Jethro Tull THICK AS A BRICK UK LP 1ST i NEAR MINT-

	£		190
	$		252

JETHRO TULL - THICK AS A BRICK

IN MAGNIFICENT 1-2 PLAY CONDITION

THE RARE WHITE i FIRST ISSUE

• CATALOGUE:CHRYSALIS CHR 1003
• MATRIX: CHR1003 A-3U / CHR1003 B-2U ( NONE LOWER)
• FIRST PRESS MATRIX NUMBERS
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 1 H / 1 L (REALLY EARLY 1ST PRESS)
• ONLY THE FIRST PRESS LABELS HAVE THE WHITE i AT THE VERY TOP OF THE LABEL
• PORKY ETCHED INTO SIDE A DEAD WAX
• PECKO ETCHED INTO SIDE 2 DEAD WAX
• THESE ARE THE INSCRIPTIONS OF ONE GEORGE PECKHAM THE MASTER VINYL CUTTER (CHECK HIM OUT ON THE WEB!!) 
• HEAVYWEIGHT barely flexible FIRST ISSUE VINYL

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE PASTEL GREEN LABELS  LABELS ARE IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION, THE COLOUR IS UNBLEMISHED AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALSO CLEAR AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLE REVEALS JUST ONE MINISCULE AND BARELY VISIBLE SPIDER LINE CLOSE TO THE HOLE,WHICH I HAD TO USE A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SPOT, SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS LP HAS BEEN PLAYED.

THE VINYL

IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT EARLY ISLAND / CHRYSALIS VINYL WAS POOR QUALITY, AND THUS IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND A COPY OF ANYTHING FROM THIS AGE THAT DOESN'T HAVE INHERRANT VINYL NOISE.

THE VINYL GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR AND HAS LOST NONE OF THE ORIGINAL LUSTER AND SHEEN. THERE ARE NO MARKS AT ALL ON THE SURFACE, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE ONLY A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES TO BE SEEN. THE VINYL LOOKS TO BE UNPLAYED

 PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH . THIS IS SOMETHING I AM NOW DOING WITH ALL OF MY LISTINGS AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE FIRST THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE CLARITY OF REPRODUCTION IS SUPERB. THE CRYSTAL CLEAR INSTRUMENTATION AND VOCALS ARE PURE FIRST PRESS. THERE IS CERTAINLY NO GROOVE WEAR TO THIS RARE RECORDING WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOME DISTORTION TO THE SOUND. THERE IS NONE.

THE STEREO MIX IS ALSO MAGNIFICENT, AND RECORDED AND MIXED LOUDLY, RESULTING IN AN OUTSTANDING AUDIO PLAYTHROUGH

SO NOT ONLY IS THERE NO DISTORTION, THERE IS NO SEVERE BACKGROUND CRACKLES OR CLICKS EITHER

ISLAND RECORDINGS HAVE LONG BEEN LAMBASTED FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF VINYL USED IN THEIR EARLY LP'S WHICH HAVE OFTEN RESULTED IN UNWANTED VINYL NOISE EVEN WHERE THERE ARE NO MARKS. THIS VINYL HAS NO MARKS AND PLAYS SUPERBLY WELL THROUGH BOTH SIDES.

THERE IS SOME VERY LIGHT INHERRANT VINYL NOISE WHICH CAN ONLY BE HEARD DURING THE QUIETEST OF PASSAGES, AND ONLY THEN IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE SPEAKERS.MORESO AT THE START OF EACH SIDE.

I HEARD TWO TO THREE SMALL DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAY

HAVING SAID THIS THE VINYL IS 'AS NEW' AND I DON'T BELIEVE COULD BE BETTERED. WITH MY AUCTIONS YOU GET TO HEAR 'EVERYTHING' NOTHING HIDDEN!!

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL NEAR MINT MINUS (AND ONLY BEACUSE OF THE SLIGHT INBUILT ALSMOST SILENT NOISE)

BUT PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

A SLEEVE THAT IS USUALLY FOUND SEVERELY STAINED AND TORN. THE FIRST PRESSES WERE MADE TO LOOK LIKE A NEWSPAPER AND THE ORIGINAL ISSUE SLEEVES WERE MADE FROM A STRONG BUT PORPOUS THICK PAPER, UNLIKE THE REISSUES WHICH WERE THINNER AND NOT PRONE TO STAINING. THEREFORE FINDING A FIRST ISSUE THAT IS IN COLLECTIBLE CONDITION IS BECOMING VERY HARD INDEED. THIS ONE HAS BEEN KEPT INSIDE PLASTIC FOR MOST OF ITS LIFE AND HAS THEREFORE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME VERY WELL.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS STILL VERY WHITE, MOST OF THESE FIRST ISSUES HAVE YELLOWED WITH AGE, BUT NOT THIS ONE. THERE ARE NO STAINES, OR MOTTLING OF ANY DESCRIPTION, JUST A VERY CLEAN AND AS NEW SURFACE. NO CREASES OR CREASE LINES, NO FOLDS OR BENDS EITHER

ALL OF THE TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY CLEAR AND LEGIBLE, NO SMUDGING OR RUBBING ALTHOUGH THE BOTTOM FLAP HAS LIGHT SHELF WEAR ON WHAT WOULD BE THE BOTTOM EDGE ON ANY OTHER SLEEVE

THE SPINE IS ALSO UNDAMAGED AND AGAIN THE TEXT IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, NO DAMAGE HERE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT AND IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE SLEEVE HAS BEEN KEPT INSIDE A PLASTIC OUTER TO BE IN THIS SUPERB CONDITION.LOOKS AS GOOD AS NEW IN FACT

OPENING THE GATEFOLD UP REVEALS THE REST OF THE 'NEWSPAPER' THE FIRST THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE INNER SECTION IS FIRMLY AFFIXED WITH THE ORIGINAL STAPLES. ALL OF THE PAGES ARE IN UNTORN, UNWORN CONDITION.THE CROSSWORD AND DOT TO DOT PUZZLES ARE UNTOUCHED, AND AGAIN THE PAPER SHEETS ARE IN UNTORN CONDITION. THERE IS SOME LIGHT AGING TO THE CENTRE OF THE PAGES THIS IS DUE ONLY TO THE GENTLE AND GRADUAL AGING OF THE PAPER USED IN THE MAKING OF THE SELEVE

THE PLAIN WHITE INNER SLEVE IS IN UNSPLIT CONDITION AND HAS BARELY A CREASE LINE ON IT

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE NEAR MINT MINUS

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

GARRY

THE SLIGHT JUMP ON THE FIRST SOUNDBITE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE VINYL, BUT A GLITCH IN THE DIGITAL RECORDING