TRACTOR Tractor A2/B2 1st PRESS 1972 Ex+ Cover & Superb NEAR MINT / MINT- AUDIO
£
273
$
361
£ 273
Sold For
Sep 28, 2025
Sold Date
Sep 18, 2025
Start Date
22
Number Of Bids
Great Britain
Country Of Seller
eBay
Auctioned at
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
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. Tractor : Tractor A-2 / B-2 1st Press 1971 Dandelion Records
This classic first pressing plays to an incredible standard with no interference. I have sold 3 or 4 of these down the years and this is by far and away the best - sonically it just could not play any better. The clarity, depth, power and resonance of the audio is STUNNING and not surprisingly the vinyl is in lovely condition also. I have graded all the tracks as either Mint or Mint- with a couple of Near Mint intros and that is only because of a handful of minor light statics that are totally non-intrusive. In my opinion this is a FINAL UPGRADE archive classic. Those 'in the know' will appreciate just how superb this album is and it's such a shame they didn't produce more albums. Promoted and helped considerably by the famous DJ John Peel it is a genuine rarity to find one as pristine as this. Indeed Dandelion Records was set up by him.
The cover has been preserved so well and has kept its original shape and structure perfectly with no bending or creasing. Bar one written squiggle on the back cover it is very clean with very little fading. The original inner sleeve is also in excellent condition.
2310217 A//2∇ 420 1 1 1 04
2310217 B//2∇ 420 1 1 2 04
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 intro Near Mint)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T1 intro Near Mint)
The cover is Ex+ The original Plastic Bags... inner sleeve is Ex+
The Dandelion labels are Near Mint
Visual description
The vinyl is in lovely condition and still has a fine glossy sheen with no marks or scratches. Under a strong bright light I can only see a few ultra faint sleeve removal hairlines that obviously have no impact on the superb audio. There is no groove or surface wear, no 'bag-rash', and the Dandelion labels are more or less perfect with hardly any spindle wear.
Play Grading
The quiet build up intro on 'All Ends Up' plays with incredible clarity, there is no background aside from a couple of minor statics. As Milne's guitar comes in the audio is superb and the opening vocal section is just as strong and clear. The mid instrumental is perfect, no other word for it, and as it builds the audio is so powerful and dynamic. Clayton's a superb percussionist and that is very much in evidence during this section. The following quieter section plays so clearly with only a handful of quiet non-intrusive statics and the final vocal is flawless. The concluding instrumental has no background either including the fade out and overall this has to grade as Mint- it truly is a stunning version.
The acoustic intro on 'Little Girl In Yellow' again plays with great clarity with only a 4/5 minor statics - they are not ticks or clicks! The opening vocal has no intrusion and the instrumental and next vocal are 'as new' for sure. The long instrumental is STUNNING throughout! It exemplifies just how strong Milne is on guitar and even the quieter section plays with sublime clarity and warmth. As the volume increases the audio definition and power is phenomenal - there is no 'muddiness' to the sound, every note so clean and precise, and the finale is outstanding! Again it is so powerful and there is literally no distortion. I cannot overstate just how immaculate the audio is here, never heard better. The intro is Near Mint but there is no doubt that the rest has to be graded as Mint
The intro on 'The Watcher' plays perfectly and the first vocal is equal to that. Once again it's the clarity of sound that stands out and it continues to impress on every level. No ticks, clicks, pops or static the playback from start to finish could not be any cleaner. Not one solitary static sound or dust tick either, Mint all the way which you have to say is impressive for a relatively quiet number.
The 'audience' intro on 'Ravenscroft's 13 bar Boogie' has no intrusion and then the actual intro plays loud and deep with no interference either. This live number rack then plays with unbelievable sonic quality for a final track. There is no inner groove distortion and the audio is just so strong and well defined. The deep bass sound adds so much and the 'slightly' quieter section towards the end has no intrusion. The 'audience' outro is flawless and this has to grade as Mint also. What a side of music!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The quiet intro on 'Shubunkin' (Part 1) plays with outstanding clarity, there are only a small number of barely audible statics and just one that is a little more obvious, still quiet though. As Milne's guitar joins in the playback is stunning and it proceeds in the same exact way. A great sense of melody to this instrumental and the quiet albeit brief ending is faultless. Perhaps a little harsh but I will grade the intro as Near Mint but the rest is Mint without doubt.
