PINK FLOYD "MEDDLE" 1st UK PRESS. A1-U B1-U. TOP AUDIO

	£		40
	$		53

THIS IS  PINK FLOYDS 1971 ALBUM, "MEDDLE". THIS IS THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER FIRST UK PRESSING WITH THE A-1U AND B-1U MATRIX NUMBERS. THIS HAS THE VERY FIRST PRESSING LABELS WITH THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD TEXT. THE AUDIO QUALITY IS QUITE OUTSTANDING. THIS IS A COPY THAT HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE PLAY, AND HAS A REMARKABLY LOW MATRIX/MOTHER/STAMPER COMBINATION THAT I SHALL EXPLAIN IN DETAIL BELOW. I HAVE SET A MINIMAL STARTING PRICE, AND THERE IS NO HIDDEN RESERVE PRICE. TOP BID WINS THIS GEM. END OF STORY. LET THE MARKET PLACE DECIDE ITS VALUE. THE MATRIX NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE A-1U AND B-1U, INDICATING A FIRST UK PRESSING. THE MOTHERS ARE "2" AND "1" RESPECTIVELY. THE STAMPERS ARE "H" AND "RM" RESPECTIVELY. WHAT THIS MEANS IN REAL TERMS IS THIS... IT IS WIDELY ACCEPTED THAT BETWEEN 300-500 COPIES WERE PRESSED FROM EACH STAMPER BEFORE IT WAS CHANGED TO THE NEXT HIGHEST IN ASCENDING ORDER. NOW, "H" WAS ONLY THE 7th STAMPER IN THE SEQUENCE, AND "RM" WAS THE 24th, MAKING THIS COPY A PRESSING IN THE FIRST 7000-12000 EVER TO COME OFF THE PRESS! REMARKABLY EARLY INDEED, AND CAN ONLY IMPROVE DETAIL AND SOUND QUALITY COMPARED TO LATER PRESSINGS. I HAVE RARELY, IF EVER SEEN STAMPERS THIS LOW ON MEDDLE.

AS USUAL, I AM NOT GOING TO WAFFLE ON FOR PAGES GIVING YOU POINTLESS DETAILS ABOUT THE BAND, THEIR LIVES, LIKES AND DISLIKES AS SOME SELLERS SEEM TO ENJOY DOING! THIS IS FACTUAL INFORMATION ON THE RECORD FOR SALE. NOTHING MORE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO RECENT PROBLEMS WITH BUYERS FROM UKRAINE AND/OR BIDDERS WITH NO FEEDBACK HISTORY, I AM NOT PREPARED TO SHIP TO THE UKRAINE OR TO BIDDERS WITH NO FEEDBACK HISTORY, OR INDEED PRIVATE FEEDBACK, WITHOUT PRIOR CONTACT WITH MYSELF. IF YOU BID WITHOUT CONTACTING ME FIRST, I WILL REMOVE YOUR BID AND BLOCK ANY FUTURE BIDS. MY PREVIOUS UKRAINE BUYERS CAN, OF COURSE, BID AS USUAL. SORRY FOR THIS, BUT SOME PEOPLE RUIN THIS MARKET PLACE. THANKS.
SO, ON TO A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THIS FINE ALBUM:-

