I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges.  However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale.  No shipping to Russia currently.

The Smiths : Meat is Murder A2 / B2 1st MPO Press 1985

This first MPO pressing quite simply plays 'as new' with no intrusion on the audio and as always I have played every track in full.  There is not a single light tick let alone any clicks, pops or static.  The clarity of sound is stunning in every way!

This is clearly a record that has hardly been played and indeed there is no obvious spindle wear at all, a faint trace on each label perhaps.  This, along with The Queen Is Dead LP that I am also selling was purchased to keep in pristine condition and not to be played.

The vinyl is visually stunning and the cover and lyric inner are also in superb condition.  A FINAL UPGRADE archive pressing in every way.

ROUGH 81 // A2 Illness As Art MPO / B2 Doing The WythenshaweWaltz MPO

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The cover is Near Mint+

The lyric inner is Near Mint

The labels are Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in beautiful condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  Under a strong light I can only see a small number of very faint sleeve removal hairlines, they are not easy to locate!  The labels atre so clean with just one very faint spindle trace on each.  A stunning example!

Play grading

The intro on 'The Headmaster Ritual' plays with perfectly and this standard is kept up throughout.  Each note is so 'clean' and precise and it basically plays 'as new' with no intrusion not even on the fade out.  A stunning Mint start to the album.

'Rusholme Ruffians' again plays with sublime quality from the very first note.  The acoustic intro has no 'background' and the the rest of the track is just as strong.  So far the sonic quality on this album cannot be faulted, the playback is sensational!  Another Mint track no need for a minus here!

The intro on 'I Want The One I Can't Have' has not one dust tick let alone anything worse and it continues to play with a clarity and depth that is 'as new' right through to the very end.  So simple to grade this is Mint in every way.

'What She Said' again demonstrates how well this vinyl has been preserved and the sheer lack of play.  Every section plays with sublime quality and Marr's end section is superb.  This is Mint from start to finish.

'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore' is 'as new' with no sign of any interference.  Despite being the final track on the side it has lost none of its original sonic quality and the fade out/in near the end is prime example of that.  There is no 'background' and this track also grades as Mint - it is easily the most Mint S1 I have ever heard!

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S2 continues where S1 left off - 'Nowhere Fast' plays with audio as 'clean' as the day it was first released back in '85.  Mint

'Well I Wonder' plays beautifully with no intrusion.  It's difficult to describe each track in an individual way when they all play with such imperious quality!  Needless to say this is Mint from start to finish with only a couple of mega light dust ticks on the fade out.

The intro on 'Barbarism Begins At Home' is flawless and the opening vocal is just as strong.  From then on it plays as well as the preceding tracks with no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  The vocals are so clean and the long instrumental ending could not play any better.  Pure 'new' audio from the first note to the last.  Mint

The entire intro on 'Meat Is Murder' has no 'background', not one dust tick even.  The first vocal is faultless and it continues in the same way.  Once again I cannot believe the level of clarity here - has this record ever been played before?!  A stunning Mint version to end the album.

In summary this first pressing plays with sublime clarity and definition on both sides.  There is no interference and I mean zero interference!  When I grade as Mint I do not do so lightly - I listen to every track in full and if it sounds like it was pressed only yesterday with not so much as a dust tick then the audio deserves to be graded as Mint a simple equation if you ask me!  This is a FINAL UPGRADE in every sense - high end perfect audio with a superb cover to match.

The Cover & Lyric Inner

The cover is in superb condition with no obvious shelf wear.  In fact all I can see is one very faint mark on the back cover bottom right.  I've owned this album for a few years now and it is the first time I have noticed it!  Everything else about this cover is perfect!

The glossy lyric inner is near perfect with just one minor crease at the bottom of one of the flipbacks.

Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

The record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

ROUGH 81 // A2 Illness As Art MPO / B2 Doing The WythenshaweWaltz MPO

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.

THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF £250 SO IF AN ITEM SELLS FOR MORE A COURIER SERVICE MAY BE USED (e.g. Parcelforce, DPD).  AN EXTRA INSURANCE PREMIUM WILL BE REQUIRED BUT I WILL NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT UNTIL THE FINAL SALE PRICE IS KNOWN.  HOWEVER, SOMETIMES I WILL ESTIMATE A COST AND THIS WILL BE STATED IN THE LISTING.  PLEASE WAIT FOR THE INVOICE BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH.  MANY THANKS.

ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PUT IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE OF THE COVER SO AS TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS. THEY ARE ALSO PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.

I ONLY USE HIGH QUALITY MAILERS AND THESE COST ME £1.00 EACH. I WILL OFTEN USE 3 OR 4 CARDBOARD STIFFENERS AND THESE COST AT LEAST £0.15 EACH AND THEN THERE IS THE COST OF THE POLY-LINED INNER AND PVC SLEEVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IT ALL ADDS UP! NOT FORGETTING EBAY TAKING 10% OF THE SHIPPING FEE ALSO!!

UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £5.95 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item 

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £17.45 then £2.00 per extra 

REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)  

LPs/12" singles : £25.95 then £2.50 per extra

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE, NONE OF THIS WAITING BEFORE I RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU - I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MY LISTINGS!  IF YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE LEAVING FEEDBACK AND I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM, 100% GUARANTEED.  IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO SEND THE ITEM BACK I WILL OF COURSE OF COURSE PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING COST IF I AM AT FAULT.  I AM ONLY HUMAN AFTER ALL!