Wishbone Ash ARGUS UK LP 1ST PRESS BLUE/BLACK MINT-

	£		53
	$		70

WISHBONE ASH - ARGUS

• CATALOGUE:
• MATRIX:7 LNMG-256-2L / 257-2L
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 1 H / 1 OU
• FIRST PRESS INDICATORS

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING EXAMLE OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM WITH THE FIRST PRESS LABELS. the final upgrade for your collection

THE RECORD LABELS

THE FIRST PRESS BLACK AND BLUE LABELS. HERE WE HAVE A PAIR OF PRISTINE MINT EXAMPLES. EACH OF THE TWO COLOURS IS VIBRANT AND RICH . THE SURFACE OF THE LABEL IS BOTH SMOOTH AND SLIGHTLY TEXTURED AS ALL ORIGINAL ISSUES ARE. AND THE SILVER LETTERING IS 100% CLEAN AND CLEAR WITH NO WEAR OR RUBBING ENSURING EVERY LETTER CAN BE CLEARLY READ. THE SPINDLE HOLE HAS JUST TWO SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE HOLE WHERE THE ORIGINAL OWNER PLACED THE LP ONTO THE TURNTABLE FOR PROBABLY THE ONLY TIMES. THE PRESSING ORDER FOR THE MCA LABELS ON ARGUS IS AS FOLLOWS

1. BLUE AND BLACK
2. ALL BLACK
3. RAINBOW

THE VINYL

ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE GLOSSY BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL. REMOVING IT FROM THE SLEEVE AND GENTLY AND CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE DISC REVEALS A SPOTLESS SURFACE, APART FROM ONE MIONISCULE AND FEINT HANDLING LINE ON TRACK ONE, BUT I AM DELIGHTED TO SAY THAT IT DOESN'T SOUND AT ALL, AND IT IS VERY HARD TO SPOT.

. THIS VINYL APPEARS EXACTLY HOW A NEW VINYL WOULD HAVE LOOKED BACK IN 1971 WHEN THIS DISC WAS ORIGINALLY PRESSED. ETCHED INTO THE RUN OFF WAX ARE THE DIGITS THAT IDENTIFY THIS ALBUM AS A  FIRST PRESS. NAMELY THE   CATALOGUE NUMBERS ONLY 7 LNMG 244-2L / 245-2L (FIRST PRESS INDICATORS). THE HIGH GLOSS AND MARK FREE DISC IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE CLEANEST I HAVE EVER SEEN. EVEN WHEN OFFERED UP TO A SPOTLIGHT (WHICH ARGUABLY ISN'T REALLY A TRUE REFLECTION OF HOW GOOD A VINYL IS, AS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING TO SEE THIS WAY) THE VINYL DISPLAYS NO MORE THAN A FEW RIDICULOUSLY WISPY HAIRLINES

PLAYING THE RECORD

I HAVE RECORDED THE FIRST MINUTE AND A HALF OF EACH OF THE TRACKS ON THE ALBUM SO THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO JUDGE FOR YOURSELF EXACTLY HOW SUPERB THIS PRESSING IS. EACH SEGMENT INCLUDES EITHER THE RUN IN OR THE LINKING GROOVE, AND SO AFTER PRESSING PLAY, THE SILENCE THAT YOU HEAR BEFORE THE MUSIC PLAYS IS THAT OF THE ACTUAL VINYL

THE RUN IN IS SILENT, AND AS THE RECORD STARTS TO PLAY "TIME WAS" IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO SOMETHING SPECIAL. THE FIRST THING THAT IS CLEAR IS THAT THE SOUND IS DISTORTION FREE. ALMOST POINTLESS STATING THIS IN LIGHT OF HOW LITTLE THE ALBUM HAS BEEN PLAYED, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THE PLAY THAT THE RECORD HAS HAD WAS DONE WITH A GOOD QUALITY STYLUS AND NOT ONE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE GROOVE SUCH AS A WORN, CHIPPED STYLUS, OR INDEED ONE THAT WAS TRACKING TOO HEAVILY.

EACH TRACK PLAYS THROUGH WITH UTMOST CLARITY. THE PERFORMANCE ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH SIDES IS JUST OUTSTANDING. THERE IS NO BACKGROUND NOISE ANYWHERE ON EITHER SIDE,

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS DISC MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

THE OVERALL GRADING OF THE SLEEVE IS EXCELLENT

THIS IS A REALLY HARD SLEEVE TO GET IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN POOR CONDITION. THE REASON OF COURSE IS BECAUSE THEY CHOSE NOT TO LAMINATE IT, AND THEREFORE THE DELICATE COLOURS ARE ALWAYS FOUND HEAVILY WORN, AND MOST SLEEVES THAT YOU WILL SEE SHOW WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A VERY DUSTY APPEARANCE WHERE THE COLOUR IS REPLACED BY A GREY BASE. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE OF THE SENTRY'S CAPE.

THIS SLEEVE HOWEVER HAS JUST BEEN PERFECTLY CARED FOR SINCE NEW, AND LETS NOT FORGET THIS IS A 37 YEAR OLD COVER. THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND HAS NO CREASES ANYWHERE, AND AMAZINGLY NOT EVEN NEAR THE SPINE. THE COLOUR HAS BEEN PERFECTLY PRESERVED AND IS VIBRANT AND WEAR FREE. THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE ALSO USUALLY FOUND BARE OF COLOUR BUT APART FROM THE MILDEST TRACE ON THE BOTTOM ONE, THEY ARE PRISTINE. AS FOR THE SPINE AGAIN TO FIND ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN WORN OUT AND ILLEGIBLE IS VERY HARD INDEED, BUT HERE IS ONE IN ABSOLUTE MINT CONDITION. FLAT AND UNWORN WITH ALL OF THE TYPEFACE PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. THE OPENING EDGE IS SHARP AND IS IS PERFECTLY CLEAR BY LOOKING AT THIS THAT THE RECORD HAS BARELY BEEN OUT OF THE SLEEVE IN THE PAST 37 YEARS. THE REAR SURFACE USUALLY FARES EVEN WORSE THAN THE FRONT AS NOT ONLY DOES IT SUFFER THE SAME FATE WITH THE COLOUR LOSS, BUT IT ALSO TERRIBLE RING WEAR BLIGHTS IT, BUT AGAIN ON THIS SLEEVE THERE IS JUST NOTHING TO GET CONCERNED ABOUT. IT IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AND TIDY AS THE FRONT.

THIS OF COURSE IS A FIRST PRESS ROBERT STACE SLEEVE AS INDICATED BY THE BOTTOM PANEL ON THE INNER GATEFOLD, WHICH HAS ALSO RETAINED THE DEEP BROWN COLOUR AND LOOKS PERFECT.

THE ORIGINAL BLUE AND WHITE POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE IS IN TOP CONDITION

BASED ON HOW THIS SLEEVE USUALLY LOOKS I HAVE NO HESITITAION IN GRADING THIS NEAR MINT

GARRY