Sold Date: March 8, 2023
Start Date: February 26, 2023
Final Price: £115.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 19
Seller Feedback: 128
Buyer Feedback: 0

YES Close To The Edge UK LP Original Textured 1st Press A1 B1. Atlantic K50012 1972.

This auction is for an original UK 1st pressing of this LP with textured sleeve on both the outer and inner of the gatefold (later copies were textured on the outside only) and all important A1 B1 matrix endings.  The condition of the LP is stunning and playback is absolutely superb.  You will struggle to find a better copy. Sonically it is a fantastic listen.

Detailed Gradings: -

Outer Sleeve: EX+

The textured gatefold sleeve exhibits only very light signs of use.  There are slight signs of wear towards the top of both the front and back cover, but this is often very pronounced on this particular LP and on this copy whilst some wear is visible it’s  not enough to spoil what is a very clean and undamaged front and back cover.  The inside cover is completely clean, with a slight wavy effect to the surfaces, but the gatefold closes completely flat and any waviness can only be classed as mild. The edges have no major issues, with the spine and top edge being free of any major damage or creases.  There is the odd tiny area where the surface colour is missing and the bottom edge exhibits some general light rubbing along it’s length on one of the two parallel sleeve edges.  Overall it’s a superb example of this sleeve in remarkable condition and is the earliest version having the textured finish on both the outer and inner sides of the gatefold sleeve.

Vinyl : EX+  ; Audio EX+ to Near Mint

Visually the LP is superb and exhibits only minor signs of use.  Under a bright halogen light just a very few feint hairlines can be seen and the vast majority of the record is unmarked and unblemished in any way.  It is simply superb.

The record sits entirely flat on the turntable and is actually one of the flattest records I’ve seen play in a long time, it spins really flat and true!

The audio is sublime, it plays with a really clear and crisp tone, yet all of the depth and power in Squire’s bass parts are powerful and smooth but are “tight” unlike some more worn copies where the bass can sound somewhat frayed and lacking definition.

The record plays without undue background noise. In fact it’s about the quietest sounding copy I’ve ever heard, but please remember this is a vinyl record and not CD, and there is the occasional analogue noise.  That said this LP delivers a quite unbelievable and incredible listening experience in my opinion.

Inner Sleeve: EX-

The delicate green lyric inner sleeve is graded EX-.  It is bright and clean and unsplit and exhibits generally light signs of handling.  There is some rubbing to a small area on each side where the disc has rubbed through the colour towards the edge, plus a small area where the colour has been rubbed off on one side in the lower right-hand corner.  Please see the photos

The record is housed in a modern-day poly-lined sleeve for protection

Matrix Numbers:

These are quite feint, but perfectly readable when angled under strong light.

K50012A1

K50012B1

Labels: EX+

Very clean and unblemished.  Just one or two very short and light spindle marks can be seen under a bright halogen light, giving further evidence that the LP has been seldom played.

Please note I grade conservatively.

Postage and Packing:

Records are stored flat outside the sleeve prior to shipping.  Records are then placed between square cardboard sheets before packaging into cruciform mailers especially designed for LP’s. These mailers are a high-grade type which reinforce the edges around the LP and as such they are larger and weigh more than standard mailers.  My postage costs reflect the additional size and weight of the packaging that I use.

UK Bidders:

£4.95 via first class postage.

Europe :

£15.95 via Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed service

North America and Japan:

£26.95 Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed service

Payment must be made within 3 days of the auction close.