QUEEN A Day At The Races 1U/1U 1st Press 1976 Ex COVER (Rare ) & Superb AUDIO
£
68
$
90
£ 68
Sold For
Jun 23, 2025
Sold Date
Jun 13, 2025
Start Date
14
Number Of Bids
Great Britain
Country Of Seller
eBay
Auctioned at
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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 1976
This is another Queen first pressing from a stunning collection that I recently purchased and this one is without question one of the finest versions I have ever listened to. The clarity, depth and power of the audio is stunning - S1 has barely any background but S2 is just out of this world! Every track grades as Mint or Mint- and it has quite possibly the finest 'Let Us Cling Together' that I have ever encountered, more on that below! 'You Take My Breath Away' on S1 also plays with incredible clarity which as any Queen collector knows is a rarity and especially on a 1U/1U first pressing. 'The Millionaire Waltz' is another track often affected by static etc but it plays so well here with only a little static during one brief section. The vinyl is visually stunning also with hardly any hairlines.
The gatefold has perfectly retained its original shape and structure and is one of the cleanest you will find in my opinion with only minimal shelf wear. The picture inner is near perfect with only one small rub on the bottom edge.
EMTC 104 // YAX 5245-1U OR 2 // YAX 5246-1U GRA 4 // STERLING etched on both
The audio on S1 ranges between Near Mint & Mint- (T4 Ex in one brief section)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The G & L gatefold is Ex The picture inner is Near Mint
The labels are Mint-
Visual description
The vinyl is in fantastic condition and still has a lovely glossy sheen with no marks or scratches. Under a bright light I can only find a couple of faint hairlines on S1 and nothing on S2. I mean S1 is so clean but S2 is as stunning as it gets! With only one small faint spindle trace on S2 this record has clearly hardly ever been played.
Play Grading
The 'orchestral' intro on 'Tie Your Mother Down' plays very clearly with only 3/4 minor statics and as the Red Special kicks in the power and depth of the audio is outstanding. The opening vocal and chorus play with perfect clarity and it continues in exactly the same way. Brian's mid solo is flawless and the audio definition here is so impressive - the playback is so clean and the depth and resonance could not be any stronger. The intro is Near Mint but from then on Mint is very much deserved.
The acapella intro on 'You Take My Breath Away' plays beautifully with a clarity you so rarely hear on this track as it is so often affected by static / crackle etc. In essence it plays perfectly and the first piano section is more or less the same with only one barely audible static. Freddie's opening vocal section is again so clean and 'fresh' with just one quiet tick. The second verse is STUNNING with literally no background and the So please don't go vocal is on the same level. Brian's understated solo has only a couple of minor statics but again they are not intrusive. It's worth pointing out I will state any background even if barely audible and totally non-intrusive. The final verse is flawless and the repeated end vocal has no intrusion either. I am confident in saying this is the most 'complete' version of this ballad that I have ever heard. It's nigh on impossible to find a perfect version but this is not far from it. Ranging between Near Mint and Mint is a fair assessment of the audio. It is STUNNING in every way!
'Long Away' plays with genuine depth and warmth through every vocal and instrumental section. A kind of forgotten track in a way it plays with impeccable quality with not so much as a dust tick for company. Mint
Another track often plagued by sound issues 'The Millionaire Waltz' plays with great quality. The piano / bass intro is faultless and Freddie's first vocal is equal to that. The even quieter second verse plays with amazing clarity. A couple of light statics on the third verse and again on the instrumental bridge but they are very quiet with no impact on the actual 'listen'. The high octane vocal is perfect and the next instrumental passage has only a minimal amount of light static and the My fine friend... vocal has only a couple of ticks at the start and then barely any background. The closing section has no interference whatsoever, exceptional clarity, power and definition. I would say this grades as Near Mint for the vast majority if not Mint- with just one brief Ex section.
'You And I' ends S1 with real quality from start to finish. Ok a couple of very quiet ticks in the quiet section towards the end but hardly intrusive! Overall Mint- is about right.
