Santana 1969 DEBUT ALBUM UK 1ST A1/B1 LAMINATED NMINT-

	£		19
	$		25

SANTANA  - SANTANA

IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION

FIRST PRESS  - ORANGE CBS LABELS

• CATALOGUE:CBS 63815
• MATRIX: S63815 A1 / B1
• FIRST PRESS
• BARELY PLAYED

THE VERY VERY RARE FIRST PRESS SANTANA DEBUT ALBUM.

WHY IS THIS RARE?

WELL BECAUSE SANTANA'S DEBUT ALBUM CAME HOT ON THE HEELS OF THEIR SUMMER OF 69 PERFORMANCE AT WOODSTOCK, AND WHILST THE ALBUM WENT ON TO SELL REASONABLY WELL OVER IN THE USA, MAKING NUMBER 4 ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS, IT COMPLETELY FAILED TO ATTRACT THE SAME SUCESS OVER HERE IN THE UK. IT WASN'T UNTIL THEIR SECOND ALBUM ABRAXAS THAT SANTANA HIT THE BIG TIME OVER HERE WITH TRACKS LIKE BLACK MAGIC WOMAN AND SAMBA PA TI. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT INTEREST WAS SPARKED IN THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, AND SALES BEGAN TO SOAR. HOWEVER THE FIRST PRESS ALBUMS WERE LONG DELETED AND SUBSEQUENT PRESSES WERE DEAD EASY TO SPOT. QUITE SIMPLY ONLY A GENUINE FIRST PRESS HAS A LAMINATED SLEEVE, AND THATS WHY THEY ARE SO HARD TO FIND. VIRTUALLY EVERYONE YOU SEE WILL BE THE UNLAMINATED SECOND PRESS OR LATER

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

CBS ORANGE LABELS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE. THE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS TOTALLY UNWORN AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. CLEARLY A SUPERBLY CARED FOR 41 YEAR OLD ALBUM

A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLE REVEALS JUST 5-6 SPIDER LINES SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS MARVELLOUS VINYL HAS BEEN PLAYED

THE VINYL

THE VINYL GLEAMS LIKE NEW IN DAYLIGHT AND IS MADE OF THE VERY HEAVY VINYL THAT MOST LATE 60'S RECORDINGS WERE PRESSED ON.UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES AND A LIGHT DULLING OF THE SURFACE IN PATCHES

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH AND ALTHOUGH THIS TALES EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT, I HAVE DECIDED TO DO THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY BUYER INTERESTED. IT HAS LONG BEEN SAID AND QUITE RIGHTLY SO, THAT BUYING AN ALBUM ON EBAY IS A TOTAL LOTTERY, DUE IN THE MAIN TO SELLERS MISDESCRIBING ALBUMS AS MINT AND IN FACT WHEN RECEIVED GRADE FAR FAR LESS. WELL HERE YOU ARE ABLE TO HEAR THE WHOLE THING

THE CLARITY OF THIS FIRST PRESS IS JUST INCREDIBLE. EVERY NOTE IS CRISP AND CLEAN, AND THE WHOLE ALBUM SOUNDS SUPERB ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THIS FIRST PRESS IS JUST MAGNIFICENT AND THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS SECOND TO NONE.THE LP PLAYS WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND CRACKLE ALTHOUGH ON SIDE 2 TRACK 2 THERE IS SOME LIGHT NOISE FOR 30 SECONDS OR SO (THIRD SOUNDBITE). A FEW RANDOM LITTLE POPS HERE AND THERE (AGAIN ON SIDE 2 TRACK 2 RIGHT AT THE END) OTHER THAN THIS MINOR IRRITANT THE VINYL IS BRILLIANT, SO PLEASE TAKE GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNBITES AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THIS IS THE FIRST PRESS WITH THE LAMINATED FRONT SURFACE AND THE NON LAMINATED REAR SURFACE.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS VERY FLAT AND CLEAN. THE LAMINATE SHINES LIKE NEW AND THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES TO THE LAMINATE OR ANY BENDS. IN FACT THERE ARE ONLY THREE SMALL LAMINATE LINES NEAR THE SPINE AND THESE ARE BARELY VISIBLE. PLUS ONE ALONG THE TOP EDGE. THE LAMINATE IS FREE FROM ANY PEEL OR FLAKE AND UNUSUALLY LIFT!!.

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE ALSO FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR, AS IS THE SPINE, WHICH HAS THE TAPERED FIRST PRESS ENDS, UNDAMAGED LAMINATE, AND PERFECT TYPEFACE.

THE OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP AND AS NEW, AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THE LP HAS HARDLY EVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SLEEVE AND WHEN IT WAS IT WAS HANDLED WITH EXTREME CARE.

THE REAR SURFACE HAS THE FRAGILE DUSTY BLACK SURFACE WHICH USUALLY WEARS BADLY AND SUFFERS FROM COLOUR LOSS, BUT HERE WE HAVE ONE THAT HAS RETAINED VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE BLACK SURFACE WITH JUST A VERY LIGHT TRACE OF RECORD SHAPE.

THE ORIGINAL ADVERTISING INNER SLEEVE IS ALSO IN NEAR PRISTINE CONDITION. NO SPLITS TO ANY OF THE SEAMS

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS SLEEVE  NEAR MINT MINUS

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY