THE KINKS: UK 1ST 1971 PRESSING-MUSWELL HILLBILLIES- RCA VICTOR SF 8243-EXC COND

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Hello and Welcome!  

Despite being eBay Vintage Vinyl Sellers since 1999, we have recently elected to auction several highly collectable, scarce, and extremely well-conditioned albums, all of which come from our personal album collection, under this new screen-name. We pride ourselves as collectors, sellers and most importantly, true purists when it comes to this hobby which has turned into a huge on-line business for many folks.   

Our Goldmine Grading of this or any other album entails a Visual Assessment of the Vinyl, Labels, Jacket, Inner Sleeve and Inserts (If Applicable) as well as an Aural Evaluation.  All pre-owned LPs that we put up for auction are first professionally cleaned with our VPI 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine prior to being Play-Graded on a Denon DP 54-F Turntable equipped with a SHURE M97xE Cartridge/Stylus.  Our Pre-Amp is a Denon PMA 750.  Our Polk Audio Speakers allow one the opportunity to hear any sonic distortion, variation in sound quality such as drops in sound levels, detection of the slightest background noise e.g. crackle, clicking, and, of course, jumps.  All of our albums are stored upright and kept in an air conditioned, smoke free environment and are, or have been protected by polyurethane jacket protectors since our acquisition of them.  

We have listed for auction an Excellent Conditioned, British First Pressing of The Kinks: Muswell Hillbillies on RCA Victor SF 8243.  This vastly underrated 1971 Kinks album marks the band's first album released under a different record label in both the UK and the USA.  Since their initial 1964 debut album release in the United Kingdom, The Kinks official albums were all manufactured by Pye Records.  Similarly, all of the band's albums in America were released under the Reprise Records label.  'Muswell Hillbillies' was The Kinks initial title issued under the RCA Record label in both England and America.  Unlike RCA Records in America, however, the British RCA Record Plants did not press their vinyl using the USA RCA 'DynaFlex' formula, which resulted in near wafer-thin, flimsy albums which were being heralded as "The World's Thinnest Record",  not to mention the "record of the future."  Unfortunately, these US "dynaflex" albums were substantially inferior to their overseas cousins, and as a result, all of The Kinks UK RCA pressings (1971-1976) are now highly coveted and somewhat difficult to acquire in VG+ or higher condition.  Our copy of 'Muswell Hillbillies' possesses that superb audio clarity, loudness, and stereo sonics which the USA title lacks.

MATRICES/STAMPERS/RUN-OFF WAX DATA: 

Side 1: APRS 5984-1E/ A3A      Side 2: APRS 5985-1E/ A1I   

GOLDMINE GRADING

VINYL:  There are no signs of warping/dipping on either side of this well-conditioned LP.  Under bright halogen lighting, Side 1's vinyl surface presents with a handful of extremely faint, wispy and strictly superficial "hairlines".  We are ultra-conservative evaluators of the vinyl we own and sell.  As a rule, we employ a harsher standard of the Goldmine Grading System.  For example, Side 1 exhibits Full Gloss and Sheen, yet as "minor" as some sellers "evaluate" surface marks as signs of removing the LP from its inner sleeve, we feel that the vinyl's visual appearance is, for some collectors, even more important than the record's aural delivery.  Thus, Side 1's audio output is free of crackling, clicking, hissing with the exception of 1-2 odd, momentary spots of "static".  Nevertheless, we still feel that the presence of a "pop" or two, despite how insignificant it may be to one vinylist, can also be the genesis of a disappointment for the other collector.  Side 1's exemplary play on our system only proved that the presence of the  surface lines did not interfere or distract from the listening experience at all.  Goldmine Grade:  VG++ (Visual)  VG++ (Play-Grade)

Side 2 shows slightly more of these intertwined "hair-lines" as well as 2 to 3 "rubs", which looked like a possible discoloration" or vinyl fade which is not uncommon in a visual assessment of these early 1970s RCA pressings.  As mentioned previously, we did not hear any distracting background sound which interfered with the powerful stereophonic clarity of this UK wax.  Our LP delivered on all spheres in terms of sound, although we did hear very low-level, barely audible "crackle" a couple of times.  Our evaluation of Side 2's Visual/Play-Rating Goldmine Grades: VG+/VG++

LABELS:  Both RCA Victor labels show no signs of of wear, discoloration, or any extraneous writing, fading, etc.  As incredible as it may seem, there were no signs of spider marks near the spindle holes on either side.  We assessed both of these stunning labels as Goldmine Graded NM-.

