Sold Date: March 15, 2023
Start Date: March 5, 2023
Final Price: $121.50 (USD)
Bid Count: 2
Seller Feedback: 2247
Buyer Feedback: 122

Audio is almost flawless!!
First, some background....
The 'Damont' October 2nd, 1995 release is the 1st-run, 1st edition pressing of 'What's the Story...'.  Its inners are 'solid' black with no cutout holes.
Then, closer to the end of 1995, it was followed by the 'MPO' 2nd-run, 1st edition release.  Its inners are also black ... but with round cutout holes.
Everything about this current copy up for sale points to a 2nd edition late 1995 'MPO' pressing, given it comes with black inners with cutout circle holes in the middle.  
However..... the 'MPO' is 'scratched out' in the matrix runnouts as shown in photo and as outlined just below:
Barcode: 5017556301890
Matrix / Runout (Runout side A): M̶P̶O̶ CRELP 189 A Matrix / Runout (Runout side B): M̶P̶O̶ CRELP 189 B Matrix / Runout (Runout side C): M̶P̶O̶ CRELP 189 C Matrix / Runout (Runout side D): M̶P̶O̶ CRELP 189 D
So is this an 'MPO'?  If not, where, when was it pressed?
After researching the Discogs site and the Steve Hoffman Music Forums ("MPO - The Forgotten Pressing Plant"), the general concensus is that this is  likely, but not confirmed to be, a 3rd-run, 1st edition 1996 release.  Given the 'MPO' is scratched out, it appears to have been manufactured at a different plant utilizing the identical metalwork originally generated at the MPO plant which it had used for its 2nd edition late 1995 release.  While the name and location of that plant has yet to be identified, the same MPO audio quality is apparent.  
Jacket: NM condition with tiny bumps at the corners.  Otherwise virtually flawless.
Vinyl: EX  Under flourescant lighting spider lines and superficial surface scratches can be seen... having minor incidental impact on playback.                       While in normal lighting conditions vinyl appears to be NM.            
Playback: 9.5/10  First rate audio.  A few seconds of surface noise after the needle drops at the start of Sides 1,2 & 4,                                then immediately ALL 4 sides play virtually flawlessly.  Plays straight through with no pops or skips.  
Inners: EX  Original black with center circular cutouts.
Summary:
In all, the 1st-run, 1st edition 'Damont' pressing is quite abundant and readily available to collectors.    The 2nd-run, 1st edition 'MPO' pressing is much rarer and some argue delivers a better quality audio experience. 
Candidly, I have listened to all 3 first edition versions and cannot tell a difference in sound quality on my audiophile system.
But sound quality debates aside, indeed the rarest of all is this 3rd-run, 1st edition pressing with the 'MPO' scratched out.
VPI 16.5 professional cleaning.


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