BLACK SABBATH MASTER OF REALITY 1st PRESS 1Y1/2Y1 VERTIGO w/BOX & POSTER
$
234
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
Black Sabbath Master of Reality
1971 Vertigo Records (U.K.)
Side One: As Sweet Leaf opens, you hear what one hears on almost all of these albums, the crackle of needle drops and of being played. And there is a fair amount. There is definitely less (but still present) crackle by the end of the song and for After Forever, which sounds pretty darned good, partly because it is a loud song. The same amount of background noise is more evident on Embryo, which is a quieter song. And then the crackle seems to slowly increase. It doesn't bother Children of the Grave much, being such a loud song. But by the time of the quiet runout, the whispering of 'Children of the Grave', we hear the worst of it on the album. Side One grade: VG/VG+ Absolutely listenable, but certainly not being sold as perfect.
Side Two: Turn it over and it's a new world. Orchid, Lord of This World and Solitude are very clear. Almost no background crackle, and and there is just the occasional pop that keeps those songs from being NM! The quiet songs, Orchid and Solitude, are beautiful. Into the Void (a great song), develops some crackle, but it is still very good. I think every song on side 2 is better than any song on side 1 in terms of clarity, background noise, etc. Side Two grade: EX/EX+
Visually, there are imperfections on the vinyl that don't show in the pictures, flaws that one generally has to look for to find, but they are there. The vinyl, visually, is VG/EX.
Labels: See for yourself, they look very nice.
Cover: Some laminate lift, but much better than most I've seen. It retains some of it's squareness, but it definitely has been flattened at some point. No extraneous writing or rips. The cover still has beautiful colors, with the occasional dent and loose corner. Inner Sleeve: This is the proper inner sleeve, swirl on a black background. It has some fading, wrinkles, tiny tears and some red pen marking on the bottom of one side. But it is full and intact, complete with the cellophane inside it. (See photos) Poster: No pinholes, it doesn't appear to have ever been on a wall (or even out much), it opens up and looks great. Some very, very minor 'wrinkling' by the folds, but thats just how it came I think. (See photos) Otherwise, NM.
I am not presenting this album package as an audiophile collection keeper. It is good enough, however, to be a collection 'placeholder', something to have in the meanwhile, until you get a pristine copy. But beware...you might be satisfied enough with this that you eventually forget it's only a 'placeholder'!
price rating
