David Bowie ZIGGY STARDUST UK LP VERY 1ST 1972 1E NMINT

	£		155
	$		205

DAVID BOWIE - ZIGGY STARDUST

VIRTUALLY UNPLAYED DISC

A GENUINE VERY FIRST PRESS FROM 1972

• CATALOGUE:RCA SF 8287
• MATRIX: BGBS0864-1E / BGBS0865-1E
• TITANIC CREDITS ON THE LABEL
• HEAVYWEIGHT SOLID (BARELY FLEXIBLE) DISC

ZIGGY STARDUST WAS RELEASED ON JUNE 6TH 1972 AND REACHED ONLY NUMBER 5 IN THE UK CHARTS. IT HAS SINCE GONE ON TO ACHIEVE LEGENDARY STATUS, AND HAS BEEN REISSUED MANY TIMES. THERE IS OF COURSE ONLY ONE GENUINE FIRST PRESS

SO HOW TO TELL A FIRST PRESS?

THE SLEEVE MUST HAVE 'VICTOR' UNDER THE RCA LOGO TOP RIGHT CORNER NOT 'INTERNATIONAL'

THE REAR MUST HAVE NO MENTION OF 'MAINMAN' ACREDITATION

IT MUST BE A ROBERT STACE SLEEVE

THE LABELS MUST BE GLOSSY AND NOT MATT

THE VINYL MUST BE HEAVY AND NOT FLIMSY

THE LABEL MUST HAVE 'TITANIC' CREDITS

THE MATRIX MUST BE STAMPED AND NOT ETCHED

THE MATRIX NUMBER MUST BE BGBS 0864 1E / 0865 1E

IF ANY OF THESE ARE MISSING THEN YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT A FIRST PRESS

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE GLOSSY ORANGE LABELS ARE IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION. THE GLOSSY LABELS ARE EVIDENCE OF A FIRST PRESS, AS LATER PRESSES WERE RELEASED ON LIGHTER VINYL WITH MATT LABELS

THERE ARE NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE ON EITHER SIDE. THE BASE COLOUR FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE JET BLACK TYPEFACE IS CLEAR AND UNRUBBED AND THEREFORE PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. I CANNOT EVEN SEE ANY SPIDER LINES AROUND THE SPINDLE HOLE WHATSOEVER, EVEN USING A MAGNIFYING GLASS

THE VINYL

THE RECORD GLEAMS LIKE NEW AND COULN'T LOOK ANY BETTER. ALL OF THE ORIGINAL LUSTRE HAS BEEN RETAINED. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE MARKS OR ANY SIGNS OF HANDLING ON THE DISCS IN DAYLIGHT, AND IT LOOKS FLAWLESS, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS ONLY A FEW VERY FINE WISPY HAIRLINES

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. I AM CONVINCED THAT ANY POTENTIAL BIDDER WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING BIDDING ON, BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE LP PLAYS THROUGH BRILLIANTLY ON BOTH SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW FANTASTIC THIS ALBUM SOUNDS. IN PARTICULAR THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION TO THE SOUND AT ANY POINT

THE SLEEVE ADVISES TO PLAY THIS LOUDLY, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE STEREO MIX IS SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT. CLEAR AS A BELL AND CUT VERY LOUD INDEED

THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CRACKLES AND NO LOUD CLICKS AT ANY POINT

THERE IS THE OCCASIONAL BIT OF VERY LIGHT AND BARELY AUDIBLE STATIC ON SIDE ONE, AND A FEW TINY TINY LITTLE TICS HERE AND THERE, BUT SIDE 2 IS JUST ABOUT FLAWLESS

BUT PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE THIS SUPERB DISC FOR YOURSELF

A HIGH GRADE COLLECTIBLE IN INCREDIBLE NEAR MINT  CONDITION

THE SLEEVE

UNLAMINATED ROBERT STACE SINGLE SLEEVE - 1ST PRESS NO MAINMAIN CREDITS

THE FRONT SURFACE IS VERY VERY CLEAN AND IMPORTANTLY NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES, AND ALL OF THE DELICATE COLOURS HAVE BEEN RETAINED WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR THIS OFTEN ABUSED COVER.

THERE IS NO RING WEAR WHICH IS AGAIN A RARITY, AND ONLY WHEN YOU ANGLE THE SLEEVE INTO STRONG LIGHT CAN YOU MAKE OUT A SLIGHT SHADOW OF RECORD SHAPE AT THE VERY TOP

THERE ARE FIVE MINSCULE LINES NEAR THE SPINE AND AONE MORE ON THE TOP EDGE THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES HAVE ONLY THE MOST MINUTE SHELF WEAR, WITH 95% OF EACH IN UNWORN CONDITION

THE SPINE IS FLAT AND HAS NO SQUASHING, JUST ONE SEMI FINGER TO THUMB SQUASH, WHICH IS RARE ON THIS DELICATE SPINE. AMAZINGLY THERE IS NO WEAR TO EITHER THE TOP OR BOTTOM TIP

THE OPENING EDGE IS STILL VERY SHARP, AND DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THOSE TINY THUMB NAIL NICKS EITHER

THE REAR SURFACE IS JUST AS CLEAN AND MARK FREE AS THE FRONT.THERE IS REFERENCE TO 'A GEM PRODUCTION' BUT NOTHING ELSE.AGAIN THE COLOURS ARE ALL THERE, AND LIKE THE FRONT THERE ARE JUST A FEW LITTLE LINES NEAR THE PERIMETER EDGES.

THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT CORNERS HAVE LIGHT CREASE LINES ACROSS THEM

THE LYRIC INNER SLEEVE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. AMAZINGLY NO SEAM SPLITS WHICH IS UNCOMMON. THERE ARE LIGHT WRINGLES TO AREAS OF THE INNER, AND A LIGHT BROWN MOTTLE SPOT ON THE BOTTOM  EDGE OF THE PICTURE SIDE.

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

GARRY