Madonna Lucky Star rare UK 12", 1983 'sunglasses' sleeve (Sire, W9522T) EX cond.

	£		180
	$		239

Madonna - Lucky Star (1983)

Rare UK 12", Sunglasses Sleeve

Sire, W 9522 (T)

Mega-rare first UK 12" pressing of the classic Madonna single Lucky Star, originally released in 1983; contains two tracks, the full-length version of Lucky Star on the a-side and I Know It on the b-side; the 12" was pressed in the UK (matrix: XW 9522T A-1U-1-1, B-1U-1-1); this is the first release from September 1983 which came with the infamous 'sunglasses' sleeve - this was only available for a very short period and sold in tiny numbers, before being reissued with a different sleeve; grab it now while you can!

CONDITION:

Labels: Near Mint
Very clean labels, no writing, just a couple of light spindle marks on the b-side label.

Vinyl (visual): EX
Has some hairline marks when held up to a bright light, but nothing serious, still has an excellent shiny surface.

Vinyl (audio): EX+
Lovely sound, nice and beefy, light crackling only.

Sleeve: EX/EX+
This is an excellent sleeve, much better condition than most I've seen; there are no split seams, no tears or rips, no writing, not even much in the way of ring wear; I've tried to photograph the couple of small issues - a slight bend to one corner, some creasing to the top edge, but little else other than general light wear; please see the pictures for more info.

NB: The condition grades shown above are based on Record Collector's grades. There are 5 grades: Near Mint (used but in stunning 'nearly new' condition); EX+ (used but with a bare minimum of wear); EX (item may have some light marks but still in a desirable condition); VG+ (has a few marks but only cosmetic, item plays perfectly); and VG (may have minor issues which I will specifically refer to); I don't sell anything below VG (and Mint doesn't exist). Unlike a lot of people on eBay, I am very scrupulous about my grading, so if ever you are less than satisfied with the condition of an item, please do contact me.

SPECIALIST IN EARLY CD PRESSINGS:

As Tillysmusic, I've been an eBay seller for many years, and specialise in early/1980s CD pressings. If anybody tells you that early CDs were badly mastered and sound bad, don't believe them! Although there are exceptions, the vast majority of 1980s CD pressings sound wonderful, especially West German and Japanese pressings from between 1982 and 1988. Pressings from this era tend to have a much warmer 'natural' sound not unlike how you remember the vinyl original, as opposed to more modern reissues which are remixed for iPods with bass boost and added compression. Remember, not all early pressings are mega-rare or valuable, but are nearly always worth checking out.

PS: I also endeavour to sell my early CDs with their original heavy plastic cases, which I believe is an important part of the whole package; this means that some of these old cases will come with scuffing or small cracks, but I will always describe any noticeable problems.

PHOTOGRAPHS & DESCRIPTIONS:

All photographs show the actual item for sale - I don't sell multiple items, and definitely don't use other people's photos stolen from other listings. All descriptions are as honest and as accurate as possible. Should you need any more information about an item, I'm very happy to answer any questions you have. In certain circumstances, I can also provide extra photographs.

PAYMENT & POSTAGE:

PayPal only. UK bidders can opt for standard First Class or Signed For delivery. All overseas purchases are shipped using Royal Mail's International Tracked service which is a safe and reliable option. I will provide you with a Tracking Number you can access on the Royal Mail website. I can offer a reduced postal charge for multiple purchases, details on enquiry. I can also ship items without the plastic cases, which will allow me to significantly reduce the postage charges due to the reduced weight. If you have any questions about postage or about the item itself, please ask before bidding. Thanks.