Jethro Tull THICK AS A BRICK UK 1GG/1R 1ST WHITE i EX+

	£		90
	$		119

JETHRO TULL - THICK AS A BRICK

IN SUPERB CONDITION

THE RARE WHITE i FIRST ISSUE

• CATALOGUE:CHRYSALIS CHR 1003
• MATRIX: CHR1003 A-3U / CHR1003 B-2U
• FIRST PRESS MATRIX NUMBERS
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 1 GG / 1 R (EXTREMELY EARLY PRESS) 
• ONLY THE FIRST PRESS LABELS HAVE THE WHITE i AT THE VERY TOP OF THE LABEL
• PORKY ETCHED INTO SIDE A DEAD WAX
• PECKO ETCHED INTO SIDE 2 DEAD WAX
• HEAVYWEIGHT FIRST ISSUE VINYL

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE PASTEL GREEN LABELS  LABELS ARE IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION, THE COLOUR IS UNBLEMISHED AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALSO CLEAR AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLE REVEALS JUST THREE OR FOUR SMALL SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE HOLE, SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS LP HAS BEEN PLAYED.

THE VINYL

IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT EARLY ISLAND / CHRYSALIS VINYL WAS POOR QUALITY, AND THUS IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND A COPY OF ANYTHING FROM THIS AGE THAT DOESN'T HAVE INHERENT VINYL NOISE. THE VINYL HERE LOOKS REALLY GLOSSY ON BOTH SIDES AND ONLY UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION CAN I SPOT A COUPLE OF WISPY HAIRLINES, AND A FEW SURFACE LINES.

 PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH . I HAVE TAKEN THIS EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT AS I BELIEVE IT'S WHAT EBAYERS WANT FROM SELLERS. IT IS OFTEN SAID AND FAIRLY SO THAT BUYING FROM EBAY CAN BE A TOTAL LOTTERY, AND THAT SELLERS OF LIMITED KNOWLEDGE DESCRIBE LP'S AS MINT AND ARE ACTUALLY ANYTHING BUT. WELL HERE YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ACTUAL ALBUM YOU ARE THINKING OF BIDDING ON. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE FIRST THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE CLARITY OF REPRODUCTION IS SUPERB. THE CRYSTAL CLEAR INSTRUMENTATION AND VOCALS ARE PURE FIRST PRESS. THERE IS CERTAINLY NO GROOVE WEAR TO THIS RARE RECORDING WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOME DISTORTION TO THE SOUND. THERE IS NONE.

ISLAND RECORDINGS HAVE LONG BEEN LAMBASTED FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF VINYL USED IN THEIR EARLY LP'S WHICH HAVE OFTEN RESULTED IN UNWANTED VINYL NOISE EVEN WHERE THERE ARE NO MARKS. THIS LP PLAYS SUPERBLY WELL THROUGH BOTH SIDES.

THERE IS SOME VERY LIGHT VINYL NOISE WHICH CAN ONLY BE HEARD DURING THE QUIETEST OF PASSAGES, AND ONLY THEN IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE SPEAKERS. THERE IS ALSO SOME RANDOM LITTLE DUST POPS/ TICS OCCASIONALLY THROUGH THE PLAY

I WOULD GRADE THIS ALBUM EXCELLENT PLUS EASILY, BUT PLEASE TAKE A LISTEN AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

A SLEEVE THAT IS USUALLY FOUND SEVERELY STAINED AND TORN. THE FIRST PRESSES WERE MADE TO LOOK LIKE A NEWSPAPER AND THE ORIGINAL ISSUE SLEEVES WERE MADE FROM A STRONG BUT POROUS THICK PAPER, UNLIKE THE REISSUES WHICH WERE THINNER AND NOT PRONE TO STAINING. THEREFORE FINDING A FIRST ISSUE THAT IS IN COLLECTIBLE CONDITION IS BECOMING VERY HARD INDEED. THIS ONE HAS BEEN KEPT INSIDE PLASTIC FOR MOST OF ITS LIFE AND HAS THEREFORE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME VERY WELL.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS STILL VERY WHITE, MOST OF THESE FIRST ISSUES HAVE YELLOWED WITH AGE, BUT NOT THIS ONE. THERE ARE NO STAINS, OR MOTTLING OF ANY DESCRIPTION, JUST SOME VERY VERY MILD AGEING THROUGH HANDLING, BUT I MUST STRESS THAT THIS IS VERY VERY LIGHT

ALL OF THE TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY CLEAR AND LEGIBLE, NO SMUDGING OR RUBBING TO ANY PART, NOT EVEN THE FOLD AT THE BOTTOM WHERE THE PAPER OPENS OUT FULL SIZE.

THE SPINE IS LIGHTLY RUBBED WITH SOME OF THE TYPEFACE ILLEGIBLE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT, AGAIN JUST THE LIGHT HANDLING. THERE IS A SMALL TEAR TO THE FOLD OVER SEAM

OPENING THE GATEFOLD UP REVEALS THE REST OF THE 'NEWSPAPER' THE FIRST THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE INNER SECTION IS FIRMLY AFFIXED WITH THE ORIGINAL STAPLES. ALL OF THE PAGES ARE IN UNTORN, UNWORN CONDITION.SLIGLTY YELLOWED WITH AGE IN PATCHES

THE DOT TO DOT HAS BEEN VERY LIGHTLY COMPLETED AND COULD EASILY BE RUBBED OUT

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE EXCELLENT PLUS

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY