IRMA THOMAS - TAKE A LOOK Minit UK Mono 1st LP A1/B1 EX
£
50
$
66
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Description
IRMA THOMAS - " TAKE A LOOK ", Minit Records (MLL 40004E), MONO, UK Pressing, 1968.
Very rare first English mono issue of the classic New Orleans soul album by Irma Thomas... this is the extremely rare 1st pressing with the original inner sleeve, plus maxtrix numbers which end in A1/B1 denoting the very first run off the press.
A fantastic album for any soul lover - an incredible voice meets that classic mid to late 60's New Orleans production... the best musicians and that thick, luscious reverb that seems to be all but lost in days since. Also, to my ears this mono mix of this LP is vastly superior to the stereo version - although issued in the UK in '68, I think this was released and recorded in the US in '66. To me, this mono version just sums up that classic soul production sound whereas the stereo can sound a little clumsy at times.
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Moth cleaning machine (Note: after cleaning such a record, I do not have the heart to put it back in it's original sleeve so I have put the cleaned record in a new inner and included the original so it is still complete).
In the name of a good auction, I will start bids at just 99p!
CONDITION:
VINYL = EXCELLENT (Although the vinyl looks unblemished under normal daylight conditions, under my bright grading lamp I can just make out a few incredibly faint paper-scuff marks and a couple of barely visible hairline marks, most probably just as a result of the LP being taken in and out of it's inner sleeve and neither correspond directly to any audible defects.
NO proper scratches, no groove damage, no distortion, etc. Both labels are clean with hardly a spindle trail. On playback it plays strongly without distortion or interuption and it clearly has had relatively few spins in it's lifespan. All that has prevented it from a higher grading apart from the very slight visual imperfections, is some very faint surface noise during the silent run-in which is well out of the way before the music actually starts.
Basically, if you are prepared to accept that it is a 1968 vinyl record and not a sterile CD then this LP is perfect and will be a great purchase for someone who intends to play and enjoy it - perhaps those looking for an untouched museum piece or a lifeless CD might do best to wait for a genuinely mint unplayed example to come along (if it ever does?)... or just buy that dull remastered CD.
Clearly, this record has hardly been played in it's 43 years and the clean labels with just the very lightest of spindle trails support this.
Note: for the testing/grading of this record, I have used my Linn LP12 Sondek turntable, which is generally quite critical although I must point out that I cannot guarantee exactly how this LP (or others I have for sale) will sound on your turntable - sorry to be so uptight, but I have met some very silly people on ebay over the years!)
SLEEVE = EXCELLENT-- (NO big rips, tears, defacing, etc. That said, I have marked it down for a few light creases in the lamination on the front cover and a little bit of light shelf wear - see photo for more detailed info!)
NOTE: It's probably worth pointing out that we are an actual long standing physical shop and soundtrack-specialist mail order firm with literally decades of record trading experience under our collective belts and unlike so many of the jokers and have-a-go heroes that currently clog up ebay, we know how to grade records (often an excellent LP from us will surpass a less reputable seller's so-called mint items). Please don't just go on gradings either, read my descriptions carefully and make a sensible bid accordingly and if you have any queries about an LP I am selling, please get in touch in good time before the end of the auction and I will do my very best to assist. Feel free to check out my feedback for more detailed accounts of our past items sold.
HAPPY BIDDING!
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