FINAL UPGRADE BLACK SABBATH MASTER OF REALITY 1st UK PRESS VERTIGO Nr MINT AUDIO

	£		800
	$		1,060

All my items have a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described you can return it for a full refund.

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If you're looking for a copy with vinyl which looks and sounds amazing, no splits or flaking to the laminate on the box cover and a guaranteed original 1st press poster, then I would say that this is the best you're going to find.

Here is a UK first pressing of Black Sabbath's classic Master of Reality with vinyl which looks and sounds superb. I have played the entire record and it is, in my opinion, a final upgrade copy - the best I’ve ever heard.

This has the following 1st press matrix numbers:

Side 1: 6360050 1Y//1

Side 2: 6360050 2Y//1

This is an original 1st UK pressing from the time of first release, and the poster is also GUARANTEED to be a 100% genuine original first press poster from 1971.

Everything is in exceptional condition. The rear of the poster has some age-related marks and foxing spots on the panels which are outside when folded, but there is nothing else and the front of the poster is in outstanding condition. It has clearly hardly ever been out of the box. 

The box cover has minimal signs of age. There is some inevitable laminate lifting on the left edge, but unlike 99% of copies there is NO LAMINATE SPLITTING, FLAKING OR PEELING. The box looks lovely and this, in itself, is extremely hard to find: nearly all copies have some splitting or flaking, especially along the left edge (just take a look at others for sale, to see how rare it is to find one without any laminate splits).

The original Vertigo swirl inner sleeve (date-coded 0671) is in superb condition with no splits or tears and, aside from some minor discolouration, it has very few signs of age or use.

The record looks amazing with very little to see. I would visually grade side one as a SAFE Excellent (Ex) and side two as Excellent Plus to Near Mint (NM). It is very unusual to find copies of Master of Reality with playing surfaces that look this good. I have played the entire record in full from start to finish and it sounds fantastic with almost nothing to report. For the sake of completeness I would mention that I heard one solitary click in the fade to 'After Forever' and four tiny tics (very soft and quiet) in 'Orchid'. But that was all. There are several quiet parts on Master of Reality that are hard to find with perfect audio (the two quiet instrumentals, the soft 'spooky' end-section of 'Children of the Grave' and 'Solitude'), but aside from the four small tics in ‘Orchid’, (previously mentioned) and one or two very quiet random, solitary clicks in ‘Solitude’, these parts all sound superb - easily the best I've ever heard. Most of this album plays flawlessly - the silent grooves are all really quiet and the music plays with power and clarity with no unwanted noise. This is a superb example which was a real pleasure to listen to. Almost all of this album sounds flawless, but taking into account the minor issues mentioned above, my very strict play-grade would be Near Mint (NM) for side one and Excellent plus (Ex+) for side two. This is superb audio and I think it would be extremely difficult to find a better one. 

Detracting features not covered above:  None.

All photographs are of the actual item for sale. Please ask any questions before you bid or buy.

Where gradings are given these are based on the UK Record Collector grading system (see below) and are visual gradings only, unless the listing specifically states that it is a play-grading.

I use the UK RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM. This grading system differs from some other grading systems, in particular the Goldmine grading system. Please make sure that you are familiar with the UK record collector grading system before you bid.

Mint: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packag­ing might have slight wear and/or creasing.

Very Good: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable sur­face marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.

Fair: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for prop­erly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.

Poor: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.

Plus (+) or Minus (-) are added where items fall between gradings. I only ever use one plus or minus.

P&P costs as follows:

UK:

First LP or 12" record = £5.50, each additional item no extra P&P charge.

First 7" record = £3.95, each additional item no extra P&P charge.

Europe:

First LP or 12" record = £18.95, each additional item = an extra £2.20 P&P charge.

First 7" record = £13.95, each additional item = an extra £1.40 P&P charge.

Rest of the world:

First LP or 12" record = £29.50, each additional item = an extra £3.10 P&P charge.

First 7" record = £18.95, each additional item = an extra £1.80 P&P charge.