Part 2 is entitled 'Hope In Favour' and the opening vocal section is perfect. Once again the power and depth of the audio screams of a vinyl hardly played and it continues to play with imperious quality. Yes Milne's vocal is strong and clear but the instrumental sections are breathtaking! You can turn this up without fear of distortion and as I often say it just could not play any better. Mint
The acoustic segue into Part 3 'Everytime It Happens' is as clean as a record pressed yesterday and the opening vocal again has no background. This classic album is now 53 years old but it certainly does not play like it! There is no hiding place here as it's not a loud track and yet the clarity is phenomenal throughout. No word of a lie the clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is comparable to an unplayed record - you miss nothing every note is so clean and succinct and the musicianship is 'high end' to say the least. The closing instrumental is 'as new' as is the entire track! A STUNNING Mint version and I do not use the Mint grade lightly. I only use that grade that grade if there is literally no background and if sonically it has not been affected in any way by distortion etc.
The intro and opening vocal section on 'Make The Journey' are strong and dynamic and (of course) there is no interference. The first instrumental is one of the most powerful on the album and yet there is no inner groove distortion. The next vocal is so clean and as the volume descends the clarity is amazing! Not even a dust tick. As it 'lifts' out of this section with almost a tractor staccato type sound (!) the audio is STUNNING again and the vocal / instrumental 'sound' is 'as new' for sure. This superb instrumental continues to play with incredible power and definition and Milne's strong bass is a vital part of the whole sonic effect. It's a superb end to the album and the fade out has no intrusion either. The musical box ending is close to perfect with only the lightest of dull sounding static at the start and I do mean very very light! Barely audible in fact - however I will grade as Mint- just to err on the side of caution although I am sure many would say I am being too critical! It is still the definitive version in my opinion.
The Cover & Inner Sleeve
The cover is in great condition with only minimal shelf wear. It isn't laminated and withstood the test of time so well. The top edge is close to perfect, the bottom edge has a only a little rubbing and the spine remains 100% legible with hardly any wear just very minimal compression in a couple of areas. All corners are very clean with only light wear and the opening edge is pristine. The front cover is in superb shape with only minimal light fading near the bottom edge and the back cover is even better! The largely white background is so clean with only a couple of minor specks. There is a squiggle, maybe a signature, in the top right corner but I don't think that detracts from the overall look. A superb example in my opinion.
The original Plastic bags... inner is in great condition also with no side splits and just one very small tear on the central aperture, I didn't notice it at first. It has barely any marking and very little creasing.
2310217 A//2∇ 420 1 1 1 04
2310217 B//2∇ 420 1 1 2 04
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT VM-95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
Recent Feedback
THIS IS WHAT A SELLER SHOULD BE LIKE ON HIGH END VINYL! Exactly as described if not better ! I could not be a happier customer .. well packed for international flight .. and shipped and received very fast .. No worries here this guy is the topsGREAT AS DESCRIBED BEST SELLR OF ALL THE UK PEOPLE AND I HAVE BOUGHT FROM ALL OF THEM
Beautiful record as described, fast safe delivery, top seller. Cheers Steve.
Another fantastic LP from this seller - condition exactly as shown and the audio as described! Fast delivery, vinyl properly and carefully packed. Very highly recommended A++++
Another stunning LP from this very reliable and helpful seller.
Very quick delivery. Album exactly as described. Excellent packaging. Once again all perfect. Thanks!!!
Great item and seller (no.1), many thanks from ITALY !!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic! Record as Described! Excellent Packaging and Fast Overseas Shipping!
One of the best on Ebay!
Another amazing record from this exceptional seller. Absolutely delighted!
Great seller and great vinyl record, professionally packaged. I’m very satisfied with my purchase and will certainly buy again!
Postage & Packaging
I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping. This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage. The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered. Any over-payment will always be refunded.
The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD). An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known. Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing. Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Many thanks.
All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection. They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection. I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.
The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each. There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up! Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!
UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £22.95 then £2.50 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £21.95 then £2.50 per extra
If you are not entirely happy with your purchase please contact me before leaving feedback and I will always resolve any issue, 100% guaranteed. If you would prefer to send the item back I will also pay the return shipping cost if I am at fault, I am only human after all!!
price rating
