Wish You Were Here A1/B3 (First press + postcard)

This final upgrade archive first pressing is of a quality so rarely seen or heard today.  As I always do I have playtested every second of this classic album and a comprehensive grading is given below.  It plays with such immaculate quality and there are no clicks or pops and no crackle either.  The playback is just sensational!  It has hardly ever been played as there is very little spindle wear on either side and this is just one reason why it plays so fantastically well.  It has also been incredibly well preserved down the years.

The cover and lyric are in fantastic condition, the 'cleanest' most impressive examples I have ever seen on any pressing let alone an original first A1/B3 press!  It comes complete with the original postcard which is also in superb condition.

SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 3 // GOL 2 / GMM 2

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the vast majority)

The audio on S2 is Mint-

The cover is Mint-

The lyric inner is Mint

The labels �are Mint

The postcard is Mint-

Visual grading

This is the cleanest genuine first press I have ever seen and to say it has a stunning glossy sheen is an understatement!  It has hardly ever been played judging by the lack of spindle wear and the quality of the audio reflects that.  There are some very faint sleeve removal hairlines on both sides but that is unavoidable when you consider the hard coarse cardboard inner that it is contained in.  There are not very many at all and there are certainly no scratches.  There is one small section on S2 with a band of mega faint hairlines but they do not have any affect on the Mint quality of the audio.  The labels and run out grooves are also beautifully clean and if ever there was a final upgrade archive copy then this is it!

Play grading  

The opening few grooves on 'Shine On...' play with such delicate precision you would think you were listening to a new vinyl not one that is 44 years old!  This is so rare as intros, and especially this one as it is so quiet, regularly play with some interference.  Not this one!  The clarity is astounding and rarely have I heard an A1/B3 first press begin this well.  As it continues I am pleased to say the 'high end' quality does not diminish in any way, it is just superb!  You can turn this up loud and the sound just envelops the room and it exudes beautifully clear audio.  I heard a handful of mega light dust ticks only but obviously these are so much in the background and totally non-intrusive, I must stress that.  This is quite simply audio of the highest standard and there is no interference of any kind.  As Gilmour's guitar comes in the clarity and depth is incredible and already I am running out of superlatives for this immaculate record!  Even in the following quiet section the clarity is so impressive, a couple of dust ticks yes but not one single click or pop.  As Mason enters the piece how can I adequately explain the sheer Mint quality of the audio in an original way?  It's difficult!  I know Mint when I hear it and this is it!  There is no distortion on the top end of the superb guitar solo and this entire instrumental section plays as 'cleanly' as the day when released in '75.  Up to the first vocal this is pure vinyl audio perfection as it should be heard.  I often over-eulogise when I hear audio of this quality but I think I can be forgiven as it is just so rare to find an A1/B3 like this today.  The vocal then plays with, you guessed it, no interference of any kind and qualifies as Mint yet again.  This immaculate clarity continues into the second verse and I must reiterate that thus far this stunning vinyl has played without any interference.  The long saxophone piece that closes this first installment again plays to a level that Floyd purists can only dream about!  There are a small number of very faint 'ticks' on the fade out but in no way are they intrusive.

The intro on 'Welcome To The Machine' impresses with wonderful clarity yet again and the depth and strong bass sound of the 'machinery' is superb.  There is just a hint of very minor 'hiss' for a few seconds but I am not sure if I should even mention it as it is so much in the background and not intrusive in any way.  The vocal then plays with perfect precision and this clarity continues into the instrumental section.  The second verse is of the same standard and again there is no distortion on the top end.  The final instrumental piece is 'as new' and the quiet end section is so 'clean' and again this is so rare as so often it will have some 'background'.  There is just a mild hint of light static but it certainly does not intrude on the quality of the listen and you can clearly hear the double 'pop' type sound and 'cough' on the final groove.

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From the very first note 'Have A Cigar' plays with stunning clarity and as the track progresses the quality does not decrease.  The verses do not disappoint and again there is no interference at all.  I may be repeating myself now (!) but the guitar solo then plays in sublime fashion and to the very end the audio is faultless.  The playback is Mint without doubt but I will of course grade as Mint- because the album isn't sealed.  The quiet radiophonic end section is superb and has only a couple of barely audible dust ticks.  Why I am mentioning this I don't know as to all intents and purposes this is Mint audio of the highest calibre.

Remarkably the spoken/radiophonic section on the 'Wish You Were Here' intro is the most impressive I have ever heard and this is an A1/B3 first pressing!  I say 'remarkable' because this is just so rare and I am delighted to say this continues up to the acoustic section.  A handful of mega light dust ticks maybe but you will find that on new vinyl let alone one that is 44 years old!  The clarity is absolutely breathtaking and each verse plays to the same exacting standard.  I cannot emphasise enough just how perfectly this plays.  This is a record that has been so well preserved hence the sonic quality on offer here.  It is quite simply sensational!  Through to the end it plays with incredible precision and the 'blowing wind' that brings the track to a close just has no 'background' at all.  In a word, stunning.

The quiet intro in 'Shine On...P2' continues in the same way and the instrumental section that follows is 'as new' and the guitar solo - what can I say?  You can turn it up to extremely loud and there will be no deterioration in sound, no distortion at all.  This is just Mint there is no other way to describe it.  The first verse is of the same quality and yes the remainder is of the same standard.  I do not over-grade or exaggerate my gradings and all my regular customers know I will note any imperfections in the audio but there are just none here!  The instrumental section on this classic is perfect and as per the rest of the record there are no clicks or pops and no crackle either.  3/4 mega quiet dust ticks but no interference whatsoever.  This is audio of a standard so rarely heard on these first pressings and the super quiet end section just has the lightest touch of background static imaginable.  It still plays with sublime quality and ends the album in superlative fashion.

In summary this is final upgrade archive pressing of that I have no doubt.    I do not like say 'impossible to find etc' because that is clearly not the case but in saying that I have heard many A1/B3 pressings down the years but never one as immaculate as this.  Even the Near Mint grading for S1 may be a little harsh!!  The first/early pressings in my opinion play with a greater depth and warmth than the later ones, including the more recent reissues, but the clarity here is on a par with a record pressed just yesterday and that is not an exaggeration.  Any Floyd fan would be delighted to have this in their collection and together with a stunning cover and inner this is a timeless classic for certain.

The Cover

Other than a sealed version this has to be the cleanest, most impressive A1/B3 covers I have ever seen.  It goes without saying that these predominantly 'white' covers are very prone to marking/staining and yet this one has none of that at all.  It is so clean, so white and it has obviously been so well preserved down the decades.  It is stunning and almost of Mint standard!  The edges and thin pinched spine are 'as new' and the opening edge has only a couple of very minor 'dings'.  The front cover retains its pristine original 'white' look and the only blemish is one very small crease on the bottom right corner.  The back cover is just as impressive and again has no marking of any kind.  This is an immaculate version of this iconic cover and is hardly ever seen in this condition today.  What a find!

Inner sleeve

The lyric sleeve (with the three cut corners) is in perfect condition and as per the cover has lost none of its original 'whiteness' at all.  It is visually stunning and has no marking on either side and amazingly no splits either!

The Labels

They are in perfect condition with no writing/marking and as already mentioned very little spindle wear.  This vinyl has only been lightly played!

The Postcard

The postcard, with serrated edges, is in near perfect condition with only one mega tiny corner crease, hardly worth mentioning really!

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

This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 3 // GOL 2 / GMM 2

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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