A Nice Pair

This first pressing has the highly collectable original cover with the soon to be censored image of 'W.R. Phang'.  The audio plays to a superb standard for the vast majority with only a little interference on S2.  The actual gatefold in one of the finest I have ever seen and the inners are 'as new'.

SHSP 4031/2 // YAX 3419 - 1 / YAX 3420 - 1 / YAX 3633 - 1 / YAX 3634 - 2 // MG 2 / OG 2 3 / RH 2 / AA 1

The audio on S1 is Mint

The audio on S2 is Mint

The audio on S3 is Ex+ (Near Mint in many sections / track 2 VG+ for 5 seconds / track 4 Ex)

The audio on S4 is Mint- (one minute of track 1 is Ex-)

The gatefold is Near Mint-

S1, S2 & S4 labels are Mint- / S3 label is Ex+

The original inner sleeves are Mint-

The 'Piper' vinyl is 100% immaculate and it retains a stunning mirror like glossy sheen.  It looks 'as new' and plays 'as new'!  There are no hairlines and certainly no scratches.  The 'Saucerful' vinyl is almost as clean aside from a small number of tiny specks on S4 that are extremely difficult to find I hasten to add!  It still has a superb glossy sheen and no hairlines or scratches again.

Play grading  

The audio on S1 is of a superb standard and it is obvious this vinyl has been hardly played.  There is no groove wear and the clarity and definition of each track is incredible.  The classic opening track 'Astronomy Domine' is a great example of this.  With no 'background' on the quiet intro the entire track plays 'as new'.  There is no muddiness to the sound and that is what I mean by the 'definition' i.e. you can hear each instrument and note so clearly.  Every track plays to the same exemplary standard.  There are no clicks or pops and no static or crackle either, just a mega small number of inconsequential dust ticks.  Even the quiet sections play with sublime quality and 'Pow R. Toc H' is a fine example of that.  It plays with Mint quality in my opinion and that applies to the rest of the side, absolutely superb!

S2 plays in the same way and the first track 'Interstellar Overdrive' doesn't even have any 'background' on the intro.  The quieter sections just have to be heard to be believed, not that there are many!  The clarity is of the highest calibre and this is without question one of the most stunning versions of this classic instrumental I have ever heard.  Again I don't think I am exaggerating by saying it plays 'as new' - audio does not get better than this!  The end section is just awesome and plays with fantastic power and depth and no distortion whatsoever.  The segue into 'The Gnome' is 100% perfect and then plays with superb quality and again there is no 'background' at all.  The other tracks are of the same quality although 'The Scarecrow' deserves a special mention.  The intro is just stunning and is Mint without doubt.  It may sound like there is a little distortion on the vocal but this is just how this album was recorded.  The long quiet fade out here is just incredible, never heard clearer!  'Bike' ends the first record with superb quality again - no clicks, pops, crackle etc.

From the very first groove 'Let There Be More Light' plays with incredible definition again and yes no 'background'!  This depth and clarity is prevalent throughout and there is not even a solitary dust tick on the fade out.  This is another track that deserves a Mint grading.  'Remember A Day' is the first track that has any obvious interference.  The intro is superb but about one minute in there are a couple of static sounds and then a couple of click type sounds that are more obvious.  The rest of the track plays without fault and is a wonderful listen.  'Set The Controls...' begins with no 'background' and then plays with great clarity and only the odd very light static sound here and there.  They are very much in the background and do no not intrude and overall it plays with superb sound for such a quiet track.  'Corporal Clegg'  as is always the case plays with some distortion on the vocal (this is how it was recorded) but still plays very well and with only one click.

'A Saucerful Of Secrets' on S4 plays beautifully from the outset and again you can hear each note perfectly, the clarity is stunning.  The long intro is superb and there are only a small number of mega light dust ticks.  This fantastic audio continues up until the organ section begins.  At this point there are a handful of very light clicks and a couple of further clicks when the organ alone is playing.  Thereafter it plays very clearly with only a little static here and there.  As it builds the audio once again plays with incredible precision and this is especially true from the choral section onwards.  The final 3/4 minutes is exceptional and grades as Mint, the audio quite simply plays 'as new'.  Both 'See-Saw' and 'Jugband Blues' end the album with superlative audio throughout.  Neither have any interference and rarely have I heard them play so clearly.  In fact I cannot emphasise enough just how clear the audio is.  A fabulous end to a near perfect double album.

In summary this album plays with superb clarity and especially the first record.  Admittedly there is a little interference on the second record but it doesn't take away from what is a very well preserved LP that comes complete with a very impressive first press 'Dr Phang' cover.

The Gatefold

This gatefold is one of the cleanest I have ever seen and has minimal shelf wear.  As can be seen it has the uncensored W.R. Phang picture on the front cover as per the first pressings.  On subsequent pressings either a sticker was placed over the image or it was replaced entirely with a different image.  This is obviously the most collectable cover.

The edges are in pristine condition aside from one mega tiny mark on the bottom edge of the front cover.  The wide spine is also in superlative condition with no marking and no corner wear either.  Only the right hand corners have a very minor amount of wear, barely any top right and only a small crease bottom right.  The opening edges have no handling wear at all.  The front and back cover plus the inside of the gatefold are all in supreme condition with no marking of any kind.  You would be hard pressed to find a better 'first press' cover than this.

Inner sleeves

The original EMI sleeves are without doubt the best I have ever seen.  The fact that they have no splits is such a rarity and there are no creases or markings anywhere.  Absolutely superb examples!

The labels

The yellow/green Harvest labels have no marking/writing on them and are in superb condition.  The S3 label just has a small number of very faint marks on it.  The others are pristine.  The first record has only 3/4 small spindle traces on each side and the second only one tiny spindle trace on S4.  These vinyls have been hardly played in my opinion.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

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

SHSP 4031/2 // YAX 3419 - 1 / YAX 3420 - 1 / YAX 3633 - 1 / YAX 3634 - 2 // MG 2 / OG 2 3 / RH 2 / AA 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

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