Syd Barrett THE MADCAP LAUGHS UK LP 1ST NO EMI MINT -

	£		286
	$		379

SYD BARRETT - THE MADCAP LAUGHS

IN MAGNIFICENT 1 PLAY CONDITION

• CATALOGUE:HARVEST SHVL 765
• MATRIX: SHVL 765 A-2G / B-2G
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS:1 R / 1 H  (1ST MOTHER 2ND AND 7TH STAMPERS)
• VERY EARLY 1ST PRESS

ONE OF THE RAREST PROG ALBUMS ON THE PLANET. A GENUINE FIRST PRESS OF THE SYD BARRETT SOLO DEBUT ALBUM - A MADCAP LAUGHS

THE SIGNS THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR FOR A FIRST PRESS

• LAMINATED GATEFOLD SLEEVE
• SLEEVE MADE BY THE E.J.DAY CO LTD (LETER ISSUES GARROD AND LOFTHOUSE)
• THE LABELS MUST NOT HAVE A BOXED EMI LOGO AT 9 O'CLOCK
• MOTHERS MUST BE NUMBER 1
• STAMPERS MUST ONLY HAVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING LETTERS ( G, R, H T, L) TWO LETTERS WILL BE A SECOND PRESS
• LABELS MUST HAVE 'THE GRAMOPHONE CO' RIM WORDING

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

BOTH LABELS ARE IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE GREEN HARVEST BASE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT AND IS UNMARKED AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, AND A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE AND I CAN'T EVEN SEE ANY SPIDER LINES, EVEN USING A MGNIFYING GLASS I CAN ONLY SEE A TINY TINY LINE, THE VINYL JUST HASN'T BEEN PLAYED MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES EVER!!!. AS MENTIONED ABOVE THIS SET OF LABELS HAVE THE FIRST PRESS INDICATOR IN THAT THERE IS NO BOXED EMI LOGO AT 9 O'CLOCK, AND 'THE GRAMOPHONE CO' RIM WORDING

THE VINYL

THIS VINYL IS ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE!!

THE HEAVYWEIGHT ORIGINAL DISC IN IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION WITH A GLEAMING SHEEN THAT CAN ONLY BE FORM A BARELY PLAYED OR TOUCHED VINYL. THE VINYL IS FLAWLESS AND LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS PRESSED. EVEN WHEN PLACED UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE APART FROM A COUPLE OF NEAR INVISIBLE WISPY HAIRLINES

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH AS I NOW DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS. I AM CERTAIN THAT BIDDERS WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS SUPERB FIRST PRESS IS THE CLARITY OF THE REPRODUCTION IS JUST INCREDIBLE. BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS IS NO MORE THAN SYD BARRETT AND AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, THE PERFORMANCE IS QUITE BRILLIANT. THE CUT IS LOUD AND THE VOCALS ARE CRISP AND CLEAR AS A BELL, WHILST THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTATION COMES THROUGH WITH A CLARITY THAT JUST BEGGARS BELIEF

THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION AT ANY POINT ON THIS PLAYTHROUGH

THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CRACKLE WHATSOEVER AT ANY POINT

THERE IS ONE TINY TINY NEAR INVISIBLE FLAW WHICH CAUSES FOUR ROTATIONAL POPS ON THE FIRST TRACK. I HAD TO GET A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SPOT THIS PIN PRICK WHICH SITS TOWARDS THE END OF THE TRACK. IT IS ONE TINY TINY DOT IN THE VINYL, PROBABLY FROM THE FACTORY, BUT IF NOT THEN I CANNOT BEGON TO SAY HOW THIS INVISIBLE DOT OCCURED. ANYWAY LISTEN TO THE FIRST SOUNDBITE AND YOU WILL HEAR WHAT I MEAN

OTHER THAN THIS THERE IS JUST THE BAREST TOUCH OF NEAR INAUDIBLE STATIC IN A FEW SECONDS OF TRACK 2 SIDE 2

THE VINYL HAS THE VERY TINIEST LIP WHICH AS YOU WILL HEAR DOESN'T CAUSE ANY SOUND ISSUES WHATSOEVER

WITHOUT THE 4 POPS I WOULD HAVE BEEN GRADING THIS MINT!! ALL THE WAY, BUT EVEN WITH THIS IT STILL WARRANTS A MINT MINUS GRADE. I DONT BELIEVE THERE IS A BETTER COPY OUT THERE

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL MINT MINUS

PLEASE TAKE A FULL LISTEN AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING MINT ORIGINAL LAMINATED GATEFOLD FROM THE E.J DAY CO LTD

THE FRONT SURFACE GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR AND THERE CANNOT BE A BETTER EXAMPLE ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET

THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES WHATSOEVERE, AND EVEN THE TINY LAMINATE LINES NEAR THE SPINE ARE RESTRICTED TO JUST THREE NEAR INVISIBLE ONES. THERE ARE NO THUMB LINES,A ND ALL OF THE LAMINATE IS PERFECTLY INTACT. NO PEEL, FLAKE OR LIFT.

NO RING WEAR OR EVEN RECORD SHAPE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE 100% FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR, AND ALL OF THE LAMINATE IS INTACT

THE SPINE IS ALSO IN AMAZING CONDITION. FLAT AND CLEAN AND ONLT ONE TINY CHIP TO THE LAMINATE WHICH YOU CAN FEEL WHEN RUNNING YOUR FINGER ALONG THE SPINE. IT IS ON THE LETTER A FROM MADCAP. OTHERWISE THE  LAMINATE IS PERFECT, THE TYPEFACE ALL CLEARLY LEGIBLE, AND NO WEAR EVEN TO THE TOP OR BOTTOM TIPS.

THE REAR SURFACE IS AS PRISTINE AND GLEAMING AS THE FRONT AND LOOKS IMMACULATE. ONE TINY LIAMINATE LINE NEAR THE SPINE THATS ALL THERE IS.

THE OPENING EDGE IS STILL RAZOR SHARP WITH JUST ONE SMALL THUMB NAIL NICK WHERE THE LP WAS REMOVED FROM THE SLEEVE

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PERFECTLY CLEAN AND UNRUBBED INNER SURFACE. NO LOSS OF COLOUR AT ALL. THIS IS REALLY BECAUSE THE SLEEVE WAS PROTECTED FROM NEW.

THE PLAIN WHITE SLEEVE IS STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION. NO SPLITS TO ANY OF THE SURFACES, AND NO SERIOUS CREASES. A VERY CLEAN EXAMPLE.

VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE MINT MINUS

 AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE ALBUM!!!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY