Jethro Tull THICK AS A BRICK UK LP A3U/B2U 3-4 PLAY EVER 100% MINT MINUS/ MINT

	£		46
	$		61

JETHRO TULL - THICK AS A BRICK

IN MAGNIFICENT MINT MINUS / MINT!!! 2-3 PLAY CONDITION

NEAR MINT  SLEEVE

• CATALOGUE:CHRYSALIS CHR 1003
• MATRIX: CHR1003 A-3U / CHR1003 B-2U
• FIRST PRESS MATRIX NUMBERS
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 2 L / 3 LM
• PORKY ETCHED INTO SIDE A DEAD WAX
• PECKO ETCHED INTO SIDE 2 DEAD WAX
• OUTSTANDING E.J.DAY 1ST ISSUE SLEEVE

This is the 2nd pressing of this classic album. there are just two minor differences between the first and second presses. Firstly the vinyl is slightly thinner on the second press, and secondly the rim wording and small white i logo's do not appear on the second press

However what is identical is the matrix number (-3u/-2u) and thus the original cuts were used even on this press. the clarity of the two are identical and the reproduction every bit as good as the white i label 1st issues.

THE PORKY & PECKO ETCHINGS IN THE DEAD WAX CONFIRM THAT THIS WAS MASTERED LIKE THE 1ST PRESS BY GEORGE PECKHAM

The other thing that is identical is the newspaper sleeve. only much later issues were replaced with a completely different sleeve

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 THREE OR FOUR SMALL SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE HOLE, SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS LP HAS BEEN PLAYED.ALTHOUGH ON SIDE ONE THERE IS ONLY ONE SPIDER LINE SO IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT SIDE TWO HAS ONLY EVER BEEN PLAYED ONCE. EITHER WAY THIS IS A BARELY PLAYED VINYL

THE VINYL

THIS VINYL IS JUST IMMACULATE. STUNNINGLY GLEAMING AND IT HAS RETAINED ALL OF THE LUSTRE ON BOTH SIDES. IN DAYLIGHT IT IS ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS, AND EVEN WHEN PLACED UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A COUPLE OF WISPY HAIRLINES TO BE SEEN, PLUS ONE LITTLE DULL STREAK ON SIDE 2 (TOTALLY NON SOUNDING)

 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 . I HAVE TAKEN THIS EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT AS I BELIEVE IT'S WHAT EBAYERS WANT FROM SELLERS. IT IS OFTEN SAID AND FAIRLY SO THAT BUYING FROM EBAY CAN BE A TOTAL LOTTERY, AND THAT SELLERS OF LIMITED KNOWLEDGE DESCRIBE LP'S AS MINT AND ARE ACTUALLY ANYTHING BUT. WELL HERE YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ACTUAL ALBUM YOU ARE THINKING OF BIDDING ON.AND I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY 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.

ISLAND / CHRYSALIS 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 LP PLAYS SUPERBLY WELL THROUGH BOTH SIDES.

THE RECORDING PLAYS WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND CRACKLE WHATSOEVER, AND CERTAINLY NO LOUD CLICKS

NO EMBEDDED VINYL NOISE WHICH AS I MENTIONED BEFORE IS VERY RARE ON THESE RECORDINGS

THERE IS THE ODD SPECK OF BARELY AUDIBLE STATIC IN ONE OR TWO PLACES,ON SIDE ONE ONLY AND I HEARD 1-2 TINY DUST POPS THROUGH THE WHOLE PLAYTHROUGH. SIDE TWO PLAYS TO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH

I WOULD GRADE THIS ALBUM MINT MINUS FOR SIDE ONE,A ND 100% MINT FOR SIDE TWO

PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF THOUGH

THE SLEEVE

E.J.DAY NEWSPAPER DESIGN ORIGINAL 1ST ISSUE 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 POROUS 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 ALL OF ITS LIFE AND IS IN MINT MINUS CONDITION

THE FRONT SURFACE IS STILL VERY WHITE, MOST OF THESE FIRST ISSUES HAVE YELLOWED WITH AGE, BUT NOT THIS ONE. THERE ARE NO STAINS, OR MOTTLING OF ANY DESCRIPTION, JUST SOME VERY VERY MILD HANDLING TO THE RIGHT EDGE, BUT I MUST STRESS THAT THIS IS VERY VERY LIGHT. THERE IS ALSO ONE TINY SMUDGE JUST ABOVE THE FOLD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SQUARE PART OF THE COVER.

WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE, IS THE FOLD ITSELF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE COVER, WHICH WHEN OPENED UP REVEALS THE REST OF THE FRONT SURFACE. AGAIN THESE ARE USUALLY WORN THROUGH FROM NATURAL SHELF WEAR, BUT BECAUSE THIS SLEEVE HAS BEEN INSIDE PLASTIC ALL OF IT'S LIFE, THIS ONE HAS REMAINED UNRUBBED AND THEREFORE PRISTINE

THE SPINE IS ALSO IMMACULATE AND THIS ALWAYS RUBS AND WEARS, BUT THIS COPY HAS PERFECT TYPEFACE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT, AGAIN PERFECTLY WHITE WITH A PRISTINE FOLD, AND TYPEFACE.

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.

THE INNER PAGES ARE STILL IN SUPERB CONDITION AND UNLIKE MOST COPIES HAVE ONLY STARTED TO TURN A VERY LIGHT SHADE OF BROWN AT THE EDGES. MOST I HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN VERY HEAVILY BROWNED, BUT THESE ARE IN SUPERB CONDITION. THERE IS A LIGHT STAIN WHICH APPEARS ON THE LOWER SECTION OF EACH PAGE

THE DOT TO DOT HAS BEEN VERY LIGHTLY COMPLETED IN FINE PENCIL USING NO PRESSURE ON THE PAPER, AND COULD EASILY BE ERASED. THE CROSSWORD HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED AT ALL

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE  NEAR MINT

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

GARRY