SXL 2241 WIDEBAND STEREO 1ST UK LP Beethoven WALDSTEIN APPASSIONATA - BACKHAUS

	£		60
	$		80

BEETHOVEN - WALDSTEIN APPASSIONATA

THE ORIGINAL ' STEREO ' PRESSING ON DECCA WIDEBAND

SXL 2241

• CATALOGUE:DECCA SXL 2241
• MATRIX: ZAL-4678-1E / 4679-1E
• MOTHERS / STAMPERS: 1 H / 1 U
• DEEP GROOVED WIDEBAND LABEL
• ' ORIGINAL RECORDING BY'RIM WORDING

I HAVE UNEARTHED A CLASSICAL RECORD COLLECTION THAT INCLUDES MANY STEREO RECORDINGS ON THE DECCA, HMV, COLUMBIA, PHILLIPS AND DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON LABELS. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE SO FAR THEY ARE ALL IN MAGNIFICENT BARELY PLAYED CONDITION.

MY AIM IS TO LIST ONE LP FROM THIS COLLECTION EVERY DAY, SO KEEP CHECKING BACK TO SEE WHAT IS UP FOR OFFER

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE WIDEBAND DECCA LABELS ARE JUST MAGNIFICENT. THE DEEP BLUE BASE COLOUR IS TOTALLY MINT ON BOTH SIDES, AND WAS CLEARLY OWNED BY SOMEONE WHO REALLY LOOKED AFTER AND BARELY PLAYED THE RECORDS IN HIS COLLECTION. THERE ARE JUST 2-3 TINY SPIDER LINES NEAR THE SPINDLE HOLE

THE SILVER TYPEFACE AND LOGO'S ARE ALL PRISTINE AND UNRUBBED, AGAIN SHOWING HOW LITTLE THE ALBUM HAD BEEN HANDLED

THE VINYL

THE FIRST PRESS STILL RETAINS ALL OF IT'S ORIGINAL LUSTRE, AND GLEAMS LIKE NEW. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF ANY HANDLING MARKS , AND IN DAYLIGHT IT LOOKS FLAWLESS. THE TRUE INSPECTION OF COURSE IS UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION. I HAVE INSPECTED THE DISC UNDER 4 LED SPOTBULBS WHICH SHOW UP ANY IMPERFECTION. THE VINYL LOOKS INCREDIBLE. NO FINGERMARKS AND NO SCRATCHES WHATSOEVER. THE SHEEN IS PERFECT AND ANGLING THE DISC INTO THE LIGHT THERE ARE SOME ULTRA FINE AND NON SOUNDING SLEEVE WITHDRAWAL WISPY HAIRLINES.PLUS A FEW VERY FEINT HANDLING LINES

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF PLACING A BID ON ANY OF MY AUCTIONS YOU WILL 99% OF THE TIME BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE ALBUM BEFORE DECIDING IF IT'S THE RIGHT DISC FOR YOU. MY BELIEF IS THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE TO BE GIVEN TO CHANCE TO HEAR THE LP BEFORE CONSIDERING A BID, AND I SUSPECT EVEN MORESO WITH CLASSIC VINYL BUYERS.

THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS NEW AND OLD ALIKE

SO THE FIRST THING TO MENTION ABOUT THE REPRODUCTION IS THAT IT IS TOTALLY FREE FROM ANY DISTORTION CAUSED THROUGH GROOVE WEAR. THIS MEANS THAT THE FEW PLAYS THIS LP HAS RECEIVED IN THE 54 YEARS SINCE IT WAS PRESSED WERE CONDUCTED ON A STEREO SYSTEM THAT HAD NOT ONLY A CORRECTLY BALANCED PICK UP ARE, BUT THAT IT WASN'T SET TOO HEAVY, AND THE STYLUS WAS IN TOP CONDITION.

THE DELICATE SOUNDS EMANATING FROM THE DISC ARE FREE FROM ANY HEAVY BACKGROUND CRACKLE. NOR ARE THERE ANY LOUD CLICKS ANYWHERE THROUGH EITHER SIDE,

THERE IS SOME LIGHT BACKGROUND DURING SOME OF THE PASSAGES, BUT THIS IS VERY VERY MILD. THERE ARE ALSO 3 ROTATIONAL TICS ON SIDE ONE AND OTHER THAN THIS JUST SOME NORMAL TINY DUST POPS AT RANDOM

PLEASE TAKE A FULL LISTEN TO THE WHOLE COMPOSITION AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF AGAINST THE STANDARDS THAT YOU PERSONALLY SET

I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD GRADE AT LEAST NEAR MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

LAMINATED FRONT SURFACE, NON LAMINATED REAR SURFACE ST JAMES PRESS SLEEVE

THE FRONT SURFACE HAS AN INCREDIBLY GLOSSY SHEEN TO THE LAMINATE. HIGHLY POLISHED AND MIRROR LIKE IN IT'S FINISH. THIS IS A VERY THIN AND FLIMSY SLEEVE AND IS INCREDIBLY WELL PRESERVED AND FREE FROM ANY SERIOUS BLEMISH!!

THERE ARE NO LARGE LAMINATE CREASES LIKE YOU FIND ON SO MANY SLEEVES OF THIS TYPE. IT WAS KEPT UPRIGHT IN A CABINET ALL OF ITS LIFE AND NOT HANDLED VERY OFTEN.

THE FOUR CORNER TIPS ARE STILL VERY SQUARE WITH A TINY DING TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT ONE 

THERE IS ONE MICROSCOPIC LAMINATE LINE NEXT TO THE SPINE. ONE ALONG THE TOP EDGE, NONE ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE. THERE IS ONE LIGHT THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES HAVE ALL OF THE LAMINATE RUNNING FROM CORNER TO CORNER AND EVEN THE CORNER TIPS ARE UNRUBBED

THE SPINE TOTALLY WAFER THIN AND AS SUCH IS MORE LIKE THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES THAN A SPINE. IT IS IN THE SAME SUPERB CONDITION AS THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGE THOUGH. A SLIGHT CURVE TO IT, BUT ALL OF THE LAMINATE IS PERFECT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

THE OPENING EDGE IS  STILL VERY SHARP WITH A COUPLE OF TINY THUMB NAIL NICKS NEAR THE TOP

THE REAR SURFACE HAS AGED LIGHTLY WITH AN EXTRA BAND OF DARKER AGEING NEXT TO THE SPINE. ALL OF THE TYPEFACE IS UNRUBBED, AND THERE ARE NO PEN MARKS AT ALL ON THE COVER

THE ORIGINAL BLUE AND WHITE POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE HAS SOME LIGHT AGEING TO THE EDGES, AND A COUPLE OF CORNER CREASE LINES. THE SLEEVE IS UNSPLIT

I BELIEVE THE SLEEVE GRADES NEAR MINT

IF YOU WIN AN LP AUCTION OF MINE THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL GET IN TERMS OF PACKING AND DELIVERY.

I TREAT EVERY ALBUM WITH THE RESPECT IT DESERVES. THE FIRST THING IS THAT I REMOVE THE LP FROM THE SLEEVE AND PLACE IT INTO A BRAND NEW POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE TO PROTECT NOT ONLY THE LP BUT THE SLEEVE AS WELL. THE LP IS PLACED BEHIND THE SLEEVE AND THE ORIGINAL INNER SLEEVE LOCATED BACK INSIDE THE SLEEVE.

THE ALBUM IS PLACED INSIDE A BRAND NEW THICK PVC OUTER SLEEVE. NOT SOME FLIMSY POLY THING, A PROPER COLLECTORS PVC SLEEVE.

I USE THE TOUGHEST CRUCIFORM BOXES TO PLACE THE LP INTO AND INCLUDE ONE VERY HEAVY DUTY STIFFENER INSIDE THE BOX AS WELL. THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL STIFFENERS PLACED ON BOTH FRONT AND BACK SURFACES OR AS MANY AS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE CORNERS CANNOT GET DAMAGED OR THE BOX BENT.

FINALLY THE LP IS SENT EITHER SIGNED FOR, TRACKED AND SIGNED FOR DEPENDING ON WHICH SERVICE IS AVAILABLE FOR EACH COUNTRY.

FINALLY THE TRACKING NUMBER IS UPDATED ON EBAY UPON MY RETURN FROM THE POST OFFICE

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY