All my items have a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described you can return it for a full refund.

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P&P charges for bidders outside the UK: Please note that I send ALL international items tracked and insured, which costs more than the standard airmail rate.

For further information please see below for full P&P and insurance details.

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Please note that:

I NO LONGER POST TO MEXICO.

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This is a rare opportunity to own a 100% genuine, original and complete UK 1st press in outstanding condition.

This is a 100% genuine 1st UK press throughout, including the rare original 1st UK press poster. Please note that this is the true, original, genuine 1st press poster. It is NOT from a modern re-issue or a non-UK release, neither is it a reproduction or copy. It is a genuine UK Vertigo 1st press poster from 1971.

Not only is this a complete, original 1st pressings of Master of Reality, but the vinyl looks and sounds immaculate.  I think you would be very unlikely to find another one as good as this.

The vinyl has the following 1st press matrix numbers:

Side 1: 6360050 1Y//1

Side 2: 6360050 2Y//1

The stampers are 1 2 7 and 12 25.

Detailed description

Vinyl: The vinyl looks superb without a mark to be seen. It has clearly been very well cared-for and rarely played. In normal daylight the playing surfaces look flawless and even under direct, bright light, all I could see were just a handful of ultra-fine, whispy sleeve-removal marks, but there is nothing significant anywhere. I have played the entire record and it sounds fantastic with nothing to report. For the sake of completeness I would mention that there is some soft background noise in the quietest parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click but there is absolutely nothing significant anywhere. There are several quiet parts on Master of Reality that are hard to find with perfect audio (the two instrumentals, the soft 'spooky' end-section of 'Children of the Grave' and 'Solitude') but on this copy these were no cause for concern. This really is an exceptional example and I think it would be very hard to find one which sounds better than this. I would have no hesitation to play-grade the whole album as Near Mint (NM). 

Labels: Both labels look superb with absolutely no signs of damage, writing, stickers etc, and just very light spindle marking, suggesting that the record was rarely played.

Box cover: This is the original 1st press box with embossed writing on the front and the band name in dark purple writing (the writing looks paler in the photos, but that's just my camera). The lamination has retained its original sheen with just some laminate lift near the spines and minor flaking along the folds, but nothing bad anywhere. There are some small creases near the edges and corners and some corner-wear, but there is nothing prominent anywhere. Please look at the photos to get a good idea of the condition. The only note-worthy issues are around the bottom flap: at some point this has been taped shut which has can be seen if you look inside the cover. There is also a small area of sellotape at the centre of this seam (inside and out, so maybe a neat repair), which I have shown close-up in the final photo. But these issues are very minor and even taking them into account, I think it would be hard to find one that looks much better.

Edge/corner wear: The edges and spines have some small creases and wear to the corners, but there is nothing major. I've shown all of the edges in the pictures so please look at the photos.

Poster: The original 1st press Vertigo poster has six panels and measures 18" by 27" (inches). It has never been displayed and has no tears, splits, pin-holes or damage. It has no obvious signs of handling and looks like it has hardly ever been out of the cover.  The only minor imperfection is a small sticker in one corner of the rear, which I have shown close up in the penultimate photo, but you'd probably only notice this if you were looking for it, and the picture side is perfect. It is very rare to find the original 1st press poster like this.

Inner sleeve: Poly-lined Vertigo swirl inner sleeve with 0671 date-code has discoloured around the edges and has normal signs of age and use.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is a complete, genuine example. It has outstanding vinyl that I think would be hard to improve upon.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions and gradings.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get. I am aware that different grading systems have different definitions and so I try as much as possible to describe items in plain English, rather than simply using gradings. Where gradings are given these are based on the UK RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM. This grading system differs from some other grading systems, in particular the Goldmine grading system. Please make sure that you are familiar with the UK record collector grading system before you bid.

Play-graded vinyl: Although I don't have time to play them all, I believe that records are for playing and so I try to play-grade records whenever possible. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to listing it. If I have play-graded the record I will usually only give a description of how the record looks (i.e. not a visual grading). The grading in the listing will be a play-grading and may be slightly different from the grading that the record would receive from a purely visual inspection. If I haven't play-graded the record, it will be given a visual grading.

Play-grading MONO records: Mono records and stereo records have different grooves. A stereo record produces a stereo sound via both lateral and vertical groove modulation whereas a mono record is not intended to produce any sound from vertical modulation. Playing a mono record with a stereo cartridge will create distortion because it is trying to pick-up the vertical (stereo) part of the signal, whereas this is not intended to be heard on a mono record and so is just noise.  Using a pre-amp with a mono switch will eliminate the noise caused by vertical modulation leaving just the lateral groove signal which is how the record was intended to be heard. Based on the assumption that most people choosing to buy a mono record will have the right equipment to listen to it, I play all mono records via a pre-amp with a mono switch.  My play-grading is based on how the record sounds when played through a mono switch. If you do not have a mono switch on your amp or pre-amp you will be reproducing the noise from the vertical part of the signal and so the record will not sound as good. This is not any fault of the record, it is inherent to playing any mono record through a system that it was not designed for.

Visually-graded vinyl: A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction. Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50. Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may sometimes use recycled packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

My P&P charges are 'totally transparent'. Please read below and if you have any questions about P&P costs please contact me BEFORE you bid. Thank you.

Sending items costs more than just the stamps on the package, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me to do so. I need to cover the cost of packing materials, plastic sleeves, new inner sleeves (where applicable), transportation, fees and charges associated with sending the item (including fees incurred to receive the cost of postage and, where applicable, currency exchange) etc. To cover these expenses I add a nominal figure to the basic cost charged at the post office. For UK sales I add £1.10, for European sales I add £1.90 and for transactions outside Europe I add £2.30. These are nominal amounts and the actual cost to me is always higher than this. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

To quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

Depending on the precise weight of your parcel, you may occasionally end up paying a few pence more or a few pence less than it actually costs me, but if there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £5.20.

UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £9.35 for one to four LPs and £12.00 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

 

Overseas orders will ONLY be sent fully insured. I include insurance on all invoices. Basic insurance (for items valued up to £50) is included in the costs below. 

Europe

First LP or 12" = £13.60, each additional LP or 12" add £2.20.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £17.50, each additional LP or 12" add £3.80.

 

Overseas orders valued between £50 and £500 will be insured for an additional £2.90.

For overseas orders valued over £500, please contact me.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.

 

Thanks for your interest in this listing and for taking the time to read these details.