I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges.  However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale.  No shipping to Russia currently.

Black Sabbath : Paranoid 1Y1 / 2Y1 1st press Vertigo Big Bear Management Credits 1970

This first Vertigo pressing plays to a superb standard with only minimal intrusion.  The vast majority is stunning and the only real intrusion is a little static during the opening section of 'Planet Caravan' and one static click on 'Hand Of Doom'.  However,  the majority of both these tracks play with great clarity which is a rarity for this first pressing!  The other tracks play to an incredible standard with a sonic quality that would be heard to beat.

Of course it's the cover that is so collectable and it does not disappoint!  It is easily one of the best I have seen with only minimal wear and the inside with the Big Bear management credit is stunning.  The original Vertigo inner is in excellent condition also.

This first pressing has a large Vertigo swirl on the label and there is no break between 'Hand Of Doom' and 'Rat Salad' on S2 so it looks as if there are just three tracks on the side.  Big Bear credit on the inside which was soon removed on the second and later pressings.

6360011 1Y//1▽420 1 2  5

6360011 2Y//1▽420 1 1  1 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T1 Near Mint / T3 opening section VG+ then Ex+ for remainder)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 ranges between Ex+ and Mint-)

The Big Bear gatefold is a very strong Ex-

The Vertigo inner sleeve is Ex-

The labels are Ex+

Visual description

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still has a strong glossy look with no actual marks or scratches.  Yes there are some faint hairlines but they are purely superficial as they have barely any impact on the superb audio.  Some very faint 'speckling' on S2 also.  There is no groove wear or 'clouding' on the vinyl and if you look under 'normal' lighting the vinyl is very clean indeed.  The Vertigo labels are very clean with no marking or writing, just some spindle wear.

Play grading

The intro on 'War Pigs' plays with stunning quality - Iommi's down-tuned sound and Butler's bass are so deep and strong and there is no background at all.  The air-raid section could not play any better.  Ward's quiet percussive section also plays with sublime clarity Osbourne's opening vocal is equal to that.  So far no ticks, clicks or pops and only a couple of barely audible statics.  The following instrumental keeps up the standard with no intrusion and next 'high octane' vocal section is just as clean.  From then on the clarity, depth and resonance of the audio cannot be faulted and indeed the next instrumental can only be described 'as new'.  The next quiet percussive piece is again so quiet (!) and the following vocal has just one tick and an even quieter one which is the only background across the entire track.  The classic end section plays with outstanding quality and Near Mint is deserved here.  A fine start.

The classic 'Paranoid' plays with a clarity, depth and power that is second to none.  From start to finish there is no interference, no 'muddiness' to the sound and no distortion either.  Just 2/3 barely audible statics and it has to grade as Mint- at the very least.

We all know 'Planet Caravan' can often play with a fair amount of static / crackle but overall this is quite an impressive version.  The intro has only minimal light static and the first verse is very clean.  The next two verses have a little more static once per revolution but it's not what I would call loud, only a handful of 'sounds' a little more intrusive.  However, from then onwards the clarity is superb!  The next vocal section has barely any background and Iommi's delicate end section is very similar.  I will grade the opening section as VG+ and at least Ex+ for the remainder.

'Iron Man' has only a couple of minor statics on the intro and as Iommi really gets into his stride closely followed by Ward the playback is stunning.  The opening vocal section is flawless and it continues to play with genuine quality.  There is no inner groove distortion and the clarity and depth here is phenomenal and nowhere is that more obvious than during the long instrumental section.  The final vocal section is stunning and the closing instrumental could not play any better either - aided so much of course by Butler's deep bass.  Mint-

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The intro and opening vocal on 'Electric Funeral' play perfectly and it continues in the same way.  The second vocal section has not even a solitary dust tick and Ward's intro into the mid instrumental is equally as clean.  This section incorporating Ozzy's more powerful vocal is superb and the rest of the track is of the same standard.  The long fade out plays with incredible clarity also.  A Mint- version in my opinion.

The quiet intro on 'Hand Of Doom' has only the bare minimum of light static, nothing intrusive, and Osbourne's opening vocal just has one static click and one light tick.  The first 'louder' passage is superb and the next quieter section plays with great clarity.  It proceeds in much the same way and Butler's quiet bass section is an example of that with barely any static.  The high octane section is stunning - the sonic quality has lost none of its original power and there is literally nothing to detract from the audio, the audio is stunning.  The quiet passages towards the end play with stunning clarity once more and there is no distortion on the louder sections.  A very impressive version that ranges between Ex+ and Mint- in my opinion but certainly more of the latter.  Much like PC on S1 it often plays with background but there is only a minimal amount here.

'Rat Salad' plays with sublime precision all the way through with no interference.  There is not so much as a dust tick and Mint is a fair assessment of the audio.

The entire intro on 'Fairies Wear Boots' plays without fault and Osbourne's opening vocal is on the same level.  It continues in the same manner with a sonic quality lifted straight from 1970!  Again the audio is so powerful and deep.  I turned it up to max (the family were out!) and I cannot emphasise enough just how strong and clear the audio is.  The mid instrumental is a prime example of that and this version is very much up there with the best I have ever heard.  Despite being the final track there is no inner groove distortion and final vocal is just as strong.  The closing section has no intrusion and I am fully confident in grading this classic as Mint such is the quality.  What a finish!

The Gatefold & Vertigo Inner Sleeve

The Big Bear cover is easily one of the cleanest I have seen in a long time.  So difficult to find in decent shape because it isn't laminated this one has been preserved very well.  The top edges have very little rubbing but there is a little more on the bottom edge of the front cover.  The wide spine remains strong and clean with only a small number of 'rubs' and some wear on the corners.  The right hand corners have only minimal wear and the opening edge is in superb order.  The front cover is so clean with only a couple of minor specks and a handful of the usual faint creases next to the spine.  The back cover has just one very small scuff and a couple of minor creases that you can only see when you hold the cover at a certain angle.  The inside of the gatefold is stunning!  It is so often see with a lot of marking / scuffing but this one is so clean with only a handful of minor specks.  A very strong example of this iconic and sought after cover.

The Vertigo inner (dated 0470) is in excellent condition apart from one small tear on the central aperture.  It has very little marking and only some light creasing.

Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine

6360011 1Y//1▽420 1 2  5

6360011 2Y//1▽420 1 1  1 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping.  This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage.  The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered.  Any over-payment will always be refunded.

The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD).  An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known.  Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing.  Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.  Many thanks.

All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection.  They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection.  I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.

The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each.  There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up!  Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!

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