Counterparts - The Current Will Carry Us - (2011) 1st pressing black vinyl VR651

$

49

• This has the high audio quality of what other sellers regularly list as a 'NM' vinyl grade, especially on Discogs. These lazy sellers think "looks good, sounds good, NM". In my experience most sellers don't know how to follow the Goldmine grading standards correctly or accurately at all. It's physically impossible for that many records listed to be truly NM by strict Goldmine grading standards. I regularly open brand new sealed modern records that come with hairline marks or scuffs on them from manufacturing and shipping, immediately disqualifying them from being graded as high as NM ever, unplayed right out the shrink wrap. All of the existing vinyl plants are now constantly overbooked and their process has been hastened, quality control is not what it used to be at all. If you've been collecting records for a while then you've probably already observed exactly what I'm referring to. The only reason I didn't list this as NM is because it has a few minor visible marks that technically visually disqualify it from being graded NM on the Goldmine scale, but they don't affect audio meaningfully at all. This is a clear, dynamic, high-quality audio experience from start to finish. You can rest assured and buy with confidence from an honest conservative grader valuing accuracy and transparency.
• 
  
• Barcode (Printed): 7 46105 06511 6
• Barcode (Scanned): 7 610506511
• Matrix / Runout (Runout, Etched; Side A): S-78897 A VR651
• Matrix / Runout (Runout, Etched; Side B): S-78898 B VR651

Please see photos for close-ups and documentation of condition for each portion of the record. I am the orignal and only owner, played only a handful of times ever and stored on a shelf vertically kept protected inside of a outer sleeve long-term
Vinyl is almost perfectly flat, no visible significant warping or deformation around the entire circumference of the record.
Without strictly sticking to the Goldmine scale I would use 'EX' (Excellent) to designate records like this one that play at a NM level but have minor, non-sounding visual flaws that disqualify them from a strict NM Goldmine grade. With that being said, I went ahead and graded the vinyl a VG+ to be extremely conservative due to the visible surface marks, even though they don't affect audio and this realistically plays equivalent to the audio of a 'NM' graded record.
Please note that I intentionally took photos of the surface marks, especially the largest one on Side A, in the most affected light angles in order to demonstrate the worst case visual scenario when it comes to lighting. I also included photos that demonstrate from an angle how the surface mark essentially completely disappears. Also included are angles that show that the surface of the record is not visibly gouged or scratched deeply and that it is just a cosmetic surface scuff mark affecting the gloss and appearance of the record surface. The grooves of the record are seemingly unaffected due to the surface scuff as evidenced by the clean playback.
The overall grade for this vinyl record is basically heavily determined by the limitations of the visual grade due to very light cosmetic surface marks that do not affect playable realistically or significantly. The larger mark on side A changed the nature of the reflectivity and gloss on the surface of the record but without affecting playback, unfortunately it looks worse than it actually is in reality when it comes to the having any significant impact on the audio experience. With a correctly dialed in setup and tracking force you should have quality playback and an overall excellent audio experience, based on my playtest with solid equipment as a baseline screening. 
This is an original black vinyl pressing from the 1st pressings in 2011. Variants of this record have been completely out of print since the last pressings made available in 2014. It's been unavailable for that long and now is the chance to own a completely solid 'player' copy with clean high fidelity audio at a reasonable and discounted price due to the VG+ vinyl heavily influenced by visual grading.

Please note that while graded conservatively, modern vinyl grading remains inherently subjective; audio playback can vary depending on individual turntable setup quality, cartridge alignment, and tracking force.
Please also note that due to the static nature of vinyl records, minor dust, fibers, or paper particles may be present upon arrival despite careful handling. Records will be carefully handled and visually inspected prior to shipment; however, vinyl naturally attracts dust/static and it is not possible to guarantee a completely particle-free surface during storage and transit. A light carbon fiber brush cleaning on each side is recommended and typically should be all that is needed before first play, though additional wet-cleaning methods remain an option depending on your personal preference and equipment setup.
Shipped in a cardboard LP mailer with vinyl records placed outside of the jacket to prevent seam splits. Jacket and contents will be protected using cardboard stiffeners, outer sleeves, and protective padding as necessary to minimize movement during transit. * Shipping insurance will be purchased to cover the full cost of the sale price adequately.
~ Archival Shipping Upgrade Offer Included: At checkout, let me know your preference! (Or just send me a message after purchase with your selection). I can ship your vinyl in the stock inner sleeves, or your choice of either brand-new Boundless Audio 3-Ply Anti-Static HDPE sleeves or a rigid BCW Black Paper Polylined sleeve at no extra cost. The original stock inner sleeve will always be included for completeness.

Feel free to make an offer to see if we can reach an agreement on a fair purchase price.

*If you have any questions or wish to see additional or specific pictures please go ahead and send me a message.

If there are any issues that arise with the transaction please reach out to me first so we can reach a resolution, thank you!