mint quality audio, the clarity is again 'high end' and even the fade out plays with perfect precision.  A superb start to S2.

The quiet choral intro on 'Somebody To Love' is 'as new' and it's not often you can say that!  It continues in exactly the same way and you just have to applaud the clarity and power on offer here!  As stated this is such a 'clean' vinyl and maybe is not surprising that it plays so well.  The recurring 'Find me somebody to love...' section is so impressive and has only the lightest of static for 3/4 seconds, barely worth a mention really.  The remainder plays without fault and this is a superb Near Mint version without doubt.

The intro on 'Now I'm Here' plays supremely well with only a couple of light static ticks and as soon as the volume increases the playback cannot be faulted.  From then on the power and depth is so strong and there is no 'background' and no distortion which is a rarity.  The long quiet fade out also plays with great clarity.

'Good Old-Fashioned Loverboy' has a minimal amount of light static on the intro and is then nigh on perfect apart from a handful of mega quiet dust ticks.  A superb Near Mint version nonetheless with no clicks or pops.

'Play The Game' does have a little more static on the intro but again is only minor and does not intrude on the audio.  Thereon it is faultless and plays with stunning precision.  Near Mint- I would say.

The quiet intro on 'Flash' plays with immaculate clarity and there is no decreases in quality as you continue.  This track regularly plays with interference but not here!  It has a fabulous version with only a couple of minor ticks and is Near Mint although I am sure many would grade higher!

'Seven Seas Of Rhye' is without fault and grades as Mint it is that good.  There is no 'background' of any kind, no more needs to be said!

'We Will Rock You' is 'as new' and grades as Mint I am confident in saying and 'We Are The Champions' is not far off that with only a minimal amount of static during the second verse.  Aside from that this classic plays with incredible depth and power and no distortion and again it is worth saying that this is very much a rarity for the mega early pressing.  A stunning end to this supremely 'clean' album.

In summary this superb GH1 would add to any near mint/mint collection.  The audio is of such a high standard and whilst this may be the greatest selling album of all time it is relatively rare to find one as good as this as they were played so much and rightly so!  All the more impressive when you consider it is such an early A3/B1 pressing.  The clarity and sonic quality is stunning and incredibly there is no distortion at all.  Again I will say this is rare when you consider how many tracks have been compressed onto this vinyl.  Audio does not get much better than this!

The Cover

This is one of the most stunning early press covers that I have ever seen.  They are rarely found in this condition as they were generally handled a lot of course.  The edges have hardly any shelf wear, just a minimal hint of rubbing on the bottom edge by the right corner, and the spine is in superb condition with no wear at all.  The corners are supremely clean with no obvious wear and the opening edge has no handling wear at all.  The front cover is quite possibly the cleanest I have ever seen!  It has no marking, just mega small faint crease top right and a small number of very faint creases around the edges.  The back cover is even better with no obvious wear at all!  A stunning example of this famous cover.

Picture Inner  

The thick card inner with the rounded corners (as per the first/early pressings) is in perfect condition and easily grades as Mint it is that good!

The Labels

As clean as you could wish to hope for!  They have no marking or writing and no spindle wear.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record was professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S Cleaning Machine

EMTV30 // A - 3 / B - 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

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