FULLY TEST PLAYED AND RECORDED SO YOU CAN HEAR IT BEFORE BIDDING 

THIS ALBUM WAS ONE OF THE 'GIANTS' THAT SOLD IN THE MILLIONS, BUT BACK IN 1973 WHEN IT WAS THE FIRST EVER ALBUM RELEASED ON THE NEW VIRGIN LABEL IT SOLD POORLY, IN FACT IT TOOK OVER A YEAR TO REACH THE UK NUMBER 1 POSITION IN THE CHARTS. THEREFORE FINDING A FIRST PRESS WITH IT'S SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IS INDEED A RARITY

 A FIRST PRESS TUBULAR BELLS IT MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING TRAITS

1. THE SLEEVE MUST BE FULLY LAMINATED ON BOTH SIDES (LATER PRESSES WERE UNLAMINATED)

2. THE LABELS MUST BE TOTALLY BLACK AND WHITE (NO OTHER COLOUR WHATSOEVER) ALL OTHERS ARE REISSUES

A QUICK TRIVIA QUESTION. WHO ANNOUNCES THE INSTRUMENTS AT THE END OF SIDE ONE?

A: VIVIEN STANSHALL OF THE BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND

THE RECORD

THE LABELS

THE LABELS ARE IN TOP CONDITION, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE COLOURS ARE UNRUBBED WITH THE WHITE SECTION REMAINING 'WHITE'  AND THE BLACK DEEP AND RICH . THE  SURFACE FULLY STRETCHES IN TO UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE, WHERE THER ARE JUST 1-2 REALLY TINY SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE, SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS SUPERB ALBUM HAS BEEN PLAYED

THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE AND UNRUBBED.

THE VINYL

THE VINYL HAS RETAINED  ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL SHEEN, AND LOOKS MAGNIFICENT.  TOTALLY FLAWLESS IN FACT

EVEN WHEN PLACED UNDER SPOTLIGHTS I CAN ONLY SEE A COUPLE OF SMALL WISPY HAIRLINES

THE TEST PLAY

THE LP PLAYS REALLY WELL THOUGH BOTH SIDES

IT PLAYS WITHOUT ANY DISTORTION TO THE SOUND WHATSOEVER. THIS MEANS THERE IS NO GROOVE WEAR

THERE ARE SO MANY QUIET PASSAGES OF MUSIC IN THE ALBUM 

THERE IS NO HEAVY BACKGROUND CRACKLE AT ANY POINT NOR ARE THERE ANY LOUD CLICKS

THERE IS A LITTLE LIGHT BACKGROUND AT THE START OF THE FIRST SIDE AND AT THE END OF THE SIDE, A LITTLE MORE PROMINENT LIGHT CRACKLE BEHIND THE MUSIC

A FEW RANDOM SPECKS OF LOW LEVEL BACKGROUND DURING THE PLAYTHROUGH. THIS MUST BE EMBEDDED AS THERE ARE NO MARKS ON THE RECORD THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS

NO DUST POPS OR TICS AT ALL

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS AUDIO EX+

BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, TAKE A LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

CORRECT 1ST ISSUE E.J.DAY LAMINATED SINGLE SLEEVE

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN, AND THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES, NOR ARE THERE ANY BENDS OR DINGS

THE COLOURS HAVE ALL BEEN RETAINED AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF RUBBING, AND PARTICULARLY NO RING WEAR.

THE LAMINATE GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR, AND LOOKS SUPERB. ONE TINY SPECK OF LIFT AT THE TOP OF THE SPINE. NO PEEL  OR FLAKE

THERE IS ONE MINUSCULE LAMINATE PRESSURE LINE AGAINST THE SPINE. NOBE ON THE TOP EDGE.NONE ON THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR. AND HAS CLEARLY BEEN PROTECTED SINCE NEW. THE LAMINATE ON THESE EDGES IS IN PRISTINE MARK FREE CONDITION

THE SPINE IS FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR AND EVERY LETTER OF THE TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. IT IS ALSO VERY FLAT 

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

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS PERFECT AS THE FRONT SURFACE

THE ORIGINAL PAPER INNER SLEEVE IS INCLUDED AND IS IN UNSPLIT CONDITION.

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE MINT MINUS

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

GARRY