JACKET:   This gate-fold jacket was made by Howards Printers (Slough) Ltd.  Apart from minor corner tip wear, some "rubbing" on the spine which effects the word "Hillbillies" in the title print, and a 3 inch semi-circle of ring-wear on the reverse side of the matte album cover, this specimen is in stellar condition.  There are no seam splits, "feathering" where the LP slips into the sleeve, no writing of names, or any other signs of demarkation noted.  The middle of the gate-fold is in "like new" condition and all of the lyrics/other print is as sharp and as legible as the day this album was released in England.  Goldmine Grade: VG++ to Exc.++  

Please e-mail us via the eBay mail system if you have any questions about this unique album! 

Payment

...is due within 48 hours via PayPal and must be made in US $

USA SHIPPING

$4.00 For USPS Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation

Or

$9.50 For USPS 2 Day Priority Mail With Delivery Confirmation

Worldwide Shipping/Posting

-All Payments Must Be Made Via PayPal and in USD Currency WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER THE AUCTION ENDS

-DUE TO EBAY AND PAYPAL POLICY ALL INTERNATIONAL PARCELS WILL BE SHIPPED VIA USPS INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS MAIL.  THIS METHOD OF POSTING/SHIPPING ALLOWS INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS TO HAVE THEIR VINTAGE VINYL TRACKED, INSURED, AND EXPEDITED DELIVERY (5-7 BUSINESS DAYS. 

THIS METHOD OF POSTING/SHIPPING HAS AN AVERAGE COST OF $42.00 USD.

-Seller Reserves The Right To Cancel Any Bids From Questionable Bidders (Low Feedback Percentage, Blocked Countries).

**WE NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY**

How Your Vinyl Will Be Packed

All LPs won from our eBay listings are first professionally cleaned with our VPI 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine and immediately placed in an anti-static poly-lined Inner Sleeve and/or a polyethylene 3 ml Album Protector prior to being professionally shipped/posted.  All Vinyl is separated from its Album Jacket.  We provide a second polyethylene OR Mylar Album Protector for the Album's Jacket, Original Inner Sleeve, and any Inserts, if applicable.  Vinyl is placed between 2 cardboard pads or "stiffeners" and sandwiched between these 2 pads.  The pads and vinyl are appropriately secured and placed inside a NEW, TOP INDUSTRY STANDARD VINYL RECORD MAILER.  The Album's Jacket, already protected with a 3 ml polyethylene OR Mylar Protector, is then placed on top of the sandwiched vinyl.  If needed, an additional cardboard insert or plastic "cushioning" is placed on top of the jacket's poly/mylar protector.  Finally, we secure the Vinyl Album Mailer and mark the parcel "Handle with Care" as well as "Fragile" in various spots on the mailer.

We've packed thousands of Vinyl Albums, EPs, Old and Fragile 78 RPM records as well as 7" Singles over the Past 15 years.  Our items have been shipped over the entire planet and we have never had a package arrive to a buyer damaged or had any  parcel end up missing.  Delivery Confirmation is Applied to All Domestic Packages as well as Insurance for value.  At this point in time, we Ship/Post World-wide (Excluding Italy Due To Their Postal System's Failure to Deliver Packages in a  timely rate which is acceptable to eBay)  and We Use Only USPS Express International (Expedited Posting) Mail.  This is the only way a parcel can be Tracked, have Delivery Confirmation Applied to it, and affords us the ability to place Any Amount Of Insurance on the item.  

Any and all questions about this item, will be answered in a timely manner.  We ask that all questions be submitted via the eBay e-mail mechanism.

Have Fun and Bid on this unique LP!