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Procul Harum : A Salty Dog 1/1 2nd Press 1969

This very early pressing plays to a superb standard with no ticks, clicks or pops and the clarity and depth is stunning throughout.  There is just a little light static mainly on the final track but it is so minimal and non-intrusive.  This is an album with so many quiet sections and when you consider it is now 53/54 years old the sonic quality is very impressive indeed.  I cannot emphasise enough just how well it plays!  Almost a Final Upgrade...!

The laminated cover just has one small area of wear in the top right corner but is otherwise in excellent condition.  The plain white die-cut inner has only very minimal wear.

Strictly speaking this is a second pressing because it does not have the 'Sold in U.K....' info on the labels.  However, it is certainly a very early one as it has just a single stamper on each side.

SLRZ 1009 // YCARX 57-1 / YCARX 58-1 / M 1 / H 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T3 Near Mint+)

The audio S2 is Mint(-) (T5 Near Mint-)

The cover is VG+

The labels are Near Mint

The inner sleeve is Ex

Visual description

The vinyl is in excellent order and still has a strong glossy sheen with no actual scratches.  Under a bright light you can some faint hairlines with a couple that are a little more obvious but these are superficial as they have no impact on the superb audio.  The red / silver Regal labels are unmarked and have only a little spindle wear.

Play grading  

The run in on S1 is so clean and then the intro on 'A Salty Dog' plays perfectly with no intrusion.  Brooker's opening vocal has the same level of clarity - both the first verse and chorus are stunning and it continues to play in the same precise way.  This is of course a track with many quiet passages and yet the clarity from start to finish is faultless.  Very nearly!  There are a couple of ticks right at the end of the 'sea' ending but Mint- is still an honest appraisal of the audio.

'The Milk Of Human Kindness' plays with genuine quality throughout and no intrusion.  Every section plays with sublime quality and Mint is deserved.

The piano intro on 'Too Much between Us' plays beautifully with only a hint of barely audible static, it really is so so quiet!  The opening vocal is equal to that and from then on it plays so clearly with no interference.  Another quiet number and yet the clarity is stunning.  A hint of mega light static at the end of the fade out so I will grade as Near Mint+ although I am sure many would say that is too harsh!

The intro on 'The Devil Came From Kansas' is faultless as is the opening vocal.  In fact every verse and chorus play with great clarity and again there are no negatives.  The guitar solos have no interference and Mint- is deserved here.

'Boredom' ends the side with phenomenal quality.  Despite being the final track the clarity of sound is so impressive and there is nothing getting in the way of the audio - no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  The long instrumental end section plays with exceptional quality and again there is no background.  A long fade out and yet the clarity is so good!  Mint-

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'Juicy John Pink' opens S2 with superb audio.  The intro has only a couple of ultra quiet statics and the vocal sections and accompanying work from Trower is so strong.  The depth on the audio is so impressive.  A Mint- version.

The piano intro on 'Wreck Of The Hesperus' could not play any better and the opening two verses from Fisher are of the same standard.  The orchestral instrumental has no intrusion either and the next verse has just one minor static - easily missed!  The final vocal is flawless as is the end orchestral piece.  Mint-

'All This And More' plays with stunning quality from the first note to the last.  The definitive version you could say.  aside from the clarity what you really note is just how clean and precise Brooker's vocal is here.  Superb audio!  A couple of barely audible statics and just a hint of static at the end of the fade out but Mint- is richly deserved.

'Crucifiction Lane' once more shows just how well this vinyl has been preserved and plays with stunning precision and... no interference.  This time Trower's vocal is crystal clear.  There is one minor static just after the second verse but that is the only background during the entire track.  The instrumental end section could not play any better.  Let's say Mint-

The final track 'Pilgrim's Progress' plays with very clear audio and there are no ticks, clicks or pops.  There is just a hint of background static here and there but it is so quiet and totally non-intrusive.  I just mention it to be 'complete' with my grading.  The actual clarity of sound is still very impressive and I still think Near Mint- is a fair assessment of the audio.  Echoes of 'A Whiter Shade...' here if you ask me...

In summary this album plays with stunning quality and no interference basically.  There are no ticks, clicks or pops and the only background is just a minimal touch of static on a couple of tracks and I do mean very very minimal!  The clarity of sound and audio definition is so impressive for a vinyl of this advanced age and I am sure the winning bidder will not be disappointed with their purchase.

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The laminated cover just has one obvious area of wear in the top right corner where you can see a small tear on the top edge.  Aside from that it is in excellent shape with only light wear.  The edges are very clean and the thin spine remains 100% legible with hardly any wear on the corners.  The lower right corner has very little wear and the opening edge has only minimal wear, slightly wavy.  The front cover is in excellent condition apart from that area top right and the back cover just has a crease top left.  Not a perfect cover but it is certainly not in poor condition!

The original PATENT APPLIED FOR plain white inner is excellent with only some creasing and a couple of very faint marks.

Play tested on my Rega P2 with Rega Carbon Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

SLRZ 1009 // YCARX 57-1 / YCARX 58-1 / M 1 / H 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.

THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF £250 SO IF AN ITEM SELLS FOR MORE A COURIER SERVICE MAY BE USED (e.g. Parcelforce, DPD).  AN EXTRA INSURANCE PREMIUM WILL BE REQUIRED BUT I WILL NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT UNTIL THE FINAL SALE PRICE IS KNOWN.  HOWEVER, SOMETIMES I WILL ESTIMATE A COST AND THIS WILL BE STATED IN THE LISTING.  PLEASE WAIT FOR THE INVOICE BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH.  MANY THANKS.

ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PUT IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE OF THE COVER SO AS TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS. THEY ARE ALSO PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.

I ONLY USE HIGH QUALITY MAILERS AND THESE COST ME £1.00 EACH. I WILL OFTEN USE 3 OR 4 CARDBOARD STIFFENERS AND THESE COST AT LEAST £0.15 EACH AND THEN THERE IS THE COST OF THE POLY-LINED INNER AND PVC SLEEVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IT ALL ADDS UP! NOT FORGETTING EBAY TAKING 10% OF THE SHIPPING FEE ALSO!!

UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £5.95 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item 

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £15.95 then £2.00 per extra

USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £24.95 then £2.50 per extra 

REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)  

LPs/12" singles : £21.95 then £2.50 per extra

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE, NONE OF THIS WAITING BEFORE I RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU - I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MY LISTINGS!  IF YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE LEAVING FEEDBACK AND I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM, 100% GUARANTEED.  IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO SEND THE ITEM BACK I WILL OF COURSE OF COURSE PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING COST IF I AM AT FAULT.  I AM ONLY HUMAN AFTER ALL!