The Wailers (Bob Marley) - Catch A Fire LP - SUPERB Vinyl - Worldwide Shipping

	£		128
	$		170

I am selling some of my personal vinyl collection. Many of these records are UK pressings and were purchased by myself any time from the 1970's onwards. They have been extremely well looked after, most having only been played a handful of times on Linn or Rega turntables with a light stylus tracking force of 1.5 to 1.75 g.

Please read the description below for vinyl condition (as per the Record Collector Grading System), but for most of my records the vinyl can be considered as in near mint or excellent condition, shiny and with no significant marks – basically almost as good as when it came out of the original shop. The covers vary in condition but most are excellent just showing the usual signs of storage. Most have been stored in plastic protective covers.

A word about hairline marks. It is almost impossible to find any non-sealed record without any hairline marks - many had them from new, particularly if sold with cardboard inner sleeves. They are a result of storage and use and have little impact on sound quality. Likewise, very few original vinyl records lie totally flat. As for background noise, all records will have some background noise which varies wildly and often reflects the very variable pressing quality. I have bought new heavy pressing LP's in recent years and many of the original records I am selling not only look better but they sound better! I only draw attention to marks, warping or background noise in my listings if I consider them significant.

All records (unless "mint" to start with) have been cleaned using high quality professional Record Cleaning Machines - either a £3,000 Keith Monks Omni VII RCM or a Moth Pro Mk II RCM. Not only does this wet clean/vacuuming process remove surface marks such as fingerprints, etc, it also significantly reduces background noise and many argue that the lower noise floor results in opening up of the sound and improved fidelity. Following cleaning, records are placed in new inner sleeves.

This album is The Wailers' (Bob Marley) superb "Catch A fire" LP on the Island Records original Pink Rim label ILPS 9241. 

Matrix marks A4/B5 - UK pressing. Matrix marks are hand etched and "EG" hand etched into vinyl dead wax either side.

Vinyl grading is a good solid "Excellent" according to the Record Collector Grading System. The vinyl is in SUPERB shape with a fantastic sheen and just the odd light mark or hairline - FANTASTIC and the best copy of this album I have seen. The vinyl shows evidence of onlyhaving been played on a few occasions. Weighing in at 123 g, it is a nice weight quality pressing.

Test played superbly on my Rega RP6 turntable with great dynamic sound, no distortion and only occasional background noise. Considering this album is 40 years old it plays quite superbly and as well as many of my new LP's. The bass at the start of "Concrete Jungle" is designed to test your system to its limits.

Now on to the main attraction of this copy - the original hinged lid Zippo Lighter sleeve. This original 1973 vinyl release, designed by graphic artists Rod Dyer and Bob Weiner, is encased in a sleeve depicting a Zippo lighter. The sleeve functions like a real Zippo lighter case, opening at a side hinge to reveal the record within. Only the original pressing of 20,000 had the Zippo cover because it had to be hand made - subsequent pressings had an alternative cover designed by John Bonis featuring an Esther Anderson portrait of Marley smoking. Copies of the record from the original pressings have since become collectors' items.

This sleeve is in excellent condition and fully functioning, with only some minor edge and corner wear (see photos below). Likewise, the original blue inner is also also in excellent condition with some creasing.

Overall, a superb copy of this classic album with its original iconic cover and I think it would be hard to find better.

Please see my other listings with many auctions of classic rock albums to come so save me as a favourite seller. Typical postage prices as follows and combined postage with other albums saves money (double album counts as 2 records):

UK: 1 record £3.50, 2 records £4.50, 3 records £6.

EU: 1 record £5.50, 2 records £7, 3 records £8.50.

International: 1 record £8.50, 2 records £10, 3 records £11.50.

Some countries may require International Signed For so please ask.

Please see my feedback, particularly on other records I have sold, and thanks for looking.