A Night At The Opera 1st 2/2 Pressing

This genuine first pressing plays with immaculate audio apart from a little interference on S2 and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' plays 'as new' it is absolutely stunning!  It comes complete with a super clean gatefold and the original picture inner has no splits, so rarely seen today!

This has Blair's (not 'Blairs cut') etched onto the run out grooves as per all the 2/2 pressings.

EMTC 103 // YAX 5063 - 2 / YAX 5064 - 2 // RRD 4 / ROH 5

The audio on S1 is Mint- (track 1 intro Ex+)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 1 VG for 30 seconds)

 The gatefold is Near Mint-

The picture inner is Ex+

The labels are Mint

  This vinyl is a superb example of a 2/2 first pressing and has hardly been played in my opinion and has been so well preserved.  I cannot detect any spindle wear and it still has a very impressive glossy sheen.  Under a strong light I can only find a handful of mega faint sleeve removal hairlines and there are no feelable scratches.  There is a very small section of faint scratch type marks on S1 but they have no affect on the stunning audio.  S2 is absolutely pristine and has no marking at all.  This is a beautiful record and is one of the cleanest first pressings I have seen in a long time.

Play grading

The quiet piano intro on 'Death On Two Legs' is one of the cleanest I have heard in a long time and has minimal 'background'.  There is a little light static just after the intro but this disappears after about 2/3 seconds.  From that point on the audio is stunning and plays 'as new'.  The power and depth of the recording is superb and Freddie's 'vitriol' has never sounded better!  This is 'high end' audio and is a fantastic start to this classic album.  'Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon' I would say grades as Mint- as there is a couple of seconds of light static on the intro.  Sheer perfection otherwise.  'I'm In Love With My Car' plays with a clarity and power that you only find on a vinyl that has been very well preserved.  There is no interference at all, no clicks or pops and no static or crackle.  Plus there is no distortion on the top level which is a rarity.  I am pleased to say 'You're My Best Friend' and '39' both continue in the same fashion and without doubt grade as Mint the clarity is just exceptional and again no sign of any interference.  Absolutely stunning!  'Sweet Lady' maintains this incredible standard and 'rocks out' loud and true with no distortion and again plays 'as new'.  The sonic quality on this side is so good and it is obvious the vinyl has been hardly played.  There is no loss of clarity and there is such a strong bass sound also.  As any Queen fan knows 'Seaside Rendezvous' always has some distortion and it is just a matter of how much.  There is a little here but it is minimal...and I mean minimal!  And there are no clicks or pops.  Overall the audio on this side is astounding and there cannot be many 2/2 first pressings around today with a clarity and warmth such as this.

'The Prophet's Song' intro plays with wonderful clarity for the first thirty seconds with hardly any 'background'.  There is then a couple of clicks and some crackle/hiss for another thirty seconds.  It is a little intrusive but is not that loud and is soon over.  Strange really as I cannot see what is causing it, there is no marking etc.  Thereafter the audio is back to S1 standards!  The following verses play with sublime quality and there is no interference at all.  It exudes tremendous power!  The  acapella 'now I know...' section plays beautifully with only two seconds of static, it is very near perfect.  To the end this prog classic plays with stunning power and again there is no 'background' of any kind.  So aside from that section following the intro this truly is an exceptional version.  The acoustic lead in to 'Love Of My Life' is superb and all I heard was one click.  The piano intro then plays with a little light static here and there but is not intrusive.  The vocal is then stunning and rarely have I heard this classic play with such great clarity.  There is barely any static and is Near Mint without question.  'Good Company' goes one better and grades as Mint as there is just no interference whatsoever.  You could not wish for a more immaculate version and even the quieter section towards the end has no 'background'.  'Bohemian Rhapsody' just has to be heard to be believed!  From the first groove the clarity of sound is mind-blowing!  The first verse, of course so quiet, plays as clear as the day when first released back in '75 it is absolutely stunning!  This immaculate quality continues and whilst there is two seconds of static prior to the third verse it is barely worth a mention as it is just so quiet and non-inconsequential!  The 'operatic/rock' sections then play with immense power and there is no distortion on the 'top end'.  It plays so fantastically well I do not have enough adjectives to use and to think this is a 2/2 first pressing!  Quite honestly this has to be the most impressive version of this iconic classic that I have heard in many a year and even the quiet end section plays so clearly.  There is only a minimal hint of mega light static that is totally non-intrusive - wow what a stunning version!  I am confident in giving this a Mint- grading it is nigh on perfect.  'God Save The Queen' ends the side with clarity that could not be any better and provides a stunning finale to the album.

In summary this 2/2 first pressing plays with astounding audio for the vast majority.  There is only the thirty seconds on S2 that 'interrupts' the quality and apart from that the audio is 'high end' for certain.  Another shout out for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as the sound quality here is just immaculate!  The embossed gatefold is also in lovely condition as is the picture inner which has no splits!

The Gatefold

You do not see many 'first press' G&L gatefold as good as this one!  It has the embossed front cover and is super clean condition.  The edges and spine have no shelf wear whatsoever and there is no corner wear either, how rare is that!  This has been superbly well preserved down the decades without doubt.  The opening edge is also in superb shape with only one tiny 'wrinkle'.  The front cover is so clean which is amazing when you consider how 'white' it is and there is no obvious marking at all.  Perhaps just a minor hint of fading near the spine but there is no obvious discolouration which is a rarity.  The back cover is similar with only one very small faint mark and the 'wrinkle' on the opening edge is also visible.  The inside of the gatefold is in immaculate 'as new' condition.  A superb example of this iconic gatefold.

Picture inner

This has the three cropped corners as per the first pressings and is in excellent condition.  It is very clean with no marking and only 2/3 faint creases on the left and right sides.  There are no splits which is a rarity!  However, there is a small area of wear on the right hand side where it is certainly wearing a little thin and a similar even smaller area of wear on the bottom edge.  This is a great example of this inner as so often it is badly creased and/or marked but that is certainly not the case with this one.  A fine example!

The labels

They are in superb condition with no marking or writing and they quite simply look 'as new'.  There is no spindle wear either.  Absolutely stunning!

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

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

EMTC 103 // YAX 5063 - 2 / YAX 5064 - 2 // RRD 4 / ROH 5

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

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