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The classic intro on 'Somebody to Love' plays perfectly, even that first quiet piano note has no background! The first verse is just as strong and clear and this high end standard is indeed maintained through every vocal and instrumental section. The power and depth of the audio has lost none of its original quality and the iconic Find me somebody to love section plays with stunning quality - Freddie's final Somebody to love line at the end of this section is a prime example of the clarity on offer here - you can easily hear the background echo affect on the final 'love'. The remainder plays with stunning precision and this is easily a Mint- version of this classic at the very least.
I seriously think 'White Man' is one underrated track! The quiet opening section is 'as new' and the first chorus plays with phenomenal power and depth. It continues in the same way. One barely audible tick but really I cannot fault the quality of the audio. It is so strong, deep and clear and there is no distortion on the top end. The quiet end section again pays testament to how well this vinyl has been looked after, no background at all. Mint-
'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' it plays with stunning clarity and warmth throughout. No ticks, clicks, pops or static this is pure Mint audio from start to finish. He certainly knew how to write a good tune! Genius.
I think as time moves on there is a greater appreciation for Roger's early work and 'Drowse' is no exception. A superb track in so many ways it plays with STUNNING quality with no sign of any background. The long fade out 'vocal' section has not one dust tick even. A superb Mint version.
The gentle piano intro and opening two verses on 'Let Us Cling Together' play with a clarity that is second to none, perfect in other words. The first chorus is just as impressive and I cannot emphasise enough just how STUNNING the sonic quality is here. I do not think I have heard this classic play with such clean, precise audio and it progresses in exactly the same way. As the volume increases during the When I'm gone... passage the playback is breathtaking! For once there is no inner groove distortion and the closing 'choral' section is again STUNNING! The closing instrumental so often plays with some static but it is crystal clear here and I am 100% confident in saying this is the most 'complete' version of this iconic track that I have ever heard. Mint is the only grade I can give here. A sublime finish to a fine album.
The Gatefold & Picture Inner
In the Queen catalogue this G & L matt textured cover is probably the hardest to find in really good condition but this one has been very well preserved as hopefully the photos show. The edges have only minimal rubbing and the wide spine is as wide as the day it was first produced with only a few minor rubs. The corners are in excellent condition with very little wear and the opening edge is as close to perfect as could be. The front cover for once is so clean with no fading / spotting around the edges (a rarity!) and has just a few minor 'rubs' by the right edge. The back cover is just as impressive and the inside of the gatefold is near perfect with only some faint white 'speckling' top left and a minor touch of rubbing on the inner spine at the bottom. Another interesting point is that the front and back cover have no creasing around the edges, another sign it has always been very carefully handled. A superb example overall and one of the best '1U/1U' ones I have seen.
The picture inner is almost 'as new' with no marking or creasing and only one small 'rub' on the bottom edge.
EMTC 104 // YAX 5245-1U OR 2 // YAX 5246-1U GRA 4 // STERLING etched on both
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT VM-95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
Recent Feedback
THIS IS WHAT A SELLER SHOULD BE LIKE ON HIGH END VINYL! Exactly as described if not better ! I could not be a happier customer .. well packed for international flight .. and shipped and received very fast .. No worries here this guy is the topsGREAT AS DESCRIBED BEST SELLR OF ALL THE UK PEOPLE AND I HAVE BOUGHT FROM ALL OF THEM
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Postage & Packaging
I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping. This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage. The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered. Any over-payment will always be refunded.
The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD). An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known. Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing. Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Many thanks.
All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection. They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection. I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.
The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each. There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up! Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!
UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £22.95 then £2.50 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £21.95 then £2.50 per extra
If you are not entirely happy with your purchase please contact me before leaving feedback and I will always resolve any issue, 100% guaranteed. If you would prefer to send the item back I will also pay the return shipping cost if I am at fault, I am only human after all!!
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