PINK FLOYD, DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - A3/B2 - MIDNIGHT BLUE - COMPLETE - EX+ AUDIO

	£		64
	$		85

All my items have a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described you can return it for a full refund.

But . . . (I know that this should be common sense) . . .

. . . please ensure that you have read and understood the description before placing a bid.

Thank you.

Unbelievably, there are people who bid on listings (sometimes hundreds of pounds) without even reading the description !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.


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P&P charges for bidders outside the UK: Please note that I send ALL international items tracked and insured, which costs more than the standard airmail rate.
For further information please click on the icon or see below for full P&P and insurance details.


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THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL.

This is one of the absolute earliest pressings to feature the outline prism on the labels. It is in superb condition.

It is well-known that the first press with the solid blue prism on the labels has A2/B2 matrixes. There are also some slightly later copies with the solid blue prism on the labels with A3/B2 matrixes (the same as this one) and so this is one of the earliest copies to feature the outline triangle. It also has 'The Gramophone Co . . . ' rim text around the edge of the label which was changed to 'EMI Records . . .' shortly afterwards.

This has the following (2nd press) matrix numbers:

Side 1: SHVL 804 A-3

Side 2: SHVL 804 B-2

Detailed description
Vinyl: Play-grade side one as a SAFE Excellent (Ex) and side two as Excellent plus (Ex+).  The vinyl looks superb and has retained its original high sheen with hardly a mark to be seen. It has clearly been very well cared for and rarely played. Under bright light, I could see some fine hairlines and sleeve-removal lines and a couple of small, fine marks on the run-in to side one, but there is nothing significant anywhere. I have played the entire record and it sounds fantastic with very little to report. It is almost impossible to find early copies of Dark Side of the Moon that sound like this.  There is some soft background noise which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and a handful of places where you might get a couple of tiny tics (two at the start of 'Time', two in the dialogue intro to 'The Great Gig in the Sky' and two near the beginning of 'Us and Them'). But there is absolutely nothing loud or intrusive anywhere. The only places where I noticed anything more-persistent was at the very beginning and end of the album during the heartbeat fade-in intro section and fade-out end section (some soft swishy clicks at the beginning that couldn't be heard as the volume of the piece increases, three or four tiny tics in the fade-out to side one and some tiny crackles in the fade-out at the end of side two), but these were mainly only audible because the volume of the track is so quiet at these points and they are only mentioned for the sake of total accuracy and completeness. I did not hear any other repetitive noises anywhere on the album. This is an outstanding example and was a real pleasure to listen to. Much of it sounds Near Mint and side two would probably have graded very close to Near Mint right up until the very end of the side; side one is only down-graded for the soft swish on the intro, but even so, this is a superb audio performance. I would play-grade side one as a SAFE Excellent (Ex) and side two as Excellent plus (Ex+). It is very hard to find such an early copy that sounds this good.
Labels: Both labels look superb with absolutely no signs of damage, writing, stickers etc and minimal spindle marking, suggesting that the record has rarely been played.
Sleeve: The sleeve is the early very-dark-blue sleeve with a closed (but not folded under) left edge. It is nice and clean with just some mild wear/ring wear which can be seen in the photos, but it is much better than most copies I've seen. Inside the gatefold there are two small white patches (which look like scuffs but which I actually think are printing blemishes that were there from new). One of these is just a thin straight line about one-inch long above the lyrics to 'Money' and the other is a broader mark also about one-inch long at the bottom of the lyrics to 'Brain Damage'. Both of these are clearly visible in the final photo (hover the mouse of the picture to zoom in). They are not particularly prominent but I have drawn attention to them as they are the only blemishes on an otherwise superb example.
Edge wear: There is virtually no wear to the top edge and spine apart from at the corners and the bottom edge has just very minor storage wear (apart from at the corners). The spine is solid and firm and the print is unworn. There are just light signs of use, with some minor knocks etc at the opening and opposite edge.
Corner wear: There is light-to-moderate corner wear, more at the bottom than the top but nothing prominent or unsightly and no corner-splits.
Inner sleeve: Black die-cut poly-lined inner sleeve with white print saying 'Patent No. 1,125,555' and 'Made in Great Britain' (see final photo - hover the mouse of the picture to zoom in). I'm not sure whether this is the original sleeve or just a later version - most copies I've seen have two patent numbers and the paper has been folded so that they have a smoother surface on the outside and a rougher surface, underneath the poly-lining, on the inside. This one has the rougher surface on the outside and the smoother surface, underneath the poly-lining, on the inside. It has no splits tears or damage and looks almost like new.
Posters: The posters have never been on display (so no pin-holes, sellotape etc) and appear to have rarely been removed from the sleeve. They are both in superb condition and look almost like new.
Stickers: Both stickers are Crack Back Fasprint Permanent stickers. The dark sticker has a tiny crease in one corner and the light sticker has some longer soft creases from where it has slipped inside the inner spine of the gatefold sleeve but they are both clean and unused.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is a superb example.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions and gradings.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get. I am aware that different grading systems have different definitions and so I try as much as possible to describe items in plain English, rather than simply using gradings. Where gradings are given these are based on the UK RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM. This grading system differs from some other grading systems, in particular the Goldmine grading system. Please make sure that you are familiar with the UK record collector grading system before you bid.

Play-graded vinyl: Although I don't have time to play them all, I believe that records are for playing and so I try to play-grade records whenever possible. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to listing it. If I have play-graded the record I will usually only give a description of how the record looks (i.e. not a visual grading). The grading in the listing will be a play-grading and may be slightly different from the grading that the record would receive from a purely visual inspection. If I haven't play-graded the record, it will be given a visual grading.

Play-grading MONO records: Mono records and stereo records have different grooves. A stereo record produces a stereo sound via both lateral and vertical groove modulation whereas a mono record is not intended to produce any sound from vertical modulation. Playing a mono record with a stereo cartridge will create distortion because it is trying to pick-up the vertical (stereo) part of the signal, whereas this is not intended to be heard on a mono record and so is just noise.  Using a pre-amp with a mono switch will eliminate the noise caused by vertical modulation leaving just the lateral groove signal which is how the record was intended to be heard. Based on the assumption that most people choosing to buy a mono record will have the right equipment to listen to it, I play all mono records via a pre-amp with a mono switch.  My play-grading is based on how the record sounds when played through a mono switch. If you do not have a mono switch on your amp or pre-amp you will be reproducing the noise from the vertical part of the signal and so the record will not sound as good. This is not any fault of the record, it is inherent to playing any mono record through a system that it was not designed for.

Visually-graded vinyl: A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may sometimes use recycled packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

My P&P charges are 'totally transparent'. Please read below and if you have any questions about P&P costs please contact me BEFORE you bid. Thank you.

Sending items costs more than just the stamps on the package, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me to do so. I need to cover the cost of packing materials, plastic sleeves, new inner sleeves (where applicable), transportation, fees and charges associated with sending the item (including fees incurred to receive the cost of postage and, where applicable, currency exchange) etc. To cover these expenses I add a nominal figure to the basic cost charged at the post office. For UK sales I add £1.10, for European sales I add £1.90 and for transactions outside Europe I add £2.30. These are nominal amounts and the actual cost to me is always higher than this. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

To quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

Depending on the precise weight of your parcel, you may occasionally end up paying a few pence more or a few pence less than it actually costs me, but if there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £5.20.

UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £9.35 for one to four LPs and £12.00 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £13.60, each additional LP or 12" add £2.20.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £17.50, each additional LP or 12" add £3.80.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.