THE KINKS ARTHUR ORIGINAL UK LP 1ST STEREO MINT-
£
123
$
163
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Description
THE KINKS - ARTHUR
OR THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
STEREO FIRST PRESSING 1969
CATALOGUE NUMBER: NSPL 18317
MATRIX NUMBERS: NSPL 18317 A-1 / NSPL 18317 B-1
STAMPERS: N1 / 1X
THE KINKS BY THE TIME THIS LP WAS RELEASED HAD BEGUN TO EMULATE THE TITLE OF THE LP IN THAT THEY WERE DECLINING AS A HIT BAND. IN FACT THEIR MUSIC WAS EVEOLVING LIKE MOST EARLY SIXTIES BANDS, BUT THE FICKLE PUBLIC DID NOT ENTERTAIN THIS AS MUCH AS THEY DID WITH SAY THE BEATLES. THUS THE KINKS LP OFFEREINGS FROM THE LATE SIXTIES SOLD IN SO FEW QUANTITIES THAT TODAY A GREAT COPY IS WORTH A LOT TO COLLECTORS.
THIS IS ONE SUCH OFFERING
THE SLEVE
A FULLY LAMINATED GATEFOLD SLEEVE, AND VERY PRONE TO HUGE AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE AND WEAR, AS IT WAS DESIGNED IN THE STYLE OF THE BEATLES FOR SALE LP, IN THAT THE FRONT COVER IS A VERY THIN AND FLISY UNREINFORCED FLAP WHICH ONCE OPENED REVEALS THE LP THAT SLIDES INTO THE BACK COVER FROM THE INSIDE OF THE SLEEVE NOT THE OUTER EDGE. COLLECTORS KNOW HOW DAFT THIS IDEA WAS, BECAUSE IN THE MAIN THIS DESIGN RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS. FIRSTLY THE FRONT FLAP BECAUSE IT WAS SO THIS CREASES VERY VERY EASILY. SECONDLY THE SPINE SUFFERED FROM SQUASHING BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT OPENING AS YOU HAD TO OPEN THE SLEEVE IN ORDER TO GET THE RECORD OUT. AND THIRDLY THE SPINE WOULD SPLIT PARTICULARLY AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM WHEN THE LP WASN'T PROPERLY INSERTED AS CLOSING THE SLEEVE ON THE DISC WOULD CAUSE THE SPLITTING. THEREFORE TO FIND A DECENT SLEEVE IS A RARITY IN ITSELF.
HERE IS ONE SUCH RARITY. FIRSTLY THE FRONT FLAP IS UNCREASED, APART FROM A COUPLE OF SMALL LINES NEAR THE SPINE, BUT THE MAIN SURFACE IS PERFECT. THERE IS A VERY SLIGHT AMOUNT OF SHELF WEAR ON THE EDGES OF THE SLEEVE, BUT AGAIN MINIMAL. THE SPINE IS JUST ABOUT AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET. FLAT AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS THE BOXING KANGAROO IMAGE WHICH IS IN TOP CONDITION, NO SPLITS TO THE INNER SPINE AT ALL. THE BACK OF THE COVER IS ONCE AGAIN ALMINATED AND IN UNSPOILED CONDITION.
I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE AS EX+
THE INSERT IS A PULLOUT MONTY PYTHON STYLE IMAGE OF QUEEN VICTORIA ON ONE SIDE AND THE LYRICS ON THE OTHER. THE PULLOUT TAB IS TOTALLY INTACT, AND AGAIN I NAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE THAT HAVE THE TAB MISSING FROM CONSTANT USAGE.
THE ORIGNAL POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE IS IN TOP CONDITION.
THE VINYL
VERY VERY NICE EXAMPLE OF THIS LP. VERY GLOSSY AND CLEAN. UNDER NORMAL LIGHT ONLY A COUPLE OF VERY VERY LIGHT HAIRLINES CAN BE MADE OUT, AND A FEW MORE UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION. NO HANDLING MARKS.
THE LABELS ARE THE LIGHT BLUE PYE LATE 60'S LABELS. EASILY MARKED IF NOT HANDLED CORRECTLY. THESE ARE IN NEAR MINT CONDITION. NO STAINS OR WRITING. THE SPINDLE HOLE IS TOTALLY UNWORN, AND I HAVE ONLY MADE OUT ABOUT 3 SPIDER LINES WHICH TELLS ME THE LP HAS NOT ONLY BEEN VERY VERY CAREFULLY HANDLED, BUT ALSO THAT THE DISC HAS HAD NO MORE THAN A FEW PLAYS IN ITS 38 YEARS.
THE FIRST TEST AS USUAL IS TO PLAY THE DISC WITH FULL VOLUME TO DECIDE IF THE DISC IS WORN THROUGH GROOVE WEAR OBTAINED FROM IT HAVING BEEN PLAYED WITH A WORN OR DAMAGED STYLUS OR ONE THAT WAS TRACKING TOO HEAVILY. THIS PASSES THE TEST WITH FLYING COLOURS. WHAT I DID PICK UP AT THAT VOLUME WAS A GREAT STEREO SPLIT. AFTER TURNING THE VOLUME DOWN TO ENJOY THE LP I BECAME AWARE OF THE SUBTLE MIX OF THIS LP. THE ALBUM IS WELL PRODUCED AND THE SOUND IS AS CLEAR AS A BELL.
LASTLY I AM LISTENING FOR UNWANTED NOISES.
FROM NEAR SILENT RUN IN GROOVES, THE LP CONTINUES IN THIS VEIN ALL THROUGH THE LINKING GROOVES . THE RE IS NO HORRIBLE CLICKS AND POPS, AND NO LOUD BACKGROUND NOISES. I DETECTED ON OCCASIONS SOME EXTREEMLY LIGHT STATIC, BUT THIS WAS SO FAR BACK IN THE MIX IT IS ALMOST NO EXISTANT, AND CERTAINLY IS WIPED OUT BY THE GREAT STEREO SOUND PRODUCED BY THIS VINYL.
I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THE VINYL NMINT
THIS IS A HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE GRADE VINYL, AND I AM SURE WILL NEVER NEED UPGRADING
On 11-Dec-04 at 10:10:09 GMT, seller added the following information: Pay instantly with your debit or credit card through PayPal.
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