RARE Crosby Stills Nash & Young SO FAR 1974 Vinyl Test Pressing

$

200

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young SO FAR - Original 1974 Atlantic Rrecords Stereo LP - SD 18100 (please note: this is NOT a reissue with catalog # SD 19119)

Original ULTRA-RARE U.S. test pressing
Plain white generic 'PRESSWELL RECORDS' (Ancora NJ) test pressing label without any identification marks present except for the name of the plant.
Test pressing comes in its generic plain white cover with a typewritten (possibly a photocopy) data sheet with track listing, matrix and catalog numbers, and date of release.
This is the original, authentic first U.S. pressing; NOT a reissue, import or counterfeit pressing.
Vinyl thickness: on the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least, and 10 being the most severe), assessment of vinyl thickness places it at a 7.

Clean, wear-free labels.

(Note: the images are of the actual record up for sale, not "recycled" images from any previous sale.)
An unbelievable piece, an unheard-of TEST PRESSING of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's final Atlantic album "So Far" (a best-of compilation from their previous releases). While many test pressings often have alternate or demo- versions of known, later released songs, and while it is possible that this particular test pressing contains demo or alternate versions of some of the tracks, please don’t take our word that it does.

THIS TEST PRESSING APPARENTLY NEVER HAD A CUSTOM COVER. THE ALBUM WILL BE SHIPPED IN A PLAIN, GENERIC [WHITE] CARDBOARD COVER. TEST PRESSINGS ARE RARELY, IF EVER, FOUND IN CUSTOM (STOCK) COVERS.

It’s Deja Vu all over again, and Wooden Ships and Woodstock too. The band was officially over at this point, part of the great crumbling of talent that marked the children of the summer of love (Buffalo Springfield, Cream, Jefferson Airplane). That CSN and sometimes Y would reunite doesn’t change the fact that much of their greatest work (as a collective) was already behind them. For those going back to the garden via So Far, some of the prettiest flowers to bloom from their generation are here: “Woodstock,” “Déjà Vu,” “Teach Your Children,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.” Listening to those complex harmonies and ambitious lyrics, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I came here originally for “Our House,” arguably the greatest pop song The Beatles should have written and never did. I really am a simple soul though. As rich as the harmonies of “Helplessly Hoping” are, they’re not my cup of tea. “Ohio” is bracing but too bitter for my tastes. I imagine that CSN&Y fans are more quickly polarized than fans of The Beatles because the individual talents were more easily separated with CSN&Y. If it seems profane to compare the two, consider this: the music of So Far is drawn from only two albums and one single (“Ohio”). If you can cobble together a better album from any two Beatles albums, let me know. As introductions go, So Far is far better than most. There are few single album compilations that capture the essential moments of an act as well as this (Jimi Hendrix’ Smash Hits comes to mind). If you buy only one CS&N album, make it this one. And if you don’t own at least one CS&N album, shame on you.

Track listing: Déjà Vu Helplessly Hoping Wooden Ships Teach Your Children Ohio Find The Cost Of Freedom Woodstock Our House Helpless Guinnevere Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

(a)  Vinyl is strong near mint. Visually, it appears clean and unplayed, possibly played no more than a handful of times at best. The original luster is very much intact, and the vinyl shines and sparkles almost like new.

(b) The record is pressed on a beautiful, sturdy vinyl - the kind which was usually used for the first or very early pressings. Usually, the sound on such thick vinyl pressings is full-bodied, vivid, and even dramatic.

(c) The album comes with its original typewritten data and revision sheet.

(d) The record is still in its original inner, perforated plastic baggy, which has - apparently with success - shielded the record from the harmful impact of elements over many years.

(e) This is a fully analog recording, much warmer and fuller sounding than an equivalent digital recording.

COVER : This reference pressing comes without any custom jacket, and will be shipped in its original plain, generic, white cardboard cover with a typewritten data sheet attached.

Test pressing bequeathed to me from a dear friend who passed away mid-2018.

In order to accurately assess the condition, I transferred the audio from vinyl to digital:

* Three step vinyl cleaning process:
---- Classic Discwasher & D4+ cleaning fluid
---- Zerostat de-static gun
---- Compressed (canned) Air

* Equipment Used
---- Sony STR-D590 amp
---- Thorens TD-170 turntable
----  Tascam DR-05 Handheld Digital Recorder (Headphone Out of amp to Line In of Tascam, 44.1kHz WAV format)

Remastered using a combination of Adobe Audition, iZotope RX6 and Propellerhead Reason.
VALUE ADDED PROPOSITION:
In addition to the record album itself, you will receive a CD of the unedited transfer to WAV, and a second CD of my digital remastering of the album (fully indexed by album cut).
Due to the one of kind nature of this item, sale is final - no return or refund on this sale.