The Who QUADROPHENIA Classic Records 7LP/45RPM 200gm Clarity Vinyl Test Pressing

$

355

The Who QUADROPHENIA  - Classic Records 7LP 200gm Single Sided 45RPM Clarity Vinyl TEST PRESSING in overall Near Mint Minus condition. I purchased this copy here on eBay back in September 2016, when Classic Records had shut down and they established a couple of Ebay accounts through which they sold off everything they could (test pressings, old stock, etc). The box set was sealed when I purchased it, and I've listened to it less than a half a dozen times over the years. Since I also own two copies of Classic's official 200gm edition (one of which I will have on offer here soon), those records have been my normal "listening" copies, while reserving this copy for special occasions. Now's your chance to get this absurdly rare Who/Classic Records collectible at a fair market price!
Here is Classic's original verbiage when they auctioned off this copy:
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This auction is for a STILL SEALED, NUMBERED (6 of 20), 45rpm 7LP CLARITY Test Pressing Box Set. Missing Disc A1 ("I Am The Sea"/ "The Real Me"/ "Quadrophenia"). This set consists of 7 single sided discs (A2 through D2), for optimal sound performance, of the Classic Records 200gram reissue of The Who's "Quadrophenia". This title was planned, but never released as a 45rpm set or on clarity vinyl, thereby making this an ultra collectible set.
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IMPORTANT:  The generic outer box is Near Mint. The 7 generic cardboard album covers are generally Near Mint, but please note the cover for the first disc, LP A2, is kind of grubby, but that's the condition it was in when it was shipped. I'm guessing nobody was paying much attention to the visual quality of these generic covers, as test pressings were created for analysis and production, and then subsequently stored for years... 
Pictures 6 and 7 show the seven LPs in their generic covers and closeups of each LPs label. 
Picture 8 shows an example of a Classic Records rarity: customized poly-lined inner sleeves, trumpeting Classic's 200gm Quiex SVP vinyl. Classic only used these for a short time (and probably stopped doing so for cost reasons), and they're actually quite rare. Each of the 7 LPs was shipped in these sleeves, which are included in the auction. However, as is my custom, having cleaned each of these LPs on the KLaudio record cleaning machine, I prefer to store records in MFSL rice paper sleeves. The LPs will be shipped in MFSL sleeves, and the original inner sleeves will be shipped inside the album's outer box. 
Uncharacteristically, Classic also included a complete copy of the actual album cover (many of my test pressings from Classic only have the LPs in those generic cardboard covers), including the illustrated lyric booklet, which is fully mounted on to the gatefold (it is not a loose insert). Pictures 9 and 10 show the front and back of the album cover. Picture 11 shows the front page of the booklet. Pictures 12 shows the last page of the booklet and the right hand side of the gatefold. I did NOT try to flatten the gatefold for fear of detaching the booklet (hence the awkward angle). 
Finally, Picture 13 shows the only flaw with the LP cover: the front upper right corner is bumped and slightly dented/bent. Here too, this was the condition it was in when it was shipped, and I'm pretty sure it was a case of Classic using whatever "spare parts" they had in order to create the 20 box sets that they sold. 

PLAY-GRADED LISTENING NOTES: I play-graded each LP (listened to the ENTIRE record), and here are my grading notes:

isn = incidental surface noise nm = dead quiet ANYTHING IN ALL CAPS = A noise event significant enough to merit comment

PLAY-GRADED LISTENING NOTES: RECORD A2 ("Cut My Hair" "The Punk And The Godfather") Track 1 - NM Minus: isn at the beginning of the track, tiny tick at 3:39 (during the "TV Broadcast" playing at the end, not during a musical section) Track 2 - NM: isn around 5:03

RECORD B1 ("I'm One" "The Dirty Jobs" "Helpless Dancer") Track 1 - NM Minus: tick in the first second, isn at very end of the track Track 2 - NM: one tick at 3:41
Track 3 - NM: isn around 1:01
RECORD B2 ("Is It In My Head?" "I've Had Enough") Track 1 - NM Minus: isn from 0:19 to 0:25, isn at end of track Track 2 - NM Minus: ticks around 4:38 and 4:40

RECORD C1 ("5:15" "Sea And Sand") Track 1 - NM Minus: faint isn for first 20 seconds, tick at 0:29 Track 2 - NM Minus: isn around 1:02, isn during the last couple seconds of the fadeout

