PINK FLOYD "MEDDLE" 1st UK PRESS. A1-U B1-U. TOP AUDIO

	£		51
	$		68

THIS IS  PINK FLOYDS 1971 ALBUM, "MEDDLE". THIS IS THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER FIRST UK PRESSING WITH THE A-1U AND B-1U MATRIX NUMBERS, AND BOTH MOTHER STAMPS ARE 1, THE VERY FIRST. THIS HAS THE VERY FIRST PRESSING LABELS WITH THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD TEXT. THE GATE-FOLD COVER IS TEXTURED BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. THE AUDIO QUALITY IS QUITE OUTSTANDING. THIS IS A COPY THAT HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE PLAY, AND HAS A REMARKABLY LOW MATRIX/MOTHER/STAMPER COMBINATION THAT I SHALL EXPLAIN IN DETAIL BELOW. I HAVE SET A MINIMAL STARTING PRICE, AND THERE IS NO HIDDEN RESERVE PRICE. TOP BID WINS THIS GEM. END OF STORY. LET THE MARKET PLACE DECIDE ITS VALUE. THE MATRIX NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE A-1U AND B-1U, INDICATING A FIRST UK PRESSING. THE MOTHERS ARE "1" AND "1" RESPECTIVELY. THE STAMPERS ARE "OH" AND "LD" RESPECTIVELY.  REMARKABLY EARLY INDEED, AND CAN ONLY IMPROVE DETAIL AND SOUND QUALITY COMPARED TO LATER PRESSINGS. I HAVE RARELY SEEN MOTHERS AND STAMPERS THIS LOW ON MEDDLE.

AS USUAL, I AM NOT GOING TO WAFFLE ON FOR PAGES GIVING YOU POINTLESS DETAILS ABOUT THE BAND, THEIR LIVES, LIKES AND DISLIKES AS SOME SELLERS SEEM TO ENJOY DOING! THIS IS FACTUAL INFORMATION ON THE RECORD FOR SALE. NOTHING MORE.

SO, ON TO A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THIS FINE ALBUM:-

THE COVER: GRADED AS VG+. MY GRADINGS ARE CONSERVATIVE. THIS IS THE MINIMUM GRADING THIS COULD BE GIVEN, SO YOU WILL PROBABLY GET BETTER THAN YOU EXPECT, AS OPPOSED TO BEING DISAPPOINTED. THE PHOTOGRAPHS I HAVE LISTED ARE OF THE ACTUAL SALE ITEM. CROSS REFERENCE MY GRADING AGAINST THE COMPREHENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR A TRUE PICTURE. THIS IS A COVER THAT RARELY SURVIVES IN ANYWHERE NEAR MINT CONDITION. IT WAS MADE FROM A VERY SOFT CARDBOARD, AND SUFFERED DUE TO ITS LACK OF RIGIDITY. THIS IS TEXTURED BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. THERE IS MINOR SHELF WEAR TO TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES. THE SPINE HAS SOME RUB-WEAR, BUT THE TEXT IS STILL LEGIBLE. THERE IS A SOME LOSS OF COLOUR ON THE VERY CORNER EXTREMES, AND THE OPENING EDGES ARE SLIGHTLY "FEATHERED". UNUSUALLY, THIS HAS NO RING WEAR AT ALL. THE INNER TEXTURED GATE-FOLD HAS A MARK IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER THAT HAS PRESSED AND TRANSFERRED TO THE TOP LEFT CORNER. THIS IS STILL A VERY PRESENTABLE EXAMPLE.
THE INNER SLEEVE: THE INNER IS THE EMI ADVERT TYPE, ADVERTISING OTHER ALBUMS FROM THAT YEAR. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE WITH BARELY A CREASE WORTH MENTIONING. IT IS STILL FLAT, FREE FROM ANY SLITS OR TEARS, BUT DOES HAVE SOME LIGHT AGE DISCOLOURATION. AT SOME STAGE THE POLYTHENE LINER HAS BECOME DETACHED, AND FOR THIS ONLY, I GRADED AS VG+.
LABELS AND VINYL (VISUAL): THE LABELS ARE SUPERB. I CAN SEE ONLY 6 OR 7 LIGHT SPINDLE MARKS PER SIDE. THERE ARE NO STICKERS OR WRITING OF ANY SORT. VISUALLY THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYLS LOOK GORGEOUS. UNDER STRONG ANGLED LIGHT THERE ARE SOME HAIRLINE MARKS THAT ARE TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH SLEEVE REMOVAL. GRADED AS EX. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VINYL WILL TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF ITS COVER, AND IN A NEW POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVE.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE: I PLAY MY RECORDS ON A HIGHLY REVEALING LINN SONDEK LP12 THROUGH NAIM AMPLIFICATION. I PLAY-GRADE EVERYTHING, AND HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING OF NOTE. THIS PLAYS REALLY WELL, WITH GREAT DETAIL. THE BASS LINES ARE TIGHT AND STRONG. THE SOUND-STAGE IS VIBRANT AND CLEAR. ON MY SYSTEM THIS SOUNDS SWEET, DETAILED AND DYNAMIC. I AM PLAYING THIS TODAY AS I TYPE THE DESCRIPTION. I HAVE TO SAY, MY STYLUS IS STILL LIFTING DUST DEBRIS FROM THE GROOVES, SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND A GOOD PROFESSIONAL CLEAN TO BRING OUT THE VERY BEST OF THIS. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THE SOUND QUALITY AS EX-. THIS HAS VERY FEW ISSUES IN PLAY. THERE ARE SEVERAL QUIET PASSAGES OF MUSIC, WHERE THE ODD SPOT OF BACKGROUND NOISE CAN BE HEARD. THERE IS LITTLE WORTHY OF NOTE TO EITHER SIDE. THIS IS A VERY WELL KEPT ALBUM INDEED. THERE ARE NO STICKS, JUMPS OR DISCERNIBLE DISTORTION ON MY SYSTEM. WHEN THE MUSIC IS IN FULL FLOW, IT IS HARD TO FAULT. THE MAJORITY PLAYS VERY QUIETLY AND WITH GREAT DETAIL AND VERVE. THE ODD BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE AND THERE HARDLY SPOILS WHAT IS A GREAT AUDIO PERFORMANCE. YOU WILL BE HARD PUSHED TO FIND A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER SOUNDING NEAR 40 YEAR OLD COPY.
SO THIS IS A TRULY NICE GENUINE UK FIRST PRESSING WITH THE VERY FIRST A-1U AND B-1U MATRIX NUMBERS, ORIGINAL COVER, AND SUCH AN EARLY MOTHER/STAMPER COMBINATION.  IT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR SINCE THE DAY OF RELEASE. COPIES OF THIS QUALITY RARELY COME INTO THE MARKET PLACE. DON'T MISS THIS ONE. FOR ANY FURTHER DETAILS, JUST SEND ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND I WILL GIVE ANY INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE. 

