isnw_ecp

SANTANA  - SANTANA

IN MAGNIFICENT 1-2 PLAY MINT!!!! CONDITION

FIRST PRESS  - A1/B1

& NEAR MINT LAMINATED SLEEVE

 

CATALOGUE:CBS 63815

MATRIX: S63815 A1  B1

FIRST PRESS LAMINATED SLEEVE

BARELY PLAYED

THE VERY VERY RARE FIRST PRESS SANTANA DEBUT ALBUM.

WHY IS THIS RARE?

WELL BECAUSE SANTANA'S DEBUT ALBUM CAME HOT ON THE HEELS OF THEIR SUMMER OF 69 PERFORMANCE AT WOODSTOCK, AND WHILST THE ALBUM WENT ON TO SELL REASONABLY WELL OVER THERE, MAKING NUMBER 4 ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS, IT COMPLETELY FAILED TO ATTRACT THE SAME SUCCESS OVER HERE IN THE UK. IT WASN'T UNTIL THEIR SECOND ALBUM 'ABRAXAS' WAS ISSUED THAT SANTANA HIT THE BIG TIME OVER HERE WITH TRACKS LIKE BLACK MAGIC WOMAN AND SAMBA PA TI. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT INTEREST WAS SPARKED IN THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, AND SALES BEGAN TO SOAR. HOWEVER THE FIRST PRESS ALBUMS WERE LONG DELETED AND SUBSEQUENT PRESSES WERE DEAD EASY TO SPOT. QUITE SIMPLY ONLY A GENUINE FIRST PRESS HAS A LAMINATED SLEEVE, AND THATS WHY THEY ARE SO HARD TO FIND. VIRTUALLY EVERYONE YOU SEE WILL BE THE UNLAMINATED SECOND PRESS OR LATER

 

THE RECORDS

 

THE LABELS

CBS ORANGE LABELS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE. THE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS TOTALLY UNWORN AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. CLEARLY A WELL CARED FOR 47 YEAR OLD ALBUM

A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLE REVEALS JUST 1-2 MICROSCOPIC SPIDER LINES SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS MARVELLOUS VINYL HAS BEEN PLAYED

THE VINYL

 

THE VINYL GLEAMS LIKE NEW IN DAYLIGHT. IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE IS NOTHING TO SEE. SPOTLESS!!!

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH, AS I DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS, AS I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID.

THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE CLARITY OF THIS FIRST PRESS IS JUST INCREDIBLE. EVERY NOTE IS CRISP AND CLEAN, AND THE WHOLE ALBUM SOUNDS SUPERB ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION AT ANY POINT TO THIS CRYSTAL CLEAR REPRODUCTION

I AM JUST BLOWN AWAY BY THE INCREDIBLE STEREO SOUND THIS RECORDING PRODUCES AND ALL OF THIS WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND CRACKLE OR LOUD CLICKS

NO VINYL NOISE AND ONLY A COUPLE OF TOTALLY RANDOM SPLIT SECONDS OF BARELY AUDIBLE STATIC.

I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I HEARD NO MORE THAN 1-2 OF THE TINIEST STATIC TICS THROUGH THE WHOLE PLAYTHROUGH

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS OUTSTANDING DISC MINT MINUS

TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF AGAINST YOUR PERSONAL STANDARDS

 

THE SLEEVE

 

AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THIS IS THE FIRST PRESS WITH THE LAMINATED FRONT SURFACE AND THE NON LAMINATED REAR SURFACE.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS VERY FLAT AND CLEAN. THE LAMINATE GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR, AND THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES TO THE LAMINATE OR ANY BENDS.

THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY ZERO !!! LINES BY THE SPINE. ONE ALONG EACH OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES, AND A SMALL THUMB IMPRESSION IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER

THE LAMINATE ITSELF IS FREE FROM ANY PEELING OR FLAKING AND IS PRISTINE.

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE ALSO FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR, WITH THE LAMINATE RUNNING FULLY FROM CORNER TIP TO CORNER TIP. THE TOP RIGHT TIP HAS A LITTLE RUB

THE SPINE IS TOTALLY FLAT. IT IS 100% UNSQUASHED, AND EVERY LETTER OF THE TYPEFACE IS PRISTINE AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. NO LOSS OF COLOUR AND EVEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM TIPS ARE UNRUBBED

THE OPENING EDGE IS  SHARP WITH A COUPLE OF TINY THUMB NAIL NICKS

THE REAR SURFACE HAS THE FRAGILE DUSTY BLACK SURFACE WHICH USUALLY WEARS BADLY AND SUFFERS FROM SEVERE COLOUR LOSS, BUT HERE WE HAVE ONE THAT HAS JUST HAS A LIGHT SHADOW OF RECORD SHAPE, AND A LITTLE GREYING UNDER THE TOP EDGE

THE ORIGINAL CBS ADVERTISING INNER SLEEVE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. SOME LIGHT WRINKLES, AND A SMALL SPLIT ON THE BOTTOM SEAM

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS SLEEVE  NEAR MINT 

 

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY