Black Sabbath : Vol 4 1st Press 1Y1 / 2Y1

This first pressing on the Vertigo label plays to a fantastic standard with not one single click or pop and no underlying static or crackle either.  The playback is sensational!  It is certainly up there with the best I have ever heard and has also not been played very much judging by the audio quality and minimal amount of spindle wear.  The clarity and definition of the audio is outstanding and the quieter tracks play with incredible precision.

A first pressing has no 'Made in England' on the Side B label and no track times on the inner gatefold.  The cover has a matt texture and the VO Price Code on the back.  Porky and Pecko is hand etched on the run out grooves and of course relates to the famous cutting/mastering engineer George Peckham which is another reason why this issue is so collectable.

This cover is in excellent condition with only minimal shelf wear and the inner booklet remains fully attached.  The original inner is also in superb condition.

6360071 1Y // 1   1 2 1 1 8  PORKY

6360071 2Y // 1   1 1 1 4  PECKO

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (Track 3 Near Mint+)

The audio S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Ex+

The labels are Mint-

The original swirl inner is Near Mint

Visual grading

The vinyl is in wonderful condition with no marks or scratches and only a small number of very faint hairlines.  It still has an immaculate glossy look and has clearly only been lightly played.  There is only very minimal spindle wear and the run out grooves are supremely clean, the matrix info is very clear indeed.  A stunning record in every way.

From the very first groove 'Wheels Of Confusion' plays with a clarity, power and depth that you only find on a vinyl that has not only been hardly played but also very well preserved down the years.  This is a sublime version and there is no distortion on the top end.  There are no clicks or pops, no static or crackle either and the more you get into it the more you are impressed by it!  It has lost none of the original deep, rich typical Sabbath sound and every note can be heard so precisely.  The classic end section is faultless and the fade out is also super clean with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks.  I have no no hesitation in grading this as Mint and it provides the perfect start to this first pressing.

'Tomorrow's Dream' also plays to the same 'high end' standard with no sign of any interference.  Iommi's downtuned sound is very much in evidence here and again Mint is fully deserved.

As any Sabbath collector knows 'Changes' is so often affected by static/distortion but this is an unequivocal classic in every way.  The playback is so 'clean' and when I say there is barely any static I mean it!  The clarity is exceptional and this is the strongest version I have heard in a long time.  I sold another first press Vol 4 in September and that was a very impressive version but I have to say this one is even better!  I could only detect the odd very light static sound but they are few and far between and so minor as to be totally insignificant.  The instrumental end section plays beautifully and the piano piece right at the end has no 'background' at all.  A Near Mint+ is a fair assessment of the audio here.

'FX' of course is even quieter and yet the only 'background' is a minor touch of light static near the start that lasts for all of one second!  Otherwise it is perfect and the clarity is again outstanding.  Mint-

The percussive intro on 'Supernaut' is flawless and continues to play with great depth and power.  For once you can turn this up to max without fear of distortion which is a genuine rarity for this track and this truly is a spectacular version.  It's quite easy to forget the percussive section just beyond the halfway mark but turn it up to 'loud' and the playback is stunning!  The final vocal is so strong and yes still no distortion.  The long fade out has no 'background' which is also a rarity.  A Mint- end to a STUNNING S1!

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'Snowblind' on S2 carries on this fine form and plays without fault from start to finish.  Every section plays with such precision and it goes without saying that there is no interference.  There is impressive clarity and then there is the clarity we have here!  An example of this is on the fade out which has no 'background' whatsoever.  This grades as Mint you will not be surprised to hear.

The foreboding deep intro on 'Cornucopia' is 'as new' and as the vocal begins there is no let up in quality.  It proceeds in the same way and again you're left in wonderment at the sonic quality here!  The powerful mid instrumental section is a case in point, it just could not play any better but then that applies to every second of this track!  Mint is again an easy grade to give.  Audio does not get better than this!

'Laguna Sunrise' plays beautifully with not one single tick, click or pops and remarkably no static or crackle either.  A stunning version from beginning to end an is Mint without question.

'St. Vitus Dance' is of the same 'high end' standard with no interference.  It is Mint there is no need to say anymore...for once!

Another menacing intro with 'Under The Sun' that plays with flawless precision.  There is just a hint of barely audible static just before the vocal begins and from then on plays with superb clarity and definition.  There is no distortion which is rare for this track as there is musically so much 'going on' here and yet despite being 48 years old there is no audio 'deterioration' at all.  This is such a strong end to this album and Mint- is richly deserved.  The classic end section is up there with the best I have ever heard and I repeat there is no inner groove distortion at all.  Wow what a finish!

In summary this first pressing can be classified as a FINAL UPGRADE version I am delighted to say.  In other no need to purchase another as you could not really improve upon the stunning quality of the audio that we have here.  Close to 50 and yet there is not a single tick let alone a click or a pop!  There is no underlying static and for once no distortion either.  This is a STUNNING album in every way, from the audio to the amazing visual quality of the vinyl to the gatefold and inner.  A superb 'package' that would be difficult to beat :-)

The Gatefold

The cover is in excellent condition with only very minimal shelf wear and is one of the 'cleanest' you will find.  The top edges have barely any rubbing and whilst there is some on the bottom edges it is by no means excessive.  The wide spine is in superb order, 100% legible, and only a little wear wear on the bottom corner.  The other corners have only very minimal rubbing and the opening edge is very clean with only very minor 'crimping'.  The cover for once has hardly any of the fading/staining around the edges that you so often seen and the back cover is very similar.  The inside of the gatefold is immaculate with no marking and the inner booklet remains firmly attached.  A very impressive cover overall and certainly better than the vast majority that you see today.

The Inner Sleeve

The original swirl inner is in superb condition with no side splits or tears and barely any creasing.  It has only a minor age related fading near the top edges.  A fine example.

The Labels

The Vertigo labels are near perfect with no marking, writing or 'spotting' and only minimal spindle wear as stated.

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

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

6360071 1Y // 1   1 2 1 1 8  PORKY

6360071 2Y // 1   1 1 1 4  PECKO

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

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