PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON A2/B2 UK LP 1ST PRESS

	£		167
	$		221

PINK FLOYD - THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

THE ORIGINAL UK 1ST PRESSING

CATALOGUE NUMBER SHVL 804

MATRIX NUMBERS SHVL 804-A2 / SHVL 804-B2

STAMPERS: 3MM / 3GD

1ST PRESSING INDICATORS

ALONG WITH THE FIRST TWO PINK FLOYS LP'S, AN ORIGINAL PRESSING OF THE CLASSIC DARK SIDE OF THE MOON IS A COLLECTOR'S DREAM.

THERE ARE MANY PRESSINGS AVAILABLE OF THIS LP AND SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO PIECE EXACTLY WHICH IS WHICH, BUT IN THE CASE OF A GENUINE FIRST PRESS THE EXPLANATION IS SIMPLE.

FIRST PRESSINGS ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH THE SOLID LIGHT BLUE TRIANGLE, WHEREAS ALL OF OTHER PRESSINGS HAD AN OUTLINE IN BLUE, AND THE CENTRE WAS THE SAME COLOUR AS THE LABEL (BLACK)

IN ADDITION THE MATRIX NUMBERS CONFIRM THE IDENTITY. THE ONLY PRESSINGS TO HAVE A2 / B2 WERE THE FIRST PRESSINGS (THERE WAS NO A1/B1 MADE)

SO THE ALBUM ITSELF IS PRETTY EASY TO SPOT, BUT THE SLEEVE ALSO NEEDS TO BE MATCHED TO THE LP. THERE ARE SO MANY SLEEVES THAT ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION, AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURERS AS THE COVER WAS MADE IN VERY THIN CARD AND THE COLOUR (BLACK) WAS VERY EASILY RUBBED OFF, LEAVING THE VAST MAJORITY OF SLEEVES IN AVERY POOR STATE.

IT HAS THEREFORE BECOME PRACTICE TO SWAP SLEEVES TO ENSURE THAT A FIRST PRESSING HAS THE BEST POSSIBLE COVER. HOWEVER MUCH THIS IS DONE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, IT HAS CAUSED BIG PROBLEMS IN THAT FIRST ISSUE SLEEVES ARE DIFFERENT FROM SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT ISSUES.

THE ORIGINAL ISSUES HAVE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GATEFOLD (FRONT COVER) SEALED SHUT, ONLY IN LATER PRESSINGS WAS THIS LEFT OPEN.

ALSO THE SLEEVE WAS A VERY VERY SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHADE WITH A BLUEY BLACK RATHER THAN A JET BLACK SLEEVE LIKE THE LATEST PRESSES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO SPOT AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THE COLOURS ON MOST SLEEVES HAVE BEEN RUBBED AWAY.

A FURTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF A FIRST PRESS IS THE PAPER ON WHICH THE INSERTS ARE PRINTED. GENUINE FIRST PRESSINGS ARE PRINTED ON A HEAVY MATT BASED PAPER, WHILST LATER ISSUES ARE ON A GLOSSY AND THINNER PAPER

WHAT IS ON OFFER HERE IS A

GENUINE 1ST PRESS LP WITH A MATCHING FIRST PRESS SLEEVE AND INSERTS

THE SLEEVE

AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THE SLEEVE IS VERY HARD TO FIND IN ANYTHING LIKE COLLECTIBLE CONDITION UNLESS ITS A LATER PRESS OF COURSE. THIS GENUINE SEALED GATEFOLD IS IN SUPERIOR CONDITION THAN THE VASY MAJORITY OUT THERE.

FIRSTLY THERE IS VERY LITTLE RUBBING OF THE COLOURS ON THE FRONT OR BACK, JUST A VERY VERY FAINT TRACE OF RING WEAR WHICH CAN ONLY BE SEEN IN ANGLED LIGHT.

A VERY TINY BIT OF SHELF WEAR ON THE BOTTOM TWO CORNERS, AND ONE OR TWO VERY FINE LINES NEAR THE SPINE.

