SPRING A1/B1 1st PRESS NEON 1971 Ex COVER Incredible BEST Ever NM/MINT- AUDIO
£
587
$
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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.
Spring : Spring A1 / B1 1st Press Neon 1971
This is without doubt the finest Spring first pressing I have ever listened to. I sold one a couple of months back with very impressive audio but this one even tops that! Please see below for a full audio grading and you will understand exactly what I mean. Admittedly there is one light click towards the end of 'Grail' on S1 but that is the only intrusion. It has a greater depth and clarity compared to the other ones that I have sold and I cannot emphasise enough just how STUNNING the playback is. The 'sound' is so clean and succinct and it is patently obvious it has hardly been played. Indeed there is no spindle wear on the labels which lends further weight to that theory.
This classic album is now highly regarded in 'prog circles' and I have no idea why it wasn't at the time. Even some more relatively recent reviews are not exactly glowing in their praise but it is now highly collectable because so many of us now know different! It has a certain quintessential English charm, oh and the songs are damn good also! Classic prog with a strong melodic flavour and the instrumental sections are just magnificent!
The iconic Keef tri-fold cover is again the best I have ever seen. It has only very minimal shelf wear, some light rubbing on the bottom edges is the most 'obvious', and for once the three inside panels are in superb condition. The original inner sleeve is no longer included sadly but the black inner replacement has no wear.
AGBS 0521 - A - 1 A1L // AGBS - B - 1 A1G
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-)
The gatefold is a very strong Ex The inner sleeve is Near Mint
The Neon labels are Near Mint
Visual description
The vinyl is in excellent condition and has no scratches. Under 'normal' lighting it looks pristine but when you hold the vinyl at a certain angle under a bright light you can see some 'bag rash' contour type lines. There are only a couple on S1 but there are a few more on S2. However, they are purely superficial as they have literally no affect on the superb audio. Aside from that it is very clean indeed - I can't locate any hairlines and there is no groove or surface wear either. The Neon labels are in lovely condition also with barely any marking and there is NO spindle wear!
Play Grading
The run in on S1 incredibly has no background and then the intro on 'The Prisoner (Eight By Ten)' is warm and deep with no intrusion either. Perfect in other words. Moran's opening vocal section plays with impeccable clarity with not so much as a dust tick and the instrumental bridge is flawless. The next vocal passage more than keeps up this fine standard and it continues to play with a sonic quality that is second to none. There is literally no background - every section plays with stunning clarity, depth and warmth. As I said when I last sold one of these a couple of months back Moran's vocal is often questioned but in my opinion it perfectly suits this very English sounding prog album. Have to say it again this is a STUNNING version! And the relatively long closing instrumental again has no intrusion - this is without doubt Mint from start to finish. Wow!
The intro on 'Grail' is perfect and the opening vocal is equal to that. The following chorus is just as impressive and there is no static distortion getting in the way, an issue you sometimes find with this track. The next verse / chorus play with sublime clarity and definition and the mid instrumental is phenomenal. The 'heavy' use of the mellotron is of course well documented on this album but Maloney's bass is so strong and deep during this section. You can turn the 'louder' passages up to max here and it has no affect on the sonic quality, seriously the playback is incredible! The next vocal is more or less perfect with no background static and all I noticed was one very quiet tick and I do mean quiet! The final chorus is perfect and the closing instrumental is so close to that with just one light click sound. I will grade this classic as Near Mint but it's fair to say the vast majority i.e. nearly all of it is better than that.
Another classic in 'Boats' and it plays with exceptional audio throughout. Why is it only two minutes long! It has such a strong melody with a great acoustic backing and there is no interference. A Mint version for sure.
The percussive intro on 'Shipwrecked Soldier' is faultless as is the next piece when Martinez comes in. The first vocal has no intrusion - Moran's voice is often 'loud' during this track and yet impressively there is no distortion. All the more impressive you could say with it being the final track on the side. This 'clean' sound is prevalent throughout and the long instrumental is spectacular! The clarity and depth of sound is a real highlight and the mellotron work again so strong. The final vocal is faultless and Withers' drum work (we know where he ended up!) is first class throughout on this track - nowhere is that more obvious than on the closing instrumental which incidentally plays to perfection. This is a wonderful version and I cannot find fault. No 'muddiness' to the sound and no inner groove distortion either. I will grade it as Mint- although the minus could perhaps be considered a little harsh!
