Sold Date: December 4, 2016
Start Date: November 27, 2016
Final Price: $19.99 (USD)
Bid Count: 1
Seller Feedback: 274
Buyer Feedback: 71

This week I'm auctioning a batch of selected LPs. I have done my best to present and describe the albums accurately. I've spent several years doing a deep research dedicated to classic rock records so all the information collected about a particular album is listed below. I'm not going to call any record "megarareprereleaseearliestpossiblematrixnumberstamperscopy" just because it's the record I'm selling at the moment (like some sellers, sadly, do). Below you'll find just pure facts. 

A note for potential buyers: I guarantee shipping next day after payment has been received but I cannot guarantee delivery time. It's December and postal services are working slower than usually so please keep this in mind if you need delivery before Christmas. European buyers may expect delivery within 10-15 days but to other destinations it may take more.

TEN YEARS AFTER Cricklewood Green original Deram UK first pressing, early LP, TOP COPY

To get the best of any album one should acquire not only the earliest possible pressing but also the ORIGINAL one like the UK pressing in case of the Ten Years After LP offered here. Any other country pressing is always a compromise and in most cases would never sound equally not to mention the collecting value.

Pressing details.

Record / label

The label of the copy offered here belongs to the earliest version used for the album although I have to admit that same labels have been in use for at least a couple of years since the initial release, this label design is probably the longest lived one for Deram. The key features are, to name a few:

-DERAM does not have the (R) mark to the front of it

-the label size is 92 mm

-the Decca matrix number is printed the right way up above the catalogue number

-the publishing year is situated at the very bottom of the label, under the artist

Some minor changes in Deram label came only in 1971 when the (R) mark was added to the DERAM logo at the top, and slightly later the publishing year was moved to the right part of the label above the catalogue and matrix number.

Matrix numbers, other run-out info

Matrices for this copy are the earliest possible ones:  XZAL-9583.P-1W and XZAL-9583.P-1W As we all know for Decca company releases (Deram was a Decca label) matrix numbers were not the same as catalogue numbers because the internal matrix numbering system was used at the plant, the same system was used at the EMI plant. Each record's side was assigned  a matrix number that's why the numbers don't include indication of A or B side. The W ending the matrix numbers stands for Harry Fisher, the cutting engineer. As for the mothers and stampers they show that this copy is definitely one of the earliest. These are 1-UB and 1-UB respectively. So the first mother and 21th stamper for both sides. Not a pre-release copy but a VERY EARLY copy indeed considering the pressing amount and the fact that the album entered charts less than a month after release and the chart run was 27 weeks (!).  Can you imagine how huge the pressing was?

Cover

The cover is the earliest possible matt finish one, printed by Garrod and Lofthouse, with the see-through window on rear for indication of mono/stereo using the inner sleeve colour. "Cricklewood Green" was the last Deram album to be released in a "hole cover"! So obviously later additional pressings of this mega popular album came in covers without this see-through hole.

Inner sleeve

The inner sleeve of this set gives us the final clue for dating this particular copy. The inner sleeve is guaranteed to be original and correct as this is the Decca plant/company blue print sleeve (the blue colour stands for STEREO, red ones were used for MONO) printed by Robert Stace, with the correct Patent... statements AND THE PRINTING DATE: 7-70. Thus we may assume that the copy offered here was pressed around July 1970, maybe August but not later.

Poster.

Unfortunately the poster is missing from the copy and I'm not about telling lies that this is OK for this issue. This is NOT OK, the poster should have been there as it is a very early copy but it is missing. I'm offering this copy for sale leaning in its exceptional, outstanding condition which is really hard to beat. A poster can be easily bought at a fair price as a part of an average condition set.

Condition

Here we have what is called a VAULT COPY, a MUSEUM COPY or whatever you like, Sir. It is virtually impossible to better.

The cover is Solid NEAR MINT with minimal wear of the corners being the only real flaw. One corner seems to havebeen slightly affected by moisture, check the pictures. Both front, rear and inside panels are virtually flawless. There are some rubbing areas at the spine (as shown on photos) which is fully readable though. These non-laminated covers are much prone to wear and to find one with not even a hint of ringwear is not easy at all.

The record has only some signs of being removed from the inner sleeve (hardly visible under a 80 W lamp, a stronger light source is needed for that) but absolutely no scratches / marks of any kind.

Playback is simply FANTASTIC: the run-ins are DEADLY SILENT as are the gaps between tracks and the quieter passages. The mastering job has been done perfectly for this first pressing and offers a full-bodied powerful yet detailed sound. I won't say it's just hard to find a better playing copy, I'd say such chances are close to zero! FULL NEAR MINT record!

Summary

Artist: TEN YEARS AFTER

Title: CRICKLEWOOD GREEN

Country of origin: UK

Release and pressing year:  1970 July/August

Label: DERAM

Catalogue number: SML 1065

Pressing plant: DECCA

Pressing: ORIGINAL, FIRST

Grading cover/record: NEAR MINT / NEAR MINT

Inner sleeve: ORIGINAL, CORRECT

Matrix numbers: XZAL-9583.P-1W and XZAL-9583.P-1W

Mothers - stampers: 1-UB and 1-UB

Play-testing setup

Thorens 125 table, MC type cartridge Kuzma  KC-1 (OEM manufactured by ZYX), Luxman L-560 amp, Harbeth HL-7 speakers.

Treating records

I always treat vinyl records with the greatest care - just because I love them. All the records I sell have been cleaned professionally with the isopropyl alcohol based solution and placed in brand new deluxe German made poly-lined inner sleeves. Original inners are surely preserved. For further packing I use re-sealable outer sleeves, custom German made LP mailers with cardboard stiffeners and I add extra protection for corners for heavy parcels.

Shipping

Shipping cost for this item is 18 USD WORLDWIDE. I ship worldwide by Registered Air Mail and obtain an internationally valid tracking number. If the postal service of your country allows tracing of incoming overseas parcel you'll be able to use the tracking number. I'm happy to offer combined shipping for multiple purchases, this allows to save quite a lot on postage. Feel free to contact me if you need to know shipping price for several items.

Payment

Paypal.

Внимание, покупателям из России: с удовольствием отправлю пластинку в любую точку РФ по тарифам Почты России. Однако, если оплата идёт через Paypal, необходима полная страховка посылки, что составляет 4% от стоимости. Внутри РФ оплата возможна на карту Сбербанка, в этом случае страховка посылки - на Ваше усмотрение. Особо ценные пластинки по желанию могу отправить EMS

A VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ!!!!!

POSTAL SERVICES WORLDWIDE ARE ALREADY WORKING VERY SLOWLY AS CHRISTMAS TIME IS NEAR. DELIVERY BY REGISTERED AIR MAIL TAKES FROM 2 TO 4 WEEKS! MAY BE EVEN LONGER TO THE AMERICAN CONTINENT, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN.

I CAN SHIP BY EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE AT COST (MUCH FASTER) BUT IT'S NEARLY A DOUBLE PRICE.

IF YOU ARE IMPATIENT AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO SEEK FOR SIMILAR ITEMS ELSEWHERE. BY BIDDING ON MY ITEM YOU CONFIRM ACCEPTING THE TERMS ABOVE!