THE SLEEVE ALSO HAS THE ORIGINAL STICKER ON IT

I CAN HAPPILY GRADE THE SLEEVE EX.

JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY TRY TYPING DARK SIDE OF THE MOON LP INTO THE EBAY SEARCH ENGINE, AND THEN HAVE A LOOK AT THE CONDITION OF THE SLEEVES OF THE LISTED RECORDS. I THINK YOU WILL FIND MOST THEM IN A NON COLLECTIBLE CONDITION. SAD BUT TRUE

THE LABELS

SUPERB NMINT EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE LABEL. NO NEED TO RECOVER THE 1ST PRESSING STUFF, BUT THE BLACK HERE IS UNBLEMISHED AND THE BLUE IS ALSO SHARP. THE SILVER WRITING IS UNFADED AND IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION.

THE SPINDLE HOLE IS UNWORN, AND I CAN MAKE OUT ABOUT 10 OR SO LIGHT SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE, BUT THESE ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE HOLE WHICH INDICATES TWO THINGS.

FIRSTLY I SUSPECT THE RECORD HAS HAD NO MORE THAN ABOUT 15 PLAYS LIFETIME, AND SECONDLY THAT THE DISC HAS BEEN HANDLED VERY CAREFULLY WHEN BEING PLAYED

THE ORIGINAL BLACK INNER SLEEVE IS ALSO IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. A LITTLE CREASED IN PLACES BUT NOT SPLIT OR TORN

THE VINYL

THE SURFACE OF THIS STUNNING LP LOOKS SUPER GLOSSY AND TOTALLY CLEAN, AND AGAIN HAS CLEARLY BEEN WELL LOOKED AFTER. IN NORMAL DAYLIGHT I AM ABLE TO SPOT A COUPLE OF VERY FINE HAIRLINE HANDLING MARKS. THESE ARE VERY VERY FAINT AND DO NOT LOOK THREATENING WHAT SO EVER. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION IT IS POSSIBLE TO SPOT SOME MORE, BUT AGAIN THEY ARE WHISPY HAIRLINES AND NOT SCRATCHES, THEY ARE NORMAL HANDLING AND PLAYING LINES.

PLAYTESTING THIS LP IS ALWAYS SPECIAL AS IT IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE LP'S OF ALL TIME. AS REGULAR BROWSERS OF MINE KNOW I ALSWAY REUN THREE TESTS, AND THE FIRST OF THESE TO ME IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. THE DISTORTION TEST!!

WITH THE STYLUS ON THE RECORD I TURN THE VOLUME RIGHT UP, AND I AM LISTENING FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF DISTORTION CAUSED THROUGH A WORN OR DAMAGED STYLUS BEING USED ON THE RECORD, OR EVEN ONE THAT IS TRACKING TOO HEAVILY. THIS ONE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO DISTORTION ATT ALL, WHICH BACKS UP MY THEORY THAT THE DISC HAS BEEN CARED FOR VERY WELL.

THE FIRST PRESSING MIX IS JUST SUPERB AND COMES ACROSS ON MY SYSTEM WITH STUNNING AUDIO CLARITY. THE SAXOPHONE ON "US AND THEM" IS QUITE HAUNTING. EVERY NOTE IS PIN SHARP.

LASTLY YOU WILL WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANY UNWANTED NOISES.

BOTH RUN IN GROOVES ARE NEAR SILENT, AND IT IS THE MUSIC WHICH TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE NOT ANY BACKGROUND CRACKLE. IN FACT WHILST IT IS TRUE TO SAY THERE IS SOME VERY LIGHT TRACES IN PLACES, AND THE OCCASIONAL LIGHT POP, THESE ARE WAY IN THE BACKGROUND AND DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE SOUND OF THIS GREAT LP

ANY BACKGROUND IS CAUSED BY THE ODD LIGHT HAIRLINE AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, AND THE ONLY TIME ANY IS HEARD IS ON A FEW OR THE MANY OCCASIONS THAT THE MUSIC IS VERY QUIET.

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS EXCEPTIONAL DISC EX, ALTHOUGH SOME MIGHT EVEN GRADE IT HIGHER