Queen NIGHT AT THE OPERA UK LP 2 PLAY 1ST PRESS MINT-

	£		52
	$		69

QUEEN - A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

IN MAGNIFICENT 1-2 PLAY CONDITION

A GENUINE -FIRST PRESS OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM

• CATALOGUE:EMI EMTC 103
• MATRIX: YAX 5063-3 / 5064-2
• MOTHERS / STAMPERS: 2 GLH / 4 RMH 
• BLAIRS ETCHED INTO DEAD WAX SIDE 2 

AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING VINYL THAT HAS AT THE MOST BEEN PLAYED JUST TWICE,

THE SLEEVE IS NEAR PRISTINE. COLLECTORS WILL KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS TO GET IN THIS SORT OF CONDITION. BUT HERE WE HAVE A SLEEVE THAT HAS REMAINED INSIDE A PLASTIC OUTER FOR MOST OF IT'S LIFE IT IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION

I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND OR TWO TO HELP IDENTIFY A FIRST PRESS ISSUE OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM. FIRSTLY THE VINYL ON THE FIRST PRESSES IS VERY HEAVY AND SOLID, UNLIKE THE -4/-5 MATRIX PRESSES WHICH ARE PRESSED ON LIGHTER MORE FLEXIBLE VINYL

THE OTHER IDENTIFIER IS THE INNER SLEEVE. ON A FIRST PRESS IT IS A RICHER DARKER COLOUR TO START WITH, SECONDLY THE CORNERS ARE ANGGLED ON THREE SIDES WITH THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER BEING LEFT SQUARE. THE LATER PRESSES HAVE ROUNDED CORNERS, AND FINALLY THE THUMB NOTCH AT THE TOP OF THE INNER ON A FIRST PRESS IS DEEPER THAT THE LATER ISSUES

HERE WE HAVE THE GENUINE FIRST PRESS IN THE BEST CONDITION IMAGINABLE

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE WHITE BASE COLOUR ON THESE DELICATE LABELS ARE STILL PURE WHITE. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF MARKS OR STAINS ETC. THE COLOUR FULLY STRECTHES UNBLEMISHED INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALSO PRISTINE AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE.

THERE IS STILL SHARDS OF RESIDUE VINYL INSIDE THE HOLE SHOWING WHY THIS LP HAS JUST NOT BEEN PLAYED

THERE IS ONE SMALL CHIP TO SIDE TWO OF THE LABEL JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE SPINDLE HOLE. I ONLY NOTICED IT IN THE CLOSE UP PICTURES

THERE ARE 2 SPIDER LINES ON SIDE 2 OF THE LABEL,AND NONE ON SIDE ONE. PERHAPS JUST ONE SIDE PLAYED EVER

THE VINYL

INCREDIBLE GLOSSY MINT CONDITION VINYL, BUT WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM TWO PLAYALBUM?

THERE IS NOT ONE MARK ON IT ANYWHERE, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE, APART FROM A COUPLE OF WISPY HAIRLINES THAT HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE PERFORMANCE WHATSOEVER

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH INCLUDING THE RUN INS', THE RUN OUT'S AND THE LINKING GROOVES, AND WHILST THIS TAKES ME AN AGE TO PREPARE FOR AUCTION I HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF BIDDERS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING TO BUY. YOU CAN'T EVEN GET THIS AT A RECORD FAIR

THE LP PLAYS THROUGH SUPERBLY ON BOTH SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW FANTASTIC THIS LP SOUNDS. THE CLARITY OF THIS FIRST PRESS IS JUST BRILLIANT. THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CRACKLE WHATSOEVER, AND NOTHING AT ALL TO MAR THE SUBLIME STEREO REPRODUCTION. I HEARD ABOUT 2 SMALL DUST POPS THROUGHT THE ENTIRE PLAY, CERTAINLY NO BACKGROUND CRACKLES OR CLICKS. THIS LP PLAYS AS GOOD AS YOU COULD EVER WANT. IT IS QUITE STUNNING

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

INCREDIBLE 'WHITE' SLEEVE ON THIS SUPERB ALBUM.THIS IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS SLEEVE I HAVE EVER COMEACCROSS

THE FRONT SURFACE IS TOTALLY FLAT AND PERFECTLY CLEAN.IT IS ALSO HAS THE FIRST ISSUE EMBOSSED LOGO

USUALLY THIS SLEEVE IS FOUND WITH THE WHITE SURFACE LESS THAN WHITE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT AN UNPROTECTED SLEEVE WOULD NATURALLY PICK UP FINGER MARKS AND DIRT, AND OF COURSE WOULD SHOW ON THIS SLEEVE MORE THAN ANY OTHER. ADDED TO THE FACT THAT THE COVER IS UNLAMINATED AND YOU HAVE THE PERFECT SENARIO FOR A GRIMY WHITE SURFACE. NOT ON THIS ONE THOUGH. IT HAS AS I PREVIOUSLY ALLUDED TO BEEN HOUSED INSIDE A PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVE ALMOST FROM NEW, WHICH HAS PROTECTED IT FROM ANY WEAR AND TEAR.

SO APART FROM THE WHITENESS GUARANTEED, THERE ARE NO CREASES OR CREASE LINES, NOR ARE THERE ANY BENDS OR DENTS. NOT EVEN ANY LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINE APART FROM ONE REALLY SMALL ONE

THERE IS NO RINGWEAR AT ALL EITHER, NOT EVEN A TOUCH OF RECORD SHAPE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE 100% FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR

THE SPINE HAS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE TYPEFACE ALL ALONG IT, AND IS PERFECTLY FLAT AND 'WHITE' JUST MINT IN FACT

THE OPENING EDGE IS WITHOUT QUESTION AS SHARP AS YOU COULD EVER WISH TO HAVE A COPY. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE LP HAS JUST NOT BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SLEEVE.

THE REAR SURFACE IS AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT, AGAIN A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THIS COVER

THE FIRST PRESS INNER SLEEVE IS MADE FROM A STRONG STIFF CARD AND NOT PAPER LIKE LATER PRESSES. THE CARD HAS THE DEEP THUMB NOTCH ALONG THE TOP EDGE WHICH IS IMMACULATE AND UNDAMAGED. THE SLEEVE ITSELF IS FLAT AND UNCREASED, AND HAS ONLY ONE REALLY TINY SCUFF IN THE MIDDLE AT THE BOTTOM. I HAVE PLACED THE LP INTO A NEW POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE TO ENSURE NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS TO THE INNER

VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE  MINT MINUS

THIS IS A FANTASTIC EXAMPLE OF THIS QUEEN ALBUM, AND WOULD GRACE ANY COLLECTION, AND I GUARANTEE WILL NEVER NEED UPGRADING

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY