QUEEN “A DAY AT THE RACES” - ORIGINAL IST PRESSING – 1976 UK ALBUM – EMI LABEL

	£		35
	$		46

This album is from my private collection, which I am now selling off, all of which I bought new back in the 60's, and onwards. Some of them have not been played for at least 30 years, after I got rid of my record player in the mid 80's. I've recently bought some new kit purely to digitise my collection, which I am now selling.

I have therefore play-graded this vinyl, as well as visually grading it under LED lighting. I consider that the grading and description of both vinyl and sleeve is as realistic as possible, and I don't think I've over-graded them.

I grade my records using the Goldmine Grading Guide (see below).

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Check out my other Queen album listings, plus other artists' albums from my collection.

I am happy to combine postage for multi buys.

Please check out the photos for more detail, as they form part of the description, and highlight the main features, good and not so good(if any).

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This is the fifth studio album from Queen, released in December 1976, on EMI records in the UK. The album title takes its name from the 1937 Marx Brothers film of the same name, which also influenced the ideas and style of some of the tracks.

Track list …..

A1 Tie Your Mother Down

A2 You Take My Breath Away

A3 Long Away

A4 The Millionaire Waltz

A5 You And I

B1 Somebody To Love

B2 White Man

B3 Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy

B4 Drowse

B5 Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

Catalogue Nos.

Labels EMTC 104

Sleeve EMTC 104 OC (boxed) 066 – 98 485

Matrix/Runouts

Side A (stamped) YAX 5245-1U P P 4 STERLING

Side B (stamped) YAX 5246-1U L O STERLING

The Vinyl

I am grading this as VG+. There are just a few scuffs and light non-audible hairline scratches on this superb quality vinyl, when viewed under LED lighting. The overall sound is super clear, even though there's some variable static crackle, which is only really noticeable between tracks and quiet passages. There are no skips, jumps, or sticking. The vinyl overall is very clean, and still has a very good gloss finish.

The labels are in great condition, with very little spindle scuffing, and no hole wear. There's no stickers or writing anywhere.

I am grading this as VG+. This gatefold sleeve is in excellent condition, with just a few random small creases around some of the edges, and some very slight storage scuffing near the edges on the inner gatefold surfaces. There is hardly any edge and corner wear. The spine is nice and clean and clear, with sharp text. There's no writing or stickers anywhere.

The printed thick card inner sleeve has the die-cut radius corners. It has just a few light creases, and a little record ring pressure markings. In the centre of the bottom edge and one side edge, there is a 25mm split in each of them. The print and colours are still strong.

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The album will be sent out in a sturdy purpose made LP album packaging, with added card stiffeners, and marked 'FRAGILE' and 'DO NOT BEND'. The vinyl will be sent in a new inner polylined paper sleeve, but separate to the main outer sleeve, to avoid damage from movement in transit. The album's original inner sleeve will be included. The whole album will then be enclosed in a polythene album outer sleeve.

Please Note:- I use eBay's Global Shipping Program for posting outside the UK.

Thanks for looking, and good luck.

Mint [M]: Absolutely perfect in every way - certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed below). Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.

Near Mint [NM or M-]: A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious sign of wear. A 45 rpm sleeve has no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.

An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same is true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, and the like. Basically, Near Mint looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.

Very Good Plus [VG+]: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK.

The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turn-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket my have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.

In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.

Very Good [VG]: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.

Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.

Good [G], Good Plus [G+]: Good does not mean bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear.

A jacket or sleeve has seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. If it's a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it.

Poor [P], Fair [F]: The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and/or writing. The LP jacket barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, and written upon.

Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each.

Still Sealed [SS] : Let the buyer beware, unless it's a U.S. pressing from the last 10-15 years or so. It's too easy to reseal on. Yes, some legitimately never-opened LPs from the 1960s still exist. But if you're looking for a specific pressing, the only way you can know for sure is to open the record. Also, European imports are not factory-sealed, so if you see them advertised as sealed, someone other than the manufacturer sealed them.