RARE 1968 Jethro Tull MONO Debut LP - This Was EX

	£		106
	$		140

. VERY Rare 1968 Debut LP by Jethro Tull
This Was
Original MONO 1st Pressing on the Pink Textured 'Eye' Label!   .
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On offer here is a very rare original 1st pressing of the Jethro Tull debut LP 'This Was'. This is the MONO pressing on the Pink Island label with 'Eye' logo! Not only that, but this is an absolutely incredible copy of this mega rare LP!

Released in 1968, "This Was" was so titled because of the ever-changing nature of the group. This is backed up by "This was how we were playing then, but things change. Don't they." written on the back cover. This was the only Tull LP to feature Mick Abrahams who, upon realising that they had to go their own ways, left and formed the band 'Blodwyn Pig'. This is a very un-Jethro Tull LP - whereas they're known as a prog-rock group this LP has a very distinctive Blues feel to it with more flute than usual. The whole LP has a great feeling to it and is very, very enjoyable to listen to.

This is the extremely rare first pressing copy of this LP. When the album was initially released the label design had the red/black eye logo on the left but soon after release the label changed to a plain pink label with a white 'i' at the bottom. These first pressings are extremely hard to find!

Not only that, but this is also the mega rare MONO pressing! By 1968 mono was pretty much dead. It had been struggling since 1966/67 when stereo equipment became affordable for the average listener (whereas before they were a luxury reserved only for the extremely well-off). The price of stereo records also came down so that they were the same price as their mono counterparts. Because of this mono was in decline and by 1968 virtually no copies really sold as everybody was buying the stereo.

This is an incredible copy of this extremely rare album and one I reckon you would be very hard pushed to upgrade from! A must for all record collections!

If there is anything else you'd like to know about this record, then please don't hesitate to get in touch!   .
. . Band / Artist Jethro Tull Title This Was Year 1968 Label Textured Pink Island with 'Eye' design Catalogue Number ILP 985 Format Mono Track Listing Side 1   Side 2 1. My Sunday Feeling
2. Some Day the Sun Won't Shine
....for You
3. Beggars Farm
4. Move on Alone
5. Srenade to a Cuckoo   1. Dharma for One
2. It's Breaking Me Up
3. Cat's Squirrel
4. A Song for Jeffrey
5. Round Side 1 Matrix Number ILP+985+A Side 1 Stamper Codes   Side 2 Matrix Number ILP+985+B Side 2 Stamper Codes     .
. EX- The sleeve is holding up really nicely for itsd age! The front cover is lovely and clean with a great, rich colour to it. There are one or two little creases around the edges but nothing serious and the mouth-edge is looking sharp although it does have a little dirt buildup where the laminate has shrunk back a little. The back cover again is lovely and clean with a lovely rich colour. There's a little more light creasing around the edges and on the left there's a little crease where the cover has been pushed a little too strongly against the record inside. The bottom and top seams are both holding perfectly. The spine, although now being flat has not crushed and has no wear on it whatsoever. It's 100% and all the text is fully legible. It should be possible for someone to refold the cover to make the spine as it once was. The inner gatefold once again is lovely and clean with a lovely rich colour to it. There are a couple of very light wear marks in a few places but these are very hard to see. There's also a little creasing down the spine area where the sleeve has had to give a little to compensate for the flattened down spine. Overall though the sleeve is looking brilliant!!   The Front Cover   The Back Cover   The Gatefold   .
. EX The disc has a really nice, clean shine to it and the playing surface has some light scuffs but nothing really much heavier. The disc plays through with a beautifully crisp sound with only a very little, light, faint background crackle that can only really be heard during the near silent / silent parts. There are also a couple of very light clicks in places but these don't detract from the music in the slightest. Beautiful disc!!   Side 1   Side 2

Want to hear what the LP sounds like before you buy? Well, now you can! Simply click on the record image below to download a small MP3 clip of the first 30 or so seconds of the record being played. This is so that you can hear the quality of the LP for yourself before you place a bid.

In the clip you'll hear the needle being placed onto the record and approximately 30 seconds of the opening track.

This has been done by directly channeling my record player into my computer and recording it direct to give the most accurate audio possible for your consideration.

The opening 30 seconds
of disc 1.   .
. NM Both labels are clean, crisp and clear with a lovely full texture to them. Both labels have only an extremely light hint of spindlewear and a little light wear around the centerhole Awesome labels!!!   Side 1   Side 2   .
.       None   None             None       .
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Please check my
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For many more rare and collectible records!

Due to work commitments, there may be a small delay in the posting of records.

Please read my About Me page for more details.

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SHIPPING
RATES United Kingdom Europe Zone 1
(U.S/Americas) Zone 2
(Japan/Australia) AIRMAIL SURFACE AIRMAIL SURFACE AIRMAIL SURFACE First 7" Single / EP £2.00 £2.55 N/A £3.20 £1.80 £4.00 £1.80 Each Extra 7" Single / EP £0.60 £0.90 N/A £1.00 £0.70 £1.40 £0.70 First 10" / 12" Disc £3.00 £3.70 £3.40 £6.00 £3.70 £7.00 £3.70 Each Extra 10" / 12" Disc £1.00 £1.60 £1.20 £2.70 £1.70 £3.00 £1.70 PLEASE NOTE SHIPPING FOR DOUBLE LPs and 45s WILL BE CHARGED AS FOR 2 ITEMS.
UK PRICES INCLUDE RECORDED DELIVERY COST.   .
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ALL SALES ARE FINAL! All payment MUST be received within 10 days of the auction closing. If payment is not received and I have had no contact from you at all then a 'Non Paying Bidder' dispute will be opened. If you need any time getting payment together then please just let me know what's going on and something can be sorted out.

Refunds
Everybody's grading is different; one persons NM might be another persons VG. If you are at all unhappy with the record then please email me and let me know for a full refund plus the postage cost to get it back to me. The record must get back to me in the exact same condition it left however else this offer is void.

Insurance
All items sent within the UK are sent Recorded Delivery as standard. If a record sells highly I'll put up the option for special delivery in case you which to have it sent in this way. All LPs are sent overseas to places outside the UK are sent uninsured as standard small packet airmail. If you live outside the UK and win a record for a lot of money it is highly recommended that insurance is paid for - the option will be there in the invoice I'll send after the auction ends. If no insurance is taken and the LP is lost in transit there is sadly very little, if anything I can do.

Items Lost in the Mail
If your LP hasn't gotten to you and you're at all worried then please don't hesitate to get in touch so that it can be sorted out. Most likely it's just because I haven't been able to get to the post office due to work commitments. If however it has been posted out and not arrived then I will do everything I can to chase it up and try and find it again. Every record sent within the UK is sent recorded delivery so if it does go walkies there's always that to fall back on and chase up. Unless otherwise requested or paid for all overseas items are sent standard airmail so if they disappear there is very little, if anything I can do. I collect proof of purchase with every item I post.

Items Damaged in the Mail
I professionally pack all of my records between strong 12" corrugated stiffeners and sent in a sturdy cardboard LP mailing envelope for full protection whilst in transit. In all my years of buying and selling on eBay only one record I have sent out has arrived broken at its destination (and that was only because the postman obviously couldn't read the large 'FRAGILE' and 'DO NOT BEND' marks on it as he folded it up to put through the letterbox!!). Since the fault of the breakage lies with the postal service your best bet is to tackle them about the problem. I'll help any way I can.

Payment Methods
Below is a list of all the payment methods I accept. I do NOT accept any other forms of payment.
. UK PAYPAL is preferred (I do NOT add a surcharge) although I can also accept personal cheques, postal / money orders or (entirely at your own risk) direct cash. Rest of World PAYPAL is preferred (I do NOT add a surcharge) although I can also accept an Internal Money Order or (entirely at your own risk) direct cash.   .
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The grading system I use when determining the condition of my vinyl
The 'Record Collectors' Grading System.
Taken from the Rare Record Price Guide book   Mint (M) 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. Records advertisied as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint. Near Mint (NM) The record looks brand new with no scuffing or any deterioration in sound quality and only the smallest hint that its ever been played. The cover and any additional extras are clean, crisp and with no wear whatsoever. Excellent (EX) The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing. Very Good (VG) The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable. Good (G) The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc. Fair (F) The record is still just about playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced. Poor (P) 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 (B) The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection filler.  

On 22-Jun-06 at 20:12:13 BST, seller added the following information:

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