RECORD C2 ("Drowned" "Bell Boy") Track 1 - NM: isn between track 1 and track 2 Track 2 - NM Minus: tick at 2:14

RECORD D1 ("Doctor Jimmy") Track 1 - EX+: tick at 3:17, tick at 3:39, isn around 6:25, tick at 7:45
RECORD D2 ("The Rock" "Love, Reign o'er Me") Track 1 - EX+: tick at 0:48, isn around 1:30, isn around 2:01, isn around 2:21 Track 2 - NM Minus: isn in the first few seconds, and again around 0:56 and 1:06

SUMMARY: On average the entire set grades at Near Mint Minus. As the notes above indicate, almost all of the vinyl across the seven LPs is dead quiet. While Record D1 grades at EX+, if that LP had two tracks at around 4 minutes each, the track grading would lift the average to NM Minus. Therefore, I encourage bidders to look at the big picture (that these LPs are in terrific condition, and that the minor flaws are endemic to the pressing itself), while being confident that the entire set has been carefully auditioned, track by track. 

ABOUT USED RECORDS I SELL ON EBAY: I will be selling many high value used records over the coming months (or years!). I've been lucky enough to be able to use very high-end cartridges on both my mono and stereo turntables. The cartridges are cleaned before each side is played, and I'm currently using the DS-Audio ST-50 cartridge cleaner. 
I clean ALL records, every time, before the platter hits the turntable. I've been doing so for the past 20 years or more, and I am currently fortunate enough to own THE best record cleaning machine in the world: KLAudio's KD-CLN LP200T (Acoustic Sounds uses these machines to clean THEIR used records). Every used record I sell on Ebay is cleaned before I grade the album, and then cleaned AFTER grading so that the buyer receives the LP in the best possible condition. PICTURE 14 SHOWS RECORD A2 READY FOR CLEANING. Having cleaned each LP both before AND after play-grading, I stored the newly-cleaned LPs in new MFSL rice paper sleeves, and they are housed in the original generic covers. 
In order to sell used records efficiently, I have two methods of grading used LPs:
Play-Graded - For my rarest records, I will listen to the entire LP and make track by track notes of any possible issues.
Sample-Graded - Other used records will be sampled at the beginning and end of each track, but I cannot guarantee the LP won't exhibit some random noise or pressing flaw that goes undetected. However, I find this approach is reasonably accurate, and considerably more so than visual grading, which I find can be quite deceptive (at least I've never had any luck with it when buying used LPs). 

ABOUT SHIPPING AND HANDLING: Please note there is a $3 fee included in Ebay's estimate of Media Mail shipping costs. I believe the best way to way to ship an LP includes a 13"x14"x3" "pizza" style box, 12"x12" cardboard flats, outer shopping bag, and bubble wrap. The shipping boxes alone cost me over $3 each, and the average total cost of shipping materials is around $4.72, so this is NOT a money-maker for me. However, it does ensure, consistently, that these high value LPs arrive safely. Please check my feedback and I think you'll see that buyers appreciate the care with which these precious artifacts are handled. 

COMBINED SHIPPING: I am more than happy to combine shipping. Ebay buyers pay the actual postage costs. If a single LP is purchased, the buyer pays actual postage and $3 for shipping materials. If two LPs are purchased, the buyer pays actual postage and $3 for shipping materials. If three or more LPs are purchased, the buyer pays actual postage and $0 for shipping materials (I will absorb the cost of materials). As the final amount can only be calculated after auctions have ended, I will issue the appropriate refund on the day the LPs are shipped. 

About Me: I'm a long time Ebay buyer intent on selling a significant portion of my LP collection over the next year or two (or three!). I believe in the auction process, so I'm NOT going to list records at absurdly high prices, and I look forward to getting rare, out of print records into the hands of music lovers, record collectors and audiophiles (I consider myself all of the above). All LPS stored in a smoke-free, climate controlled environment. 

As for the USED LPs that I will begin selling soon...highly collectible vintage LPs, a wide variety of out of print titles from the best audiophile labels, new/sealed/old stock (typically pre-digital) LPs, the list goes on and on... PLEASE STAY TUNED! I hope you'll look at my feedback and conclude that everything I sell is exactly as advertised and conservatively graded. Thanks! Good Luck!

PayPal Payments Only. Payment required within 3 days after the end of auction. All records will ship USPS Media Mail.