Sold Date: May 28, 2014
Start Date: May 18, 2014
Final Price: £26.03 (GBP)
Bid Count: 18
Seller Feedback: 1870
Buyer Feedback: 54

I am selling some of my personal vinyl collection. Many of these records are UK pressings and were purchased by myself any time from the 1970's onwards. They have been extremely well looked after, most having only been played a handful of times on Linn or Rega turntables with a light stylus tracking force of 1.5 to 1.75 g.

Please read the description below for vinyl condition (as per the Record Collector Grading System), but for most of my records the vinyl can be considered as in near mint or excellent condition, shiny and with no significant marks – basically almost as good as when it came out of the original shop. The covers vary in condition but most are excellent just showing the usual signs of storage. Most have been stored in plastic protective covers.

A word about hairline marks. It is almost impossible to find any non-sealed record without any hairline marks - many had them from new, particularly if sold with cardboard inner sleeves. They are a result of storage and use and have little impact on sound quality. Likewise, very few original vinyl records lie totally flat. As for background noise, all records will have some background noise which varies wildly and often reflects the very variable pressing quality. I have bought new heavy pressing LP's in recent years and many of the original records I am selling not only look better but they sound better! I only draw attention to marks, warping or background noise in my listings if I consider them significant.

All records (unless "mint" to start with) have been cleaned using high quality professional Record Cleaning Machines - either a £3,000 Keith Monks Omni VII RCM or a Moth Pro Mk II RCM. Not only does this wet clean/vacuuming process remove surface marks such as fingerprints, etc, it also significantly reduces background noise and many argue that the lower noise floor results in opening up of the sound and improved fidelity. Following cleaning, records are placed in new inner sleeves and the sleeve is given a new plastic outer protective cover.

Records are test played on a Rega RP6 turntable through a top of the range Graham Slee Reflex M phono stage and Solo headphone amplifier to Sennheiser HD650 headphones. This enables me to undertake careful evaluation of the record quality and grade accurately.

This album is Van Morrsion's superb "Astral Weeks" LP on the WB label K 46024. 

Matrix marks A4/B3, UK Pressing on the original WB Burbank (Palm Trees) label.

Vinyl grading is Near Mint according to the Record Collector Grading System. It appears unplayed - a copy I sorted away but never played apart from the test plays for this auction. There is one slight mark (probably there from new) on the last track of Side 1 that plays as a slight "tick" for a few revolutions. Otherwise PERFECT!

Test played superbly with fantastic audio and low overall background noise.

The original laminated Garrod & Lofthouse sleeve is in superb condition as it has been stored in a plastic cover - see large scale photos below.

I dispatch worldwide in reinforced heavy duty LP mailers with cardboard reinforcements either side.

This is one of a batch of approximately 30 superb classic records I am listing with many auctions of classic rock albums to come so please save me as a favourite seller. Typical postage prices as follows and combined postage with other albums saves money (double album counts as 2 records):

UK: 1 record £3.50, 2 records £4.50, 3 records £6.

EU: 1 record £5.50, 2 records £7, 3 records £8.50.

International: 1 record £8.50, 2 records £10, 3 records £11.50.

Some countries may require International Signed For so please ask.

Please see my feedback, particularly on other records I have sold, and thanks for looking.