QUEEN A DAY AT THE RACES 1U/1U 1st PRESS SUPERB COVER & AUDIO NEAR MINT WOW
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Description
I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges. However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale. No shipping to Russia currently.
Queen : A Day At The Races 1U / 1U 1st Press
This has to be the most stunning first press I have seen or heard in years! The clarity and depth of sound is exceptional and the tracks that often play with some static / crackle 'You Take My Breath Away', 'The Millionaire Waltz' and 'Let Us Cling Together' all play with unbelievable audio! They all grade between Mint- and Mint and that is just so so rare for a genuine first press. The remainder of the album is packed full of highlights also, too numerous to mention. Only the opening section on 'White Man' has a few light ticks but even then they are not loud but (and I rarely say this!) it would be virtually impossible to find any first / early pressing playing with such quality! The vinyl is visually stunning and has clearly hardly ever been played, there is barely any spindle wear. This was obviously purchased for a 'collection' and not to be played.
That is also reflected in the cover which is one of the finest examples you will see today. It is so clean and rarely seen as impressive as this. The original picture inner is also great condition.
EMD 1003 // YAX 5245 - 1U / YAX 5246 - 1U // LM 4 / OH 2 // STERLING stamped on both
The audio on S1 is Mint(-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 opening section Ex)
The gatefold is Ex+
The labels are Mint
The picture inner is Ex+
Visual description
The vinyl is in beautiful condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen with no scratches. There is a tiny mark at the start of 'White Man' but I hesitate to call it a scratch as you can't feel it and it kind of looks like it was there from when it was first pressed. There is no groove wear and even looking under a bright light I can only see a couple of very small faint hairlines on S1. The run out grooves are super clean and the labels have no marking / writing and only one maybe two miniscule and barely visible spindle traces on each side.
Play grading
The 'orchestral' opening on 'Tie Your Mother Down' begins S1 in superb fashion with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks and Brian's final 'loud' crescendo note for once has no distortion. As the classic riff kicks in the playback is phenomenal, I do not think I have heard it play with such power and depth. Freddie's opening vocal is faultless and as it progresses I am really struck by the sheer quality of the audio. I have it turned up to 'loud' and the sonic quality is just incredible! It has that unplayed sonic quality with a power and definition that is second to none. I truly believe Mint is deserved here, a fantastic start.
'You Take My Breath Away' so often plays with a fair amount of static/crackle but this is quite possibly the 'cleanest' version I have heard on any pressing let alone a 1U/1U first pressing! From the 'choral' intro through every vocal and piano section the clarity of sound is just STUNNING and I heard only a couple of light static ticks on the final piano note. I cannot emphasise enough just how pristine the audio and I don't think I've ever graded this gentle ballad as Mint- but we definitely have one here!
'Long Away' then plays with sublime clarity and depth (again) with no sign of any interference. Easy to grade this is Mint in every way. Not even a solitary dust tick, just perfect.
The piano / bass intro on 'The Millionaire Waltz' has no 'background' (another rarity) and Freddie's opening vocal is just as 'clean'. This is another track that often suffers from static etc but so far it is 'as new' and that high level continues! The second verse plays is STUNNING and the third verse is just as impressive. I can't believe what I am listening to! There are a couple of light dust ticks during Brian's brief excursion (not sure why I a mention them as I often say!) and then the high octane 'Come back to me...' section is just breathtaking! So powerful and zero distortion. The next instrumental section is perfect and the super quiet 'My fine friend...' verse does not even have a single dust tick! The final verse ends this classic with audio of the highest calibre and I have just have to grade it as Mint as it just could not play with any greater precision. Again it has to be the cleanest most spectacular version I have ever heard. Wow!
'You And I' ends this incredible side with tremendous clarity and power throughout with... no interference. Little more needs to be said. A sublime Mint version and none of the distortion that you often find.
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The 'choral' / piano intro on the classic 'Somebody To Love' has no intrusion and the first verse can also be described 'as new'. The next three verses are just as strong and the power on the top end is just incredible. This is another track that is playing like it has never been on a turntable before! The 'Find me somebody to love...' section is just pure audio perfection and you can clearly hear the 'echo' affect on the final 'love' - that is a measure of the clarity on offer here. The final section more than keeps up the standard and this also has to grade as Mint as there are quite simply no negatives.
The quiet intro on 'White Man' has a handful of static ticks and the opening vocal also has a small number of light ticks but none of this is intrusive and there is no underlying static. The first chorus is perfect and from then on plays with unrivalled power and clarity and no other intrusion. The playback is so impressive - the vocals are so strong and there is a real sense of depth and power during the 'heavy' sections - John's bass adds so much to the overall sound also. The quiet end section plays perfectly - I will grade the opening section as Ex and the rest as Mint that is a fair assessment of the audio.
Another classic in 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' and I am pleased to say it plays with exceptional clarity from the first note to the last with no interference. Such a great 'tune' and the sonic quality is superb. Mint
'Drowse' is superb from the get go and the standard does not drop as it continues. Once again you can turn it up loud and you lose none of the original sonic quality. There is no interference. Mint
The delicate piano intro on 'Let Us Cling Together' plays beautifully with no background and the opening two verses have the same immaculate clarity of sound also. The first chorus is perfect and it continues in the same precise way. Honestly the clarity and warmth of the audio is fantastic! The following vocal section is equal to that and then the powerful 'When I'm gone...' section, so often affected by distortion, is so clean and 'new' sounding. The 'choral' passage maintains this high end standard and the organ 'finale' rounds off this classic with no intrusion whatsoever apart from a couple of mega light ticks on the fade out. I'm not going to let that deter me from grading this as Mint as they are so darn quiet! This is another track that rarely plays this well, it truly is a STUNNING version.
In summary this first pressing is so so close to perfect and it is only the minimal background at the start of 'White Man' that keeps it from being so. Aside from that the album plays with a clarity, depth and power that could not be enhanced in any way. I cannot overstate just how strong the audio is and the lack of any interference on the 'usual suspects' is a genuine highlight. This is probably the finest example of a 1U/1U first press that I have ever listened to and in conjunction with a superb cover this will add to any high end collection.
The Gatefold & Picture Inner
You don't need me to tell you how difficult it is to find this cover in decent condition! So I am pleased to say this is one of the best I have seen in years! The edges and wide spine are in fantastic shape with no wear and the corners are also super clean with just a tiny hint of wear bottom right. The opening edge is pristine and the front cover is exceptionally clean with only light creasing near the bottom right corner. That really is the only 'wear' and even then it is minimal. The back cover is very similar with only 3/4 tiny indents and four small crease lines next to the bottom edge. The inside of the gatefold is so near perfect with only a small crease in the bottom right corner of the right panel but overall a superb cover. It has also kept its original shape so well and has obviously not been handled very much. It has to grade as Ex+ and there cannot be many of those around today!
The original picture inner (with rounded corners) is near perfect with just one small corner crease and a couple of very small faint marks on the 'plain' side. Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
EMD 1003 // YAX 5245 - 1U / YAX 5246 - 1U // LM 4 / OH 2 // STERLING stamped on both
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
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Postage & Packaging
I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.
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