VAN DER GRAFF H To He Who Am The Only One A-1/B-1 1st Press Superb AUDIO Overall
£
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Description
4I 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.
Van Der Graaf Generator : H To He, Who Am The Only One A-1U / B-1U 1st Press Charisma Pink Scroll 1970
This first pressing plays to a very high standard for the vast majority. The only 'real' interference is two sticks during the mid instrumental of the first track. It's unfortunate because the actual audio quality is stunning with zero background. The clarity and power of the audio on both sides is so impressive and the clarity of sound especially during the quieter moments, of which there are many, is incredible.
As a matter of interest both labels are on the record but the wrong way round. S1 on S2 and S2 on S1, someone was a bit slapdash in the packing factory!
The gatefold is in very good condition and the original plain white die-cut inner is in excellent shape.
CAS 1027 A - 1U O 1 --- CAS 1027 B - 1U GR 1
The audio on S1 is Mint- (T1 instrumental VG due two sticks despite perfect audio / T3 final 3/4 seconds VG+)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T1 Part 2 intro VG+ for 5/6 seconds)
The gatefold is VG+
The poster is Ex+
The inner sleeve is Ex-
The Charisma pink scroll labels are Mint-
Visual description
The vinyl is in excellent condition overall and still has a strong glossy sheen. Under a bright light I can see one smallish hairline / scratch mark on the first track which may be the cause of the sticks but aside from that it is very clean with only a small number of very faint hairlines. S2 is in superb condition with just one tiny blemish that has no affect on the audio. There is no groove or surface wear and the run outs are very clean also. The Charisma pink scroll labels are super clean with only a little spindle wear on S1 and a bit more on S2.
Play Grading
S1 has a pristine run in and then the intro on 'Killer' is 'as new' without any background. Hammill's opening vocal section is crystal clear and it continues in the same precise way. It sounds like it has never been played before! The clarity and depth of the audio is stunning - the first 'chorus' is a fine example of that and the following instrumental is mind-blowing... for the vast majority! It is so strong and powerful with such clean audio / no distortion but for some reason it sticks just as Evans' drums speed up / are louder in the mix and again it sticks right at the end of the instrumental. It's a real shame because the actual sound quality is perfect. Perhaps on another set up with a different stylus it won't be affected in the same way. Buyers risk I guess! The final vocal section / closing instrumental plays with no background. A strange one to grade - the audio is Mint but I will have to grade the mid instrumental as VG
'House With No Door' plays with stunning clarity through every section. The intro has only a couple of very quiet statics and the opening vocal has no background whatsoever. The mid instrumental is equally as strong and clean and the final verse just has one very light tick on the second line. The remainder is 100% perfect and that includes the long fade out, there is not even one light static. This is easily a Mint- version.
The first section of 'The Emperor In His War Room' plays with exceptional quality, I cannot praise it highly enough. The clarity and definition of the audio is 'as new' and I only heard a couple of barely audible statics. The 'high octane' vocal sections play with genuine power and the quieter sections are stunning. 'The Room' section cannot be faulted either, the power is off the scale and there is no intrusion during the quieter passages. Robert Fripp of course lends a hand on this track with his very distinctive sound. The final 'choral' vocal plays with sublime quality and the end instrumental has just a little static on the final 3/4 seconds. I will grade this as Mint- with the brief end section grading as VG+
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'Lost - Part 1 The Dance In Sand And Sea' plays with superb audio through every vocal and instrumental. The clarity of sound is stunning for the vast majority and the only background is a handful of very quiet statics as you get into the instrumental section just after the second verse. There are a few light dull ticks at the beginning of '...Part 2 Dance in Frost' but that is the only interference. The first vocal is perfect as is the quiet instrumental passage that follows and this standard is kept up to very end and the long fade out has no background either. The whole track has a stage show type sound this track but with a proggy overtone of course! Mint- is deserved here with just the Part 2 intro grading as VG+ but it lasts for only 5/6 seconds.
The very quiet intro on 'The Pioneers Over c' plays with great clarity with only a couple of light ticks. The organ passage is incredible! So quiet and yet stunning clarity! Hammill's opening vocal has no background and the bass instrumental bridge is perfect. It continues in the same precise way - again there are so many differing sections but put simply the clarity and depth of the audio is STUNNING! It would be nigh on impossible to find a 'cleaner' version in my opinion - the original sonic quality is still very much there and the quieter sections really do stand out as there is barely any background. For example the long and very quiet acoustic / vocal / sax passage plays beautifully with no intrusion. The next piano led instrumental is perfect as are the final vocal / instrumental sections. Again I cannot overstate just how clean and precise the audio is throughout this multi-layered track and Mint- is definitely a fair assessment of the audio.
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The E.J Day cover is in very good condition with some shelf wear but nothing major. The edges have some rubbing / wear but the spine remains strong and wide with only minimal wear, it is just very slightly compressed in the centre. The corners have some rubbing but again it's not extensive and the opening edge is in excellent shape overall. The front cover has some surface rub as is very common and the back cover is similar. The inside of the gatefold is in in great condition with hardly any wear, just some very minor fading by the top edges and some creasing of the right panel by the spine something that you often see again.
The original plain white inner sleeve is in excellent shape with barely any marking and no side splits or tears. It has minimal creasing but does have a Virgin Record store print in one top corner.
CAS 1027 A - 1U O 1 --- CAS 1027 B - 1U GR 1
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++++
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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 : £20.95 then £2.50 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £19.95 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!!
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