Pink Floyd ‎– Wish You Were Here

Original 1975 UK 1st issue, with the sleeve signed by Pink Floyd drummer, Nick Mason.
A1 / B3 run-out matrices Pinched spine sleeve signed by Nick Mason, (some time ago) 3 Die-cut corners on the inner sleeve. A great sounding original issue vinyl record.

First up, the vinyl record.
1st UK press, A1 / B3 The vinyl record is visually VG+ with some faint lines under direct light, but it looks superb under normal room light.
The audio is Excellent, very infrequent microscopic, and singular interference in some of the quietest parts of the audio, though the record  plays perfectly for the vast majority.

These UK first issues are renowned for having background interference in the quiet parts, especially just before and just after "Wish You Were Here" They are very hard to find in an audio condition better than VG+, even when they look new - so play-grading is essential with any of the first 3 UK pressings (A1/B3 - A1/B5 - A1/B7)

This record is clean from background fuzz, the constant is clean, but the needle is very lightly picking up on a couple of faint lines, but never repetitively... they are singular, infrequent, far apart, microscopic, and of minimal audio impact.... The audio is very close NM,

I do have a pretty basic analog Transient Noise Elimination system (TNE) that is designed to eliminate specific sound frequencies when a transient bit of dust is drawn under the stylus.
By default, it will also eliminate the faintest of tics - and it eliminates every one of these very few light imperfections.

(I do not use the TNE when grading records, but I have used it for personal playback of this vinyl record, so I know that you can achieve audio perfection with a very rudimentary analog noise elimination circuit, with no loss of audio quality - any digital processing will clip it, so I do not use it).
The sleeve
1975 UK 1st issue sleeve, with pinched spine

The signature is authentic, I personally guarantee it... I have been here a long time and I intend to be here for even longer. I am a Pink Floyd collector, and certified nut case.

Nick Mason has been signing a lot in recent years, and he has always been generous to the fans. There are a lot of his very recent autographs listed on eBay right now, and most of them are authentic. There is a certain amount of "squiggle" signatures, that only some are authentic, (done in an extreme hurry) but they of very low quality, and of no real value, accept perhaps, to the person who got it.
This autograph is not a recent one, in my opinion, done some time between 1975 and 1985.
It does look like there was a dedication written above the autograph, but it seems that someone (not me) has tried to remove it, and the front of the cover has been marked.

The The lyric sheet inner sleeve With 3 die-cut corners, top opening, with a 9" die-cut notch
Slight disc impression, no writing, splits or tears, in VG+ condition. (see the pics)

Label: Harvest ‎– SHVL 814 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: UK Released: 12 Sep 1975 Genre: Rock Style: Prog Rock

Tracklist Hide Credits

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (1-5)
A1.1 Part 1 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
A1.2 Part 2 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
A1.3 Part 3 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
A1.4 Part 4 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
A1.5 Part 5 Saxophone – Dick ParryWritten-By – Waters*, Gilmour*, Wright*
A2 Welcome To The Machine Written-By – Waters*
B1 Have A Cigar Vocals – Roy HarperWritten-By – Waters*
B2 Wish You Were Here Written-By – Gilmour*, Waters*

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (6-9)
B3.1 Part 6 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
B3.2 Part 7 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
B3.3 Part 8 Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*, Waters*
B3.4 Part 9 Written-By – Wright*

Companies, etc.

• Record Company – EMI Records Ltd.
• Phonographic Copyright (p) – Pink Floyd Music Ltd.
• Printed By – Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.
• Made By – Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.
• Published By – Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd.
• Recorded At – Abbey Road Studios

Credits

• Backing Vocals – Carlena Williams, Venetta Fields
• Design [Assistant] – Howard Bartrop, Jeff Smith (17), Peter Christopherson, Richard Manning (3)
• Design [Sleeve], Photography By – Hipgnosis (2)
• Engineer – Brian Humphries
• Engineer [Assistant] – Peter James
• Graphics [Sleeve] – George Hardie NTA*
• Lyrics By – Roger Waters
• Producer – Pink Floyd

Notes

First issue.
Released with the cover hidden under black shrink wrap with a round Wish You Were Here sticker on the outside of the shrink wrap. Spine is narrow (pinched) at the top and bottom and wide in the middle on some covers, and uniformed on others (like all spines). Issued with lyrics on a die cut inner sleeve and a glossy postcard, with jagged edges, of a diving man.

On label side 1, Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 5 is credited to "Waters-Gilmour-Wright" (later have "Waters" only).

Opening at top center with notch.

Matrix variants A1 / B3 are the first press of this record, other matrix are further pressings but still first issue of this LP.

Labels:
℗ 1975 Pink Floyd Music Ltd.
Made in Gt Britain

Sleeve:
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, January to July 1975

℗ 1975

Printed and made in Great Britain
Garrod and Lofthouse Limited

A few words about condition.

Grade & 
score out of 100
                                           GRADING
Mint is a Rigid Band - The next Four Grades are all Narrow Bands, that slightly widen as the condition gradually deteriorates - Good is still Good, but there is a rapid widening of the Grade Bands, as the condition deteriorates over the last Four grades.

MINT
100
The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality.
The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition.
Only graded on records that are sealed or clearly unplayed.
 
NEAR MINT
97 to 99        

EXCELLENT
90 to 96
The record shows virtually no signs of having been played,  there is no lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have the slightest of tiny defects.
 
The record shows some slight signs of having been played, but there is very little, (if any) lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have very slight wear. 
 
VERY GOOD PLUS
80 to 89

VERY GOOD
69 to 79
The record shows signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have slight wear, light creasing.

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch.
Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects.
This is an above average used record, that has been well looked after.




GOOD
56 to 68
The record has been played so much that the sound quality has deteriorated, but the record will still play through, and it will not be a completely unpleasant listening experience, even at the bottom of this grade (56).
The cover and contents may suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc. 




FAIR
41 to 55
The record is still playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even stick, skip or jump.. This is starting to be an unpleasant listening experience at the top of the grade (55) and will not be a pleasant listening experience at all by the end of it (41).
The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced. 
 
POOR
25 to 40
The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc.
The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing. 
 
BAD
0 - 24
The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.
The Sleeve is non existent (0) or what is left, is only just recognisable.

A few words about postage.

Within Australia, the best value for multiple purchases is a 5KG satchel, where as many as 15 to 20 LPs can be posted for $22.00 registered post. (well packed in a box, inside the satchel)

My Policies on postage are simple.

I post at cost.
The user pays.
I package well.