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The Smiths : The Queen Is Dead A1 / B1 1st MPO Press 1986

This first pressing was produced by the MPO plant in France and is perhaps sonically the best and when you have a vinyl as 'clean' as this one the sonic quality is indeed stunning.  There is just one background tick on S1 but really I cannot the audio.  The clarity, depth and resonance of the audio is phenomenal and remember this vinyl is now 37 years old!  The vinyl is visually stunning, no surprise there, and there are not even any hairlines to be seen!   A FINAL UPGRADE archive classic in every way - the record has obviously hardly ever been on a turntable and maybe never at all!

The cover has also been preserved beautifully and is more or less perfect but for one tiny barely visible corner crease, it looks like it has never been handled0.  The picture inner is also perfect condition.

ROUGH 96 // A1X   FEAR OF MANCHESTER   MPO / B1X   THEM WAS ROTTEN DAYS   MPO

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint+)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Mint-

The picture inner is Mint

The labels are Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in beautiful condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen with no scratches.  There is just one very tiny blemish on S1 that has no impact on the audio but I am being picky, it really is very small!  Even when I look under a bright I cannot locate any hairlines.  The labels are so clean with only a couple of specks around the spindle holes and there is no actual spindle wear at all.  Hardly played, if at all, this is a stunning vinyl.

Play grading

'The Queen is Dead' plays with stunning quality from start to finish, it just could not play any better.  The 'Take me back to dead old Blighty' intro has no background and Joyce's percussive section is equally as good.  Morrisey's opening vocal is perfect and it continues to play with sublime clarity and depth from then onwards.  There is no intrusion not even a dust tick and I cannot compliment it highly enough.  Marr's work is of course legendary but Rourke's bass adds so much to the overall sound.  The instrumental end section can also be described 'as new' and the fade out has no background either.  A sensational Mint start to the album, no need for a minus here.

'Frankly, Mr. Shankly' is so so close to perfect.  It has just one tick (very light click?) on the third verse but you could easily miss it as it really is so much in the background.  The remainder has no interference and I will grade as Near Mint+ although Mint- be a fairer assessment.

'I Know It's Over' plays beautifully from the very first note with a clarity that is second to none.  Once again you notice how big a part Rourke played with their overall sound.  The acoustic first half is 'as new' and the more up tempo second half plays with real quality also with nothing to detract from the audio.  This is a STUNNING Mint version.

'Never Had No One Ever' is of the same high end standard with no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  Just pure Mint audio throughout.  If you win just listen to the end instrumental and you will know exactly what I mean!  The clarity is incredible!

The intro on 'Cemetry Gates' is faultless and the opening vocal is just as impressive.  It continues in the same precise way with a clarity, depth and warmth that you rarely hear on a final track.  There is no inner groove distortion either and Mint is again 100% deserved.

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The acoustic intro on 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' plays with perfectly clarity and this standard is kept up as it continues.  Again the sonic quality is 'as new' there is not one single negative.  Another classic that grades as Mint

'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side' plays with impeccable audio and zero background.  It's like you've been transported back to 1986!  Mint

I do not wish to sound repetitive but 'Vicar In A Tutu' plays to the same level with no intrusion at all, not even a dust tick let alone anything more.  Another perfect Mint track.

'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' plays with 'as new' clarity from start to finish.  Every vocal and instrumental section plays to perfection and the long fade out has no background either.  Mint

The fade out / in section on 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others' has no background and Morrissey's opening vocal is just as good.  It continues to play with superb audio and as per the rest of the album each note is just so clean and precise.  A stunning Mint finish to a stunning album!

In summary this first MPO pressing plays to a fantastic standard with just one tick / light click which you might even miss as stated earlier.  The clarity and definition of the audio is incredible and it is obvious the vinyl has hardly been played.  I mean look at my gradings, all the tracks except for one Near Mint+, grade as Mint there is not even a Mint- in there!  And that is a measure of the clarity on offer here.  This classic album is not far off 40 years old now and there cannot be many around as STUNNING as this one!  The sonic quality is phenomenal and it easily qualifies as a FINAL UPGRADE archive classic.

The Gatefold & Picture Inner

The glossy cover is as near to perfect as is possible and has no noticeable wear, it truly is stunning.  The top edges have only a couple of tiny barely visible 'rubs' and the bottom edges are for once perfectly clean.  The wide spine is just as impressive and all of the corners are incredibly clean with no sign of any wear and the opening edge is pristine.  The front cover is immaculate aside from one tiny corner crease in the lower left corner but is so small and barely worth a mention.  The back cover and the inside of the gatefold are immaculate and it has also retained its original shape with no bending or creasing.  This is a STUNNING example of this iconic cover.

The glossy picture card inner is perfect with no side splits, marking or creasing.

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

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

ROUGH 96 // A1X   FEAR OF MANCHESTER   MPO / B1X   THEM WAS ROTTEN DAYS   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!!

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

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £15.95 then £2.00 per extra

USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £24.95 then £2.50 per extra 

REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)  

LPs/12" singles : £21.95 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!