Mike Oldfield TUBULAR BELLS UK LP 1ST LAMINATED EX++

	£		227
	$		301

MIKE OLDFIELD - TUBULAR BELLS

IN SUPERB CONDITION

1ST VIRGIN PRESS

LAMINATED SLEEVE

• CATALOGUE:VIRGIN VS2001
• MATRIX: VS 2001-A / -B

THIS ALBUM WAS ONE OF THE 'GIANTS' THAT SOLD IN THE MILLIONS, BUT BACK IN 1973 WHEN IT WAS THE FIRST EVER ALBUM RELEASED ON THE NEW VIRGIN LABEL IT SOLD POORLY, IN FACT IT TOOK OVER A YEAR TO REACH THE UK NUMBER 1 POSITION IN THE CHARTS. THEREFORE FINDING A FIRST PRESS WITH IT'S SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IS INDEED A RARITY

SO TO BE A FIRST PRESS TUBULAR BELLS IT MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING

THE SLEEVE MUST BE FULLY LAMINATED ON BOTH SIDES (LATER PRESSES WERE UNLAMINATED)

THE LABELS MUST BE TOTALLY BLACK AND WHITE (NO OTHER COLOUR WHATSOEVER) ALL OTHERS ARE REISSUES

THE MATRIX NUMBERS MUST BE ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX NOT MACHINE STAMPED

A QUICK TRIVIA QUESTION. WHO ANNOUNCES THE INSTRUMENTS AT THE END OF SIDE ONE?

A: VIVIEN STANSHALL OF THE BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE LABELS ARE IN TOP CONDITION, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE COLOURS ARE UNRUBBED WITH THE WHITE SECTION REMAINING 'WHITE' AND THE BLACK DEEP AND RICH . THE PURE WHITE SURFACE FULLY STRETCHES IN TO UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE, WHERE THER ARE JUST 3-4 REALLY TINY SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE, SHOWING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS SUPERB ALBUM HAS BEEN PLAYED

THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE AND UNRUBBED.

THE VINYL

THE VINYL HAS RETAINED VIRTUALLY ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL SHEEN, AND LOOKS MAGNIFICENT. THERE ARE A FEW PATCHES OF DULLER STREAKS ON THE VINYL WHERE IT HAS SAT IN THE SLEEVE FOR ALL THESE YEARS UNPLAYED, BUT THESE HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE PERFORMANCE WHATSOEVER. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS A SMALL SPRINKLING OF WISPY HAIRLINES

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 AS I DO NOW WITH ALL MY LISTINGS AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE QUALITY OF THE RECORDING IS INCREDIBLE, WITH EVERY NOTE BEING HEARD CLEARLY. THE PRODUCTION IS PURE FIRST PRESS. THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS JUST MAGNIFICENT

THE VINYL PLAYS WITHOUT ANY DISTORTION TO THE SOUND WHATSOEVER.

THERE ARE SO MANY QUIET PASSAGES OF MUSIC IN THE ALBUM THAT ANY UNWANTED NOISE REALLY STANDS OUT

THERE IS NO SERIOUS BACKGROUND CRACKLE AT ANY POINT NOR ARE THERE ANY LOUD CLICKS

VINYL NOISE IS LIMTED TO JUST SOME RANDOM  LITTLE DUST POPS, AND TICS, MAINLY ON THE FIRST THRID OF EACH SIDE, AND A LITTLE STATIC IN PLACES (THERE IS A THREE -FOUR ROTATIONAL  SEMENTS ABOUT 2 MINUTES IN TO SIDE 2

A VERY CLEAN AND CLEAR SOUNDING 1ST PRESS OF THIS OUTSTANDING ALBUM

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL EXCELLENT PLUS!!!!

BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, TAKE A LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

FULLY LAMINATED SINGLE SLEEVE IN SUPERB CONDITION

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN, AND THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES, NOR ARE THERE ANY BENDS OR DINGS

THE COLOURS HAVE ALL BEEN RETAINED AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF RUBBING, AND PARTICULARLY NO RING WEAR.

THERE ARE NONE OF THE SMALL LINES USUALLY FOUND NEAR THE SPINE, JUST THE BAREST SLIVER OF LAMINATE LIFT IN A SMALL 2 INCH LINE AT THE TOP LEFT CORNER

THE LAMINATE GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR, AND LOOKS SUPERB. IF YOU ANGLE THE SLEEVE INTO STRONG ILLUMINATION YOU CAN JUST MAKE OUT A SLIGHT IMPRESSION OF A LINE WHICH LOOKS LIKE A TICK. IT IS SITUATED UNDER THE RIGHT HOLE OF THE BELL

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR. AND HAS CLEARLY BEEN PROTECTED SINCE NEW

THE SPINE IS FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR AND EVERY LETTER OF THE TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. IT IS ALSO VERY FLAT WITH JUST ONE LIGHT FINGER TO THUMB SQUASH

THE OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP AND LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS MADE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS THE FRONT SURFACE, WITH JUST A SMALL PATCH OF LAMINATE LIFT BY THE SPINE

THE ORIGINAL PAPER INNER SLEEVE IS INCLUDED AND IS IN UNSPLIT CONDITION, JUST A SLIGHT SHADE OF BROWNING TO THE VERY TOP EDGE

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE NEAR MINT!!!!

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

GARRY