Yes CLOSE TO THE EDGE UK LP 1ST A1/B1 NM-/EX+

	£		83
	$		110

YES - CLOSE TO THE EDGE

IN SUPERB CONDITION

• CATALOGUE:ATLANTIX K50012
• MATRIX: K50012 A1 / B1

THE ULTRA RARE CLOSE TO THE EDGE VERY FIRST PRESS. THIS IS AS RARE AS ROCKINGHORSE SH**

A WORD OR TWO ABOUT A GENUINE FIRST PRESS OF THIS ALBUM

FIRSTLY THE MATRIX NUMBERS MUST BE MACHINE STAMPED INTO THE DEAD WAX. SECONDLY THE LABEL DOES NOT HAVE THE WARNER 'W' AT 3 O'CLOCK

THIRD THE SLEEVE MUST BE TEXTURED HEAVILY BOTH ON THE OUTSIDE AND THE INSIDE (SOME ARE ONLY TEXTURED ON THE OUTSIDE)

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE TWO ORANGE AND GREEN LABELS ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. BOTH BASE COLOURS ARE IMMACULATE AND UNWORN. THE FIRST PRESS HAS A DARKER ORANGE COLOUR THAN LATER PRESSES, IN FACT IT'S ALMOST BRICK RED.

THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS PRISTINE UNRUBBED AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE.

THE WHITE BAND RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTRE OF THE LABEL IS ALSO PURE WHITE AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE

THERE ARE NUMEROUS SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE INDICATION AROUND 15 PLAYS

ALSO THE LABEL IS THE FIRST ISSUE ATLANTIC LABEL WITHOUT THE WARNER 'W' AT THREE O'CLOCK

THE VINYL

THIS VINYL STILL RETAINS MOST OF ITS ORIGINAL LUSTER, WITH JUST A FEW LITTLE PATCHES WHICH HAVE DULLED.

THERE ARE SOME LIGHT HANDLING TO THE SURFACE WHICH CAN BE SEEN INDAYLIGHT, AND UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION SOME WISPY HAIRLINES TO ADD TO THIS.

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, SOMETHING I NOW DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS, AS I AM CONVINCED 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.

THE VINYL LOOKS THOUGH IT SHOULD PLAY TO AN EXCELLENT STANDARD, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT IT PLASY FAR HIGHER

THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING TO STATE IS THAT IT PLAYS WITHOUT ANY DISTORTION WHATSOEVER, MEANING THAT THE RECORD WAS PLAYED WITH A CORRECTLY WEIGHTED AND UNWORN STYLUS. IN ADDITION THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS JUST MAGNIFICENT, THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRST PRESSES AND ALL THE REST. THIS IS BY FAR A CLEARER, LOUDER CUT. EVERY NOTE BEING HEARD TO PERFECTION

SIDE 1 HAS THE BAREST TRACE OF VERY LIGHT VINYL NOISE DURING THE SILENT INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST TRACK IN THE FORM OF WHAT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A VERY MILD STATIC LIKE SOUND. THE ONLY TIME THAT THIS IS HEARD AGAIN IS ONCE DURING ANOTHER VERY QUIET PASSAGE, IN FACT THE RUN OUT IS SILENT. THERE ARE NO CLICKS NOT EVEN ANY LITTLE DUST POPS WHATSOEVER. SIDE ONE EASILY GRADES NEAR MINT MINUS

SIDE 2 HAS SOME VERY MILD SURFACE NOISE BEHIND THE MUSIC FOR THE FIRST 75 SECONDS. AND THREE SMALL DUST POPS. OTHER THAN THIS IS PLAYS AS SUPERBLY AS SIDE ONE WITH JUST THAT LIGHT VINYL NOISE BEING HEAR IN A COUPLE OF THE QUIETEST MOMENTS. SIDE 2 GRADES EXCELLENT PLUS

ANYWAY PLEASE DONT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, LISTEN TO IT FOR YOURSELF AND BE THE JUDGE

THE SLEEVE

NON LAMINATED AND TEXTURED GATEFOLD SLEEVE WITH THE ROGER DEAN ARTWORK. THIS IS SUCH A HARD SLEEVE TO FIND IN ACCEPTABLE CONDITION. THE FACT THAT IT IS UNLAMINATED AND TEXTURED USUALLY ASURES THE SEVER COLOUR LOSS TO THE DELICATE GREEN SURFACE.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND TOTALLY UNCREASED. THE DELICATE GREEN SURFACE HAS NO RUBBING TO IT WHATSOEVER, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THREE SMALL LIGHTER GREEN MARKS RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM. NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THEM. THERE ARE NO LINES NEAR THE SPINE WHICH IS MOST UNCOMMON, AND JUST A COUPLE OF BARELY VISIBLE ONES ON THE TOP EDGE

THERE IS NO RING WEAR WHATSOEVER ON ANY PART OF THE SLEEVE

THE TOP EDGE IS PRISTINE AND UNRUBBED WHILST THE BOTTOM EDGE HAS VERY MARGINAL SHELF WEAR

THE SPINE ITSELF IS FLAT, AND VIRTUALLY UNRUBBED WITH THE ONLY LOSS OF COLOUR BEING THE VERY TOP AND BOTTOM TIPS. THERE ARE TWO PIN PRICKS OF WHITE SHOWING THROUGH JUST OVER THE WORD YES

THE OPENING EDGE STILL VERY SHARP WITH JUST A FEW TINY THUMB NAIL NICKS ALONG IT

THE REAR SURFACE IS UNBLEMISHED AND LOOKS SUPERB

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PRISTINE MINT CONDITION INTERIOR PAIR OF TEXTURED SURFACES.

FINALLY THE FRAGILE GREEN INNER SLEEVE WHICH HISTORICALLY COMES SPLIT IS IN UNSPLIT CONDITION. THERE ARE NO SPLITS TO ANY OF THE THREE SEAMS. THE OPENING EDGE REMAINS UNFRAYED . A VERY LIGHT OUTLINE OF RECORD SHAPE AND A COUPLE OF CREASE LINES ARE THE ONLY OTHER THINGS TO POINT OUT

THE SLEEVE GRADES EXCELLENT PLUS

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

GARRY