Wish You Were Here A1/B7 (Very Early Press + Postcard)

This very early pressing plays with stunning audio and with barely any interference.  As I always do I have playtested every second of this classic album and a comprehensive grading is given below.  The playback is just superb!  It has only been played 2/3 times at most in my opinion as there are only a couple of barely visible spindle traces on each side.  The record has also been extremely well preserved down the years.

As can be seen the cover is still enclosed within the original black shrinkwrap and remains largely intact as you can see from the photos and still includes the 'handshake' sticker.  The lyric inner is also in lovely condition and the original postcard is also in superb shape.

It is interesting to note that there are three stampers on S1 and just the one on S2, something of a rarity I would say.  It is certainly rare to find a single stamper on any 'Wish You Were Here' album.  The initials HTM are also etched onto the run out grooves on S2.  Harry T Moss was the mastering engineer for this record and it is well known that he 'cut' some of the finest records in the business.  The clarity, depth and warmth on his records are second to none and that 'shines' through particularly on this vinyl...if you'll forgive the pun!

SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 7 // ODA 7 / A 1

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 1 intro Ex+)

The audio on S2 is Mint-

The cover is Near Mint-

The lyric inner is Mint-

The labels are Mint

The postcard is Near Mint

Visual grading

This is one of then most visually stunning early pressings that I have ever seen.  It has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and at first glance it looks 'as new'.  Only on closer inspection can you detect a small number of very faint sleeve removal hairlines but they are very difficult to find I hasten to add!  There are no scratches or marks and for a record of this age to be so 'clean' is a rarity when you consider the hard coarse cardboard inner that it is contained in.  There is also hardly any spindle wear, just a couple of very small traces on each side, and I can safely say this record has only been played a handful of times at most.  The stunning quality of the audio certainly suggests that.  The labels and run out grooves are also beautifully clean.  A superb example of this early pressing. 

Play grading  

The super quiet intro on 'Shine On...' has only minimal light static and plays with great precision.  As it continues there is the odd dust tick but there is nothing that detracts from the stunning warmth and depth of the music.  Not one single click or pop and no crackle either.  As Gilmour's guitar comes in the audio is stunning - you can turn this up to loud and the 'sound' just envelops the room.  There is one light click on this section but aside from that, no other intrusion.  Even in the following quiet section where you just have the keyboard for company the clarity is astounding.  As Mason enters the piece the playback is just Mint there is no other way to describe it.  Rarely have I heard such immaculate quality and on such an early pressing also.  It continues in exactly the same way and there is no distortion on the top end of Gilmour's second solo.  This entire section plays as 'cleanly' as the day when released in '75.  There are small number of mega light dust ticks leading up to the first vocal but they are obviously totally non-intrusive.  The playback remains super impressive!  The first verse then plays with fantastic clarity and no obvious 'background' and carries on in the same precise way.  This is audio of the highest calibre and the entire vocal is of a standard that is so rarely heard today.  The long saxophone piece is another prime example of a vinyl hardly played although there is just one light click right at the end.  Apart from that it plays perfectly and there is hardly any static on the fade out.

The intro on 'Welcome To The Machine' is stunning and you can't often say that on such an early pressing as it is just so quiet.  A couple of light dust ticks yes but there is nothing that intrudes on the Mint- quality of the listen.  The depth of the 'machinery' is just superb.  There is just no obvious 'background'!  The first vocal then plays with spellbinding accuracy and again it quite simply plays 'as new'.  Wow it sound superb!  This incredible clarity continues into the instrumental section and if I didn't have to adhere to Record Collector guidelines this would be graded as Mint for sure!  The second verse is of the same standard and the final instrumental section piece is 'as new' again.  The end section is so 'clean' and the 'machinery' followed by the audience section have never sounded better, there is just no interference.  No static even!  For Floyd aficionados you can so clearly hear the double 'pop' type sound and 'cough' on the final groove.

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From the first groove 'Have A Cigar' plays with stunning clarity and in fact the entire track plays with Mint- quality.  There is no interference of any kind and every note plays with perfect precision.  The guitar solo is a superb example of that with the playback being faultless and there is no distortion at all.  The quiet radiophonic end section is just astounding!  So often this section will have interference but there is none here whatsoever.  That is such a rarity!

The spoken/radiophonic section on the 'Wish You Were Here' intro is equally as impressive and has only the lightest of dust ticks.  You will find these on new vinyl let alone one from '75 and barely deserve a mention.  The 'sound' is so clear and is easily up there with the best I have ever heard.  The verses then play to a immaculate standard also and again not a single click or pop.  No interference at all, just pure unadulterated Mint- audio that cannot be improved upon.  The clarity is absolutely breathtaking and I cannot emphasise enough just how well this plays.  What a beautifully preserved vinyl!  To the very end this classic plays with great precision and the only 'background' on the 'blowing wind' section are a small number of the lightest dust ticks imaginable.

The quiet intro in 'Shine On...P2' continues in the fashion and the instrumental section that follows just has to be heard to be believed!  The keyboard section is sublime and the guitar solo is so strong and performs to the highest standard possible.  You can turn the volume up to 'loud' and there is no deterioration in sound, no distortion at all.  This is just Mint there is no other way to describe it.  The vocal is then nigh on perfect with only one faint tick and the sonic quality is again incredibly good.  I do not over-grade my listings as my regular customers know (just look at my feedback!) and I will always note any imperfections in the audio and there are barely any here.  The long instrumental section then plays with 'high end' audio once more and the volume lowers the quality does not diminish.  A couple of dust ticks maybe but no clicks or pops, it plays as you would want it to play!  The remainder does not disappoint and the very end plays with a definition that is just so impressive.  A handful of dust ticks but your ears have to be close to the speakers in order to hear them!  The super quiet end section is just sublime and ends the album in stunning style.

In summary I am confident in saying this is a final upgrade archive pressing.  Yes there is a little static on the S1 intro but it really is very minor and a couple of very light clicks also but the remainder of the audio, and that includes the whole of S2, is immaculate.  This quality of playback only comes around once in a blue moon, as the saying goes, and any Floyd collector would be mightily impressed by the depth and clarity on offer here.  As stated it has been hardly played judging by the lack of spindle wear and the vinyl is so clean also.  Let's not forget the stunning cover that is still wrapped in the original black shrinkwrap!

The Cover

Rarely found with the original shrinkwrap still largely intact this cover will obviously be in great condition.  The opening edge is obviously open but all I can detect is a minimal amount of corner wear and very minor 'crimping' on the edge itself.  The corners of the spine are very clean, you can just about see them and the edges are in superb shape and the 'shrink' has not come loose at all and there are knocks or 'dings' either.  The 'handshake' sticker is still attached and only has a few faint fade marks.  It goes without saying that the front and back of the cover will be beautifully clean!  A fantastic example of this iconic cover.  What a genuine find!

Inner sleeve

The lyric sleeve (with the three cut corners) is in superb  condition and has lost none of its original 'whiteness' at all.  There are no splits and only a small number of tiny 'speck' marks that are barely even worth a mention!  This is a visually stunning example of this inner without question.

The Labels

They are in perfect condition with no writing/marking and only a couple of tiny spindle traces on each side.  Stunning!

The Postcard

The postcard, with serrated edges, is in near perfect condition with only a couple of mega tiny and barely visible 'dings' on the edges and one mega small corner crease.

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

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

SHVL 814 // A - 1 / B - 7 // ODA 7 / A 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

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