THE COVER: GRADED AS VG+. MY GRADINGS ARE CONSERVATIVE. THIS IS THE MINIMUM GRADING THIS COULD BE GIVEN, SO YOU WILL PROBABLY GET BETTER THAN YOU EXPECT, AS OPPOSED TO BEING DISAPPOINTED. THE PHOTOGRAPHS I HAVE LISTED ARE OF THE ACTUAL SALE ITEM. CROSS REFERENCE MY GRADING AGAINST THE COMPREHENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR A TRUE PICTURE. THIS IS A COVER THAT RARELY SURVIVES IN ANYWHERE NEAR MINT CONDITION. IT WAS MADE FROM A VERY SOFT CARDBOARD, AND SUFFERED DUE TO ITS LACK OF RIGIDITY. THIS IS TEXTURED BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. THERE IS ABSOLUTE MINIMAL SHELF WEAR TO TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES. THE SPINE HAS SOME RUB-WEAR, BUT IS STILL 100% LEGIBLE. THERE IS A LITTLE LOSS OF COLOUR ON THE VERY CORNER EXTREMES. THE INNER GATE-FOLD HAS A FEW AGE SPOTS OF DISCOLOURATION, AND A SLIGHT "WAVINESS", AGAIN DUE TO ITS FLIMSY CONSTRUCTION. STILL A VERY PRESENTABLE EXAMPLE.
THE INNER SLEEVE: THE INNER IS THE EMI ADVERT TYPE, ADVERTISING OTHER ALBUMS FROM THAT YEAR. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE WITH BARELY A CREASE WORTH MENTIONING. IT IS STILL FLAT, FREE FROM ANY SLITS OR TEARS, AND THE POLY LINING IS INTACT.GRADED AS EX.
LABELS AND VINYL (VISUAL): THE LABELS ARE SUPERB. I CAN SEE ONLY 3 OR 4 LIGHT SPINDLE MARKS PER SIDE. THERE ARE NO STICKERS OR WRITING OF ANY SORT. VISUALLY THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYLS LOOK GORGEOUS. UNDER STRONG ANGLED LIGHT THERE ARE A FEW VERY MINOR HAIRLINES. GRADED AS EX. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VINYL WILL TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF ITS COVER, AND IN A NEW POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVE.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE: I PLAY MY RECORDS ON A HIGHLY REVEALING LINN SONDEK LP12 THROUGH NAIM AMPLIFICATION. I PLAY-GRADE EVERYTHING, AND HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING OF NOTE. THIS PLAYS REALLY WELL, WITH GREAT DETAIL. THE BASS LINES ARE TIGHT AND STRONG. THE SOUND-STAGE IS VIBRANT AND CLEAR. ON MY SYSTEM THIS SOUNDS SWEET, DETAILED AND DYNAMIC. I AM PLAYING THIS TODAY AS I TYPE THE DESCRIPTION. I HAVE TO SAY, MY STYLUS IS STILL LIFTING DUST DEBRIS FROM THE GROOVES, SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND A GOOD PROFESSIONAL CLEAN TO BRING OUT THE VERY BEST OF THIS. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THE SOUND QUALITY AS VG+. THIS HAS VERY FEW ISSUES IN PLAY. THERE ARE SEVERAL QUIET PASSAGES OF MUSIC, WHERE SOME MINOR BACKGROUND NOISE CAN BE HEARD. THERE ARE SOME RANDOM DUST POPS AND CLICKS. SIDE 1 STARTS WITH PERHAPS 10-15 SECONDS OF NOISE. AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS IS A VERY QUIET START. ABOUT 2/3rds OF THE WAY THROUGH "ECHOES" THERE ARE 3 MORE PROMINENT CLICKS. ASIDE OF THESE COMMENTS, THERE IS LITTLE WORTHY OF NOTE. THERE ARE NO STICKS, JUMPS OR DISCERNIBLE DISTORTION ON MY SYSTEM. WHEN THE MUSIC IS IN FULL FLOW, IT IS HARD TO FAULT. THE MAJORITY PLAYS VERY QUIETLY AND WITH GREAT DETAIL AND VERVE. THE ODD BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE AND THERE HARDLY SPOILS WHAT IS A GREAT AUDIO PERFORMANCE. YOU WILL BE HARD PUSHED TO FIND A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER SOUNDING NEAR 40 YEAR OLD COPY.
SO THIS IS A TRULY NICE GENUINE UK FIRST PRESSING WITH THE VERY FIRST A-1U AND B-1U MATRIX NUMBERS, ORIGINAL COVER, AND SUCH AN EARLY MOTHER/STAMPER COMBINATION.  IT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR SINCE THE DAY OF RELEASE. COPIES OF THIS QUALITY RARELY COME INTO THE MARKET PLACE. DON'T MISS THIS ONE. FOR ANY FURTHER DETAILS, JUST SEND ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND I WILL GIVE ANY INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE. 

I POST VERY QUICKLY UPON RECEIPT OF FUNDS, USUALLY THE SAME DAY, BUT NO LATER THAN THE FOLLOWING DAY. ANY EXCESS POSTAGE CHARGED WILL BE REFUNDED IN FULL JUST AS SOON AS I KNOW THE EXACT TOTAL. (PLEASE DO NOT DO WHAT SOME BUYERS HAVE DONE TO ME RECENTLY! THAT IS TO MARK ME DOWN IN THE STAR RATINGS FOR POSTAGE AND PACKING CHARGES. I CHARGE EXACTLY WHAT IT COSTS ME (SOMETIMES LESS!). HOW CAN YOU MARK ME DOWN FOR THAT????) THIS APPLIES TO UK AND OVERSEAS BUYERS. I DO NOT CHARGE FOR PACKING MATERIALS OR MY TIME. I USE RECYCLED MATERIALS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT UP TO MY HIGH STANDARDS, I SOURCE NEW MATERIAL AT MY COST, NOT YOURS.
POSTAGE COST WITHIN THE UK WILL BE FIXED AT £3. FOR THIS I WILL SHIP FIRST CLASS RECORDED, AND INCLUDE FULL INSURANCE. THIS WILL COST MORE THAN £3, BUT I WILL PAY THE EXCESS. POSTAGE COST WORLD-WIDE WILL BE FIXED AT £13. THIS WILL INCLUDE "SIGNED FOR" AIRMAIL AND FULL INSURANCE. IF IT COSTS MORE, I WILL PAY THE EXCESS. IF IT COSTS LESS, I WILL REFUND THE DIFFERENCE IN FULL.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL ANSWER EVERY ONE JUST AS SOON AS I SEE IT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE PHOTOGRAPHS, DROP ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND I WILL SEND WHATEVER YOU WANT.
I OFFER A COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL REFUND IF THE ITEM DOES NOT MATCH MY DESCRIPTION. I WILL NOT REFUND IF YOU JUST DECIDE YOU DON'T WANT IT!!
I AM WELL KNOWN FOR SUPERB PACKING. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING DAMAGED IN TRANSIT.

FINALLY......................GOOD LUCK!