Uriah Heep SWEET FREEDOM UK LP 1ST PRESS A1/B1 MINT-

	£		113
	$		150

URIAH HEEP - SWEET FREEDOM

IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION

FIRST PRESS ON ISLAND CATALOGUE A1 / B1

PLAYED NO MORE THAN 3 TIMES EVER!!!

• CATALOGUE:BRONZE ILPS 9245
• MATRIX: ILPS 9245 A-1 / B-1
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 2 GP /  1 GH 

THE SUPERB URIAH HEEP AT ARGUABLY THEIR BEST. PRODUCED IN 1973 ON THE BRONZE RECORD LABEL. AT THIS EARLY STAGE BRONZE ALBUMS WHICH WERE A SUBSIDIARY OF THE ISLAND LABEL STILL HAD THE ISLAND CATALOGUE NUMBERS HENCE THE ILPS MATRIX AND CATLAOGUE NUMBERS

THE RECORD

THE LABELS

THE LIGHT TAN LABELS ARE IN TOP CONDITION SHOWING NO STAINS OR MARKS AND NO LOSS OF COLOUR. THE TYPEFACE IS EQUALLY PRISTINE AND ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. I HAD TO REALLY LOOK CLOSE TO SEE ANY SPIDER LINES AT ALL, BUT DID SPOT A COUPLE OF REALLY SMALL ONES WHEN I ANGLED THE LABEL INTO THE INTENSE ILLIMINATION OF A SPOTLIGHT, AND EVEN THEN I HAD TO PLAY AROUND TO SPOT THEM. THIS LP HAS JUST NOT BEEN PLAYED MORE THAN TWO TIMES (THREE NOW) SINCE 1973

THE VINYL

THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION AND HAS NOT LOST ANY OF ITS ORIGINAL LUSTRE. YOU CAN TELL THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN PLAYED JUST BY LOOKING AT HOW THE RECORD STILL GLEAMS. IN DAYLIGHT IS IS JUST NEAR FLAWLESS, WITH JUST A FEW VERY VERY FINE AND SUPERFICIAL HANDLING LINES.

UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO SEE AT ALL

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, AS I NOW DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

WHAT THIS VINYL GIVES YOU IS A TRULY FIRST PRESS STEREO REPRODUCTION, WITHOUT ANY DISTORTION AND NO BACKGROUND CRACKLING. THERE IS JUST NOTHING TO HEAR APART FROM THE INCREDIBLE SOUND THIS ALBUM GENERATES.

NO CLICKS AND NO UNPLEASANT NOISES

THERE IS SOME VERY LIGHT VINYL NOISE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD TRACK, BUT THIS IS REALLY MINUTE AND WILL BE FOUND ON THE SECOND SOUNDBITE. I HEARD NO MORE THAN 3-4 TINY DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAY, AND A COUPLE OF ODD RANDOM SPLIT SECONDS OF STATIC

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS ALBUM MINT MINUS

PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN THOUGHT AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

ORIGINAL 'ROBOR' UNLAMINATED GATEGOLD SLEEVE WHICH IS IN ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. I HAVE TAKEN AN WHOLE BUNCH OF PICTURES THAT SHOW IT OFF.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND HAS NO HEAVY CREASES, NO LIGHT CREASES, AND JUST ONE  SMALL LINE, INSTEAD OF THE MANY THAT YOU USUALLY FIND DOWN THE SPINE.

THE COLOURS ON THIS SLEEVE ALWAYS RUB DUE TO THE POWDERY NATURE OF THE FINISH. MOST COPIES YOU WILL COME ACCROSS ARE HEAVILY RUBBED, BUT THIS SUPERB EXAMPLE HAS VIRTUALLY NONE WHATSOEVER. THERE IS JUST THE VERY VERY SLIGHTESTSHADOW AROUND THE PERIMETER EDGES, BUT CERTAINLY NO RINGWEAR OR RECORD SHAPE EITHER FOR THAT MATTER

THE TOP EDGE IS FREE FROM AMY SHELF WEAR, WHILST THE BOTTOM EDGE DOES HAVE MILD RUBBING TO THE SURFACE.

THE SPINE IS NEAR PRISTINE. AGAIN THIS USUALLY SUFFERES FROM SEVERE RUBBING. HERE IS ONE THAT IS HAS NO LOSS OF COLOUR AND EVERY LETTER OF THE YELLOW TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, JUST ONE TINY NICK TO THE VERY TOP OF THE SPINE

THE OPENING EDGE IS STILL RAZOR SHARP, WITH ONE TINY THUMB NAIL NICK ALONG THE EDGE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT,JUST A VERY LIGHT TRACE OF REDORD SHAPE WHERE A TINY AMOUNT OF COLOUR HAS RUBBED

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS TWO SECTIONS TO THE INNER AREA MAKING 4 PANELS. EACH ONE IS IN PRISTINE, MINT CONDITION AND COULD NOT LOOK ANY BETTER

THE ORIGNAL INNER SLEEVE IS IN NEAR PRISTINE UNSPLIT CONDITION, WITH JUST SOME LIGHT WRINKLING AND A TINY AMOUNT OF AGEING

THE SLEEVE GRADES NEAR MINT MINUS

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

GARRY