I POST VERY QUICKLY UPON RECEIPT OF FUNDS, USUALLY THE SAME DAY, BUT NO LATER THAN THE FOLLOWING DAY. ANY EXCESS POSTAGE CHARGED WILL BE REFUNDED IN FULL JUST AS SOON AS I KNOW THE EXACT TOTAL. (PLEASE DO NOT DO WHAT SOME BUYERS HAVE DONE TO ME RECENTLY! THAT IS TO MARK ME DOWN IN THE STAR RATINGS FOR POSTAGE AND PACKING CHARGES. I CHARGE EXACTLY WHAT IT COSTS ME (SOMETIMES LESS!). HOW CAN YOU MARK ME DOWN FOR THAT????) THIS APPLIES TO UK AND OVERSEAS BUYERS. I DO NOT CHARGE FOR PACKING MATERIALS OR MY TIME. I USE RECYCLED MATERIALS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT UP TO MY HIGH STANDARDS, I SOURCE NEW MATERIAL AT MY COST, NOT YOURS.
POSTAGE COST WITHIN THE UK WILL BE FIXED AT £2.75. FOR THIS I WILL SHIP FIRST CLASS. IF THE SALE REACHES IN EXCESS OF £41, INSURANCE IS AN OPTIONAL EXTRA AT THE BUYERS EXPENSE..   POSTAGE COST WORLD-WIDE WILL BE FIXED AT £13. THIS WILL INCLUDE "SIGNED FOR" AIRMAIL AND FULL INSURANCE. IF IT COSTS MORE, I WILL PAY THE EXCESS. IF IT COSTS LESS, I WILL REFUND THE DIFFERENCE IN FULL.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL ANSWER EVERY ONE JUST AS SOON AS I SEE IT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE PHOTOGRAPHS, DROP ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND I WILL SEND WHATEVER YOU WANT.
I OFFER A COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL REFUND IF THE ITEM DOES NOT MATCH MY DESCRIPTION. I WILL NOT REFUND IF YOU JUST DECIDE YOU DON'T WANT IT!!
I AM WELL KNOWN FOR SUPERB PACKING. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING DAMAGED IN TRANSIT.

FINALLY......................GOOD LUCK!