JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - 1st UK PRESS - VERY RARE - FOLD-OUT STAR - DEEP PURPLE

	£		53
	$		70

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you.

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During nearly eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,400 positive feedbacks from over 1,900 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records.  Until recently I had 100% positive feedback, but I have recently received a totally unjustified negative feedback. Please see my page if you want the full story.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund. 

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PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL AND USE THE 'ZOOM' FACILITY TO GET A CLOSE-UP VIEW.

This is the very rare, earliest first pressing of Jesus Christ Superstar.  It has the unique fold-out star cover, coupled with the late-sixties style MCA labels with the orange/yellow swirl design.

The album's official release date was 16th October 1970 by which time MCA had replaced its orange/yellow swirl labels with the new red and pink 'bow-tie' label design. Copies of the fold-out star cover very rarely come-up for sale but those which do, almost always have the later 'bow-tie' labels. Very few copies were made with the old-style orange/yellow swirl labels.

Even the booklet is slightly different from later copies - it is printed on shiny paper and has rounded corners.

The vinyl has the following first press matrix numbers, first mothers and the third, fourth and fifth stampers:

Side 1:   7-214-2           1         K
Side 2:   7-215              1         I
Side 3:   7-216-2           1         C
Side 4:   7-217                                    (I cannot see a mother or stamper on side 4)

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl has retained its original high sheen and appears to have been well cared-for. Under bright light, hairlines and fine marks were visible (slightly more on disk one than disk two) and slightly more on side two where there is also one more-prominent mark, but there is nothing bad anywhere. I have played the entire record (all four sides). There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and a few clicks, but nothing serious. Play-graded as follows:

• Side 1: There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click, but there are no repetitive clicks. Generally the music is Excellent with the loud parts sounding Near Mint, but there was some persistent swishy-crackle in the background during the quiet parts and the fades, silent grooves and intros so overall grading for this side is around Excellent minus (Ex-) or Very Good plus (VG+).
  
• Side 2: There were various places where I noticed a short-lived repetitive click but nothing which lasted longer than about half-a-dozen revolutions with the exception of fourteen clicks in the horns intro to 'Simon Zealotes' and a very soft repetive click in 'Pilates Dream'. There was some general background noise in the quiet parts, but the loud parts sounded Near Mint. Overall grading for this side is Very Good plus (VG+).
• Side 3: There is some slight background noise which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click. But there is nothing loud or intrusive anywhere. Overall grading for this side is Excellent (Ex).
  
• Side 4: There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros, some soft swishy-crackle in the background during some of the quiet parts and the occasional random click, but nothing loud or intrusive. Overall grading for this side is around Excellent (Ex) or Excellent minus (Ex-).

Labels: Original orange/yellow swirl labels. Please see photos for condition. Judging by the spindle marks I would say that disk one has been played more than disk two.

Sleeve: This unique sleeve is an envelope which folds out to a star. The outside of the sleeve is unlaminated and this, combined with the design, means that it inevitably shows wear at the edges and corners, but this one is in one piece with just a small neat repair to the bottom star point, but no significant issues.

Edge/spine wear: There is moderate wear to the two spines and the bottom edge, but only light wear to the top edge apart from at the corners. The text on the spine is still readable. In the first photo I have shown the front of the cover with the star points opened which clearly shows all the edges and I have also shown close-ups of the three edges which show the most wear.

Corner wear: There is noticeable wear to all four corners which can be seen in the photos.

Inner sleeves: The original blue Decca poly-lined inners are intact and useable with just typical signs of age and use.

Booklet: This is the original first press booklet which has much shinier paper than later issues and rounded corners. It has general signs of handling and use with some slight marks to the outside, but it is complete and intact with no writing, damage or loose pages and no significant issues.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is a complete, presentable and playable example of a very rare item.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded.  A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may send some items in packaging which has been previously used or which has been made from other cardboard packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

However, to quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 500-550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Occasionally, you may end up paying a few pence more than it actually costs me and occasionally you may end up paying a few pence less than it actually costs me. If there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items are sent quickly and securely using first class recorded post, which includes insurance up to £46. The cost for this is as follows:

First LP or 12" = £3.80, each additional LP or 12" add £0.80

First 7" or CD = £1.90, each additional 7" or CD add £0.50


UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £46 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £7.55.  Multiple-item orders weighing more than 1kg or items valued over £500 will cost slightly more to insure, so please wait for my invoice before paying.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £10.95, each additional LP or 12" add £2.00.

First 7" or CD = £6.85, each additional 7" or CD add £0.60.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £14.45, each additional LP or 12" add £3.50.

First 7" or CD = £8.15, each additional 7" or CD add £0.90.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.