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The intro on 'Golden Fleece' has one minor static right at the start and the acoustic section then plays with incredible clarity. The opening vocal section is on the same level and the instrumental bridge is equally as strong. The next vocal again shows infrequently this vinyl has been played - honestly I cannot impress enough just how pristine the audio is here. 'As new' is probably the best description I can come up with! Sonically it is STUNNING and the mid instrumental is another fine example of that. Superb work from Martinez during his two solos with more exemplary mellotron work in between... of course. The quieter acoustic section is again outstanding, I just cannot believe what I am listening to! I tend to repeat myself with audio I am impressed by (!) but seriously the sonic quality here is mind-blowing!! The end vocal is of the same high end as is the closing instrumental and it's only that one static at the beginning that keeps this from being Mint so Mint- it is but it would be difficult to find a better version. The most 'complete' version I have heard I am confident in saying.
'Inside Out' is stunning from the word go. The intro and opening vocal are 'as new' and it continues in the same precise way. The chorus - perfect - this track has none of that 'muffled' sound that you sometimes find and put simply it could not play any better. If you win this just listen carefully to the mid instrumental, it's quiet and yet each note is so sharply defined and there is literally no background. The final vocal is crystal clear and the closing instrumental is STUNNING IN EVERY WAY! Breathtaking power and depth, it demands to be turned up to max! This is another definitive version and has to be graded as Mint as it just could not play any better.
The delicate piano intro on 'Song To Absent Friends (The Island)' plays beautifully and Moran's opening vocal is just as strong and clear. That unique 'style' very much to the fore again. There are no statics, ticks, clicks or pops and only a barely noticeable distorted sound on a small number of notes. To be honest distortion is too harsh a word for it as it is so so minimal. This remains a stunning version and Mint- is very much deserved. Just a very gentle hiss right at the end of the fade out and then...
The intro on 'Gazing' plays with imperious quality - the clarity and definition of the audio is out of this world. Quite Genesis like if you ask me. The opening vocal section is perfect as is the following chorus and it continues to play with high end audio for a final track. There is barely any inner groove distortion, something you always look for, and the mid instrumental provides evidence of that - the sound is so strong and clean and the next 'quieter' passage has no background. Just a hint of distortion on the final vocal but it scarcely deserves a mention as it is so minor. Martinez' final solo is faultless and the track closes with one final perfect instrumental flourish. This is easily a Mint- version and wow what an album!
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The triple fold-out matt textured cover is most probably the finest one I have ever seen. It has retained its original shape and structure perfectly and for once the edges have only minimal rubbing. A little more on the bottom edges but not too much. The wide spine is in fantastic condition and is 100% legible with no marking / rubbing and the corners are also in superb shape with barely any wear. The top right hand corners are the same and the bottom right ones have only a small amount of 'rub'. The opening edge (tucked on the inside) is so clean, it looks hardly touched, and the front cover is in great shape with one small scuff just under the Neon logo top left and a small sticker removal mark top right. One tiny speck also! The two 'back' panels are stunning and the only flaw is one small spot in the centre of the inside panel. The three inside panels are again in superb condition! Because they are so dark in colour they are often found with a fair amount of marking / scuffing but that is not the case here. They are so clean with only a handful of minor specks. The cleanest 'inside' I have ever seen! The two inner spines are very strong also with no obvious wear. I nearly forgot to mention that there is a very small label on the front cover in the top right corner. Overall I think Ex is a fair grade for this cover and many aspects are stronger than that, it is indeed rare to find one as impressive as this.
The original black inner sleeve is long gone unfortunately and has been replaced with a generic black inner which is in superb shape.
AGBS 0521 - A - 1 A1L // AGBS - B - 1 A1GPlay 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
Beautiful record as described, fast safe delivery, top seller. Cheers Steve.
Another fantastic LP from this seller - condition exactly as shown and the audio as described! Fast delivery, vinyl properly and carefully packed. Very highly recommended A++++
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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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