Sold Date: February 17, 2016
Start Date: February 10, 2016
Final Price: $150.00 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 1997
Buyer Feedback: 0

Classic Black Sabbath album from 1971 AND A RARE ODDITY TO BOOT!!!!!

Here you have a hybird LP - half MISPRINT/half corrected LABEL with Side 1 still labeled as "Masters of  Reality" with additional song track "The Haunting" listed while Side 2 has a corrected "Master of Reality" label that removed the tracks "Step Up" and "Deathmask" from the song listing. 

The true original issue of this album - the very 1st of 3 variations of the green WB label releases for this classic Sabbath album from 1971 had labels that sported a misprint album title and listed 3 additional non-existent tracks (supposedly a joke played on Warner Bros Record Company execs by the band).  Warner Bros subsequently issued two more versions of the green label before they finally got it corrected to their satisfaction.  The 1st correction amended the album title to "Master of Reality" and removed non-existent track song listings of "The Haunting" from Side 1 and "Step Up" and "Deathmask" from Side 2.  The track "After Forever" still retained the tag "(including the Elegy") which was subsequently removed on the 3rd version/2nd correction.

Apparently this LP got caught in the transition from the 1st version misprint label to the 2nd version label (1st correction) and somehow ended up with one of each.  The corrected label side is the 1st attempt WB made at correcting errors as it still lists the track "After Forever" with the tag "(including the Elegy") in the title.  The subsequent 2nd correction of this label (3rd version) removed the "(including the Elegy" from the title.  I have had quite a few misprint "Masters of Reality" - this is the very first and only one I have ever seen/heard of with a misprinted label on one side and corrected label on the other.

This IS A COMPLETE package.  You get: AUDIOPHILE QUALITY playing vinyl (EXC+/NM) with mint labels and GORGEOUS appearance DEAD MINT original poster - never displayed - no pin holes, no tape residue, minor wear along fold lines. Solid VG jacket with good face/back with wear centered mostly along outer edges (usual stress lines)
original WB inner sleeve in VG condition - minor splits on sides & bottom THIS HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY PLAYTESTED!!!!! NO RELIANCE ON VISUAL APPEARANCE TO GUESS HOW IT SOUNDS - This LP offers a truly EXCELLENT LISTENING EXPERIENCE - AUDIOPHILE QUALITY - plays LOUD, NO POPS OR TICKS FROM SCRATCHES - JUST AN OCCASIONAL RANDOM SNAP FROM DUST.  VIRTUALLY HISS FREE/CRACKLE FREE SOUNDSTAGE ON THIS - THE RUN-OFFS FROM ONE TRACK TO NEXT ARE VERY CLEAN (QUIET) SOUNDING. 

THE SURFACE OF THE VINYL ON THIS IS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN LOOKING - POSSIBLY AS GOOD AS I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED - A BEAUTIFUL SHEEN WITH VERY MINOR PAPER SCUFFING AND HAIRLINES, OTHERWISE IT IS VIRTUALLY NEW LOOKING. THE LABELS ARE MINT.

SOLID album jacket (VG) is the correct embossed version (high relief) that still retains a fair amount of sheen.   No real discernable album ring impression and no scuffing to finish, particularly to embossed album title.  Normal amount of stress lines around edges - mostly on spine, some moderate corner wear - mostly to bottom spine.  No significant edge stress lines/creases present around edges - worse one extends from the bottom of the R in Master.  No seam splits along either the top or bottom edges.  Spine has color breaks along it but catalog #, band name and album title remain completely visible.  NO COLOR TOUCHUPS to hide any color breaks!!!   Comes with original and correct WB inner sleeve in nice condition - with minor side and bottom splits.

Poster is original vintage and is in absolutely DEAD MINT condition - very obvious it has never been displayed.  Deep, bright colors - no fading here.  Fold lines have no significant color loss, corners are sharp and edges are perfect with no creases, rips, pin holes or tape residue.

I DID NOT BOTHER DOING A BLOW BY BLOW ACCOUNT OF HOW EACH TRACK PLAYS (LIKE I NORMALLY DO WITH THESE) AS THIS LP PLAYS EXC++ TO MINT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES.

EVEN THOUGH THIS DIDN'T NEED TO BE CLEANED - I DECIDED TO USE MY SPECIAL PROCESS (NON-WET) TO DEEP CLEAN THE GROOVES OF ANY RANDOM DUST/DEBRIS.  LIKE I PREVIOUSLY SAID THIS PLAYED AT AUDIOPHILE QUALITY BEFORE CLEANING WITH ONLY A COUPLE RANDOM INCONSEQUENTIAL TICKS HEARD ON PLAYBACK.  AFTER CLEANING SIDE 2 THIS PLAYS MINT - THE SOUNDSTAGE IS PERFECTLY QUIET - NO HISS OR CRACKLE, THE LEAD INS/OUTS FROM EACH TRACK ARE SILENT.  "ORCHID" PLAYS IMMACULATELY AS DOES "SOLITUDE" - THE 2 TRACKS ON THIS LP THAT YOU WANT NEAR PERFECTION ON.  I HAVE HAD SEVERAL HIGH QUALITY COPIES OF THIS FOR SALE AND I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THIS IS THE BEST (CLEANEST) PLAYING ONE I HAVE EVER HAD MY HANDS ON.

NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE A VERY RARE ITEM HERE WITH A COMBINATION 1ST MISPRINT LABEL AND 1ST REVISED LABEL - YOU GOT A MINT PLAYING LP - YOU WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER ONE LIKE THIS.