Sold Date: July 21, 2024
Start Date: July 14, 2024
Final Price: $233.50 (USD)
Bid Count: 19
Seller Feedback: 2898
Buyer Feedback: 0

 (Note:  If you win multiple items in a week’s listings, please wait for the end of all of the auctions for me to invoice you, so that you can take advantage of my combined shipping offer.  Thanks!)

1983 Test Pressing Bob Dylan 45 Sweetheart Like You, Signed NM!

I can’t test-play vinyl at the minute, so with that said…

In the late 1980’s when I was living in Philadelphia, I picked this up at a used record store called Drastic Plastic, known for finding the best high quality funky stuff.  The only problem was that the store owner had no provenance for this signature.  But what he did have were known copies of Dylan’s signature, which he had compared this one to in front of me.  As with Bob’s live performances, he changed up the way he signed his name, and so there were comperes that we had to look for, in order to be reasonably sure.

To simulate that experiment, I’ve pulled up several examples of Dylan’s signature from the 1980’s.  Pay close attention to the last name in particular.

*His “B’s” and “D’s” are a-changing, but his “ylan’s” remain fairly consistent. His capital letters are the most inconsistent.  Sometimes he loops them, and sometimes not.

*Also, somewhere around the mid-2000’s, he stopped looping his “y” and started making it a drop-down straight line.

If in doubt, bid on the value of the scarcity of it being a test pressing instead, and get the signature as a bonus if you win it.

Sleeve:  EX.  No splits.

Vinyl: NM/NM.  Looks unplayed on both sides.  Beautiful styrene pressing, virgin vinyl.  Crisp, clear and bold sound quality.

Labels: EX/EX.  Side 1 label has a bubble to the left of the playhole.

Signature: Bold writing black ballpoint.  Definitely live ink.

Plates: ZSS171522-1A/ ZSS171522-1B.  Must be the same stereo version on each side, judging by the catalogue numbers.

As these records have been in storage for many years, they will play back with crackling and tics, however; a good moisturizing and cleaning with either D4 Discwasher or a VPI machine always clears them up.  Thanks!)

Note:  All 45’s ship outside of their sleeves in order not to damage the sleeve during shipment. Generic plain, white sleeves and Mylar provided.

Please don’t bid unless you’re willing to honor your amount, okay? Thanks!

(Please note:  Regarding play-testing, my Technics turntable has somehow seized.  The tone arm is stuck in the up position, and I can’t get it to fully return to its cradle.  Is there anyone out there, who can tell me if this is an easy fix?  Thanks!) 

Check out my other auctions for more hard-to-find vinyl!

Shipping is $4.63 for Media Mail for up to 3 single or double albums, excluding boxed sets within the U.S.  $4.63 covers shipping for up to 5 singles within the U.S. 

Winners in all other countries will be charged actual shipping to their locations, so please wait to be invoiced.  You will be quoted for the cheapest shipping to your country that the US post office can afford me.  Please let me know if you would prefer to pay for a faster means of shipping, but do NOT ask me to declare packages as gifts, or any other means of defrauding the postal services.  Much appreciated.

I ship on Mondays and Thursdays.  This means that immediate payments will be shipped out the following morning, and later payments must wait until the first available Monday or Thursday after payment is received.  Please pay within 7 days of the auction ending.  I do leave negative feedback for non-payers.

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