Elton John DON'T SHOOT ME UK LP VERY 1ST RED TRANSLUCENT A2/B2 PLAYS MINT MINUS

	£		124
	$		164

ELTON JOHN - DON'T SHOOT ME I'M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER

IN MAGNIFICENT ONE PLAY MINT MINUS CONDITION

GENUINE VERY 1ST ISSUE MINT MINUS SLEEVE

1ST RED TRANSLUCENT A2/B2 VINYL

• CATALOGUE:DJM  DJLPH 427
• MATRIX: DJLPH 427 A2 / B 2
• 'AGONG' ETCHED INTO DEAD WAX SIDE ONE
• 'BANG' ETCHED INTO DEAD WAX SIDE TWO
• TEXTURED 1ST ISSUE BOOKLET
• STAPLED BOOK
• RED TRANSLUCENT VINYL

This first press Elton John Album has to be one of the best copies out there. The Sleeve is just incredible, and is a genuine 1st issue Garrod and Lofthouse, which differs from later releases in the following ways.

First and most obviously the booklet is stapled into the sleeve not loose like later issues. the staples have to be visible on the spine whereas on the later sleeves there were no staples.

Secondly the front edge has to be sealed like Pink Floyd's DSOM first issue sleeves, later issues are open-ended and the book sits inside the front pocket.

Thirdly the book has a textured surface whereas the later ones are smooth to the touch

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE JET BLACK LABELS ARE IN SUPERB CONDITION. THERE ARE NO MARKS OR STAINS ON THEM AT ALL. THE COLOUR FULLY EXTENDS INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE.. THE YELLOW DJM LOGO IS UNRUBBED AND THE SILVER TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. THERE ARE JUST ONE MINUSCULE SPIDER LINE CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE SHOWING THAT THIS VINYL HAS ONLY EVER HAD A COUPLE OF TRIPS ROUND A TURNTABLE

THE VINYL

THIS VINYL GLEAMS LIKE NEW, AND HAS LOST NONE OF ITS ORIGINAL LUSTRE. THIS IS A FIRST PRESS HEAVYWEIGHT DISC IN SUBLIME CONDITION. IN DAYLIGHT THE VINYL IS FLAWLESS, AND ONLY UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION ARE THERE SOME WISPY HAIRLINES AND SOME NON SOUNDING PAPER SCUFFS VISIBLE. LOOKS CAN DECEIVE AS THIS LP PLAYS TO NEAR PERFECTION. ALSO WHEN HELD UP TO THE LIGHT YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THAT THIS IS THE RED TRANSLUCENT VINYL PRESS

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 AS I NOW DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS, AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE LP BEFORE LAYING ANY BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS.

THE LP PLAYS THROUGH MAGNIFICENTLY ON BOTH SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW FANTASTIC IT SOUNDS.

THE REPRODUCTION IS PURE FIRST PRESS WITH EVERY NOTE BEING CRISP AND CLEAR.

THERE IS NO DISTORTION TO THE SOUND EITHER AT ANY POINT SHOWING THAT THE COUPLE OF PLAYS THAT THE LP HAS HAD, WE COMPLETED WITH A CORRECTLY WEIGHTED AND UNWORN STYLUS

THERE IS NO EMBEDDED VINYL NOISE AND NO MORE THAN THE VERY ODD SEMI SECOND OF BARELY AUDIBLE STATIC IN ONE OR TWO OF THE LINKING GROOVES.

I HEARD NO MORE THAN ONE MINUSCULE DUST POP THROUGH THE WHOLE PLAYTHROUGH

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL MINT MINUS FOR THE PLAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO IT AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF AGAINST YOUR PERSONAL STANDARDS

THE SLEEVE

FIRST ISSUE GARROD AND LOFTHOUSE SLEEVE WITH THE 1ST ISSUE TEXTURED BOOKLET, STAPLES SPINE, AND SEALED FRONT EDGE

HIGHLY POLISHED LAMINATE ON THE FRONT SURFACE WHICH GLEAMS LIKE A MIRROR. HAS NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES. NO BENDS OR FOLDS EITHER A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THIS VERY FIRST ISSUE COVER.

THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY ZERO!!! LAMINATE LINES NEAR THE SPINE NONE ALONG THE TOP EDGE, ONE TINY ONE ON THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE.

NO RING WEAR OR EVEN RECORD SHAPE

THE SPINE IS ALSO  MINT.  FLAT AND UNSQUASHED, WITH EVERY LETTER OF TYPEFACE CLEARLY LEGIBLE.NO LAMINATE PEEL OR FLAKE, AND THE FIRST ISSUE WITH THE STAPLES TOP AND BOTTOM

THE OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP AND AGAIN SHOWS JUST HOW LITTLE THIS RECORD HAS BEEN OUT OF THE COVER. THE FRONT EDGE IS SEALED AS IT SHOULD BE ON THIS FIRST ISSUE COVER

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT, JUST A COUPLE OF THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE.

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A  PRISTINE PAIR OF INNER PANELS. UNUSUALLY THERE IS NO PAPER PULL ON THE BOTTOM EDGE WHERE THE LAMINATE WRAPS ROUND. CLEARLY THIS SLEEVE WAS ALLOWED TO DRY BEFORE BEING CLOSED.

THE ORIGINAL 1ST ISSUE BOOKLET WAS ISSUED WITH TEXTURED PAPER WHEREAS LATER ISSUES WERE UNTEXTURED, AND THIS ONE IS JUST IMMACULATE

COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL INNER SLEEVE WHICH IS UNSPLIT

THIS IS A REAL RARITY AND A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE  MINT MINUS !!!

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

GARRY