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The Rolling Stones : Sticky Fingers A4 / A4 Very Early Press Double Diamond Zip 1971

This very early pressing plays to an excellent standard overall with only a little intrusion here and there and this is detailed below.  The vast majority plays with great clarity but there is some light static - the most obvious is some crackle right at the end of 'Wild Horses'.

If however you are after a near pristine Double Diamond zip cover then this is the one to own!  It is in lovely condition and the only issue is a price / some other numbers on the back cover in the top left corner.  It really is in fabulous condition for 55 years old and it has retained it original shape and structure perfectly.  Of course the zip works perfectly!

It may not be a very first pressing but it's not far from it.  The A3/B3 takes it but this one is probably next - only the first / early ones did not have the Promotone info on the label. 

COC-59100-A4   ---   COC-5910-B4  T.M.L. ROLLING STONES RECORDS (etched on both sides)

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (T1 & T4 Mint- / T2 opening section Ex+ / T3 Ex with one brief VG section)

The audio S2 is Near Mint (T1 Mint- / T2 Ex+ / T3 opening section Ex+ / T5 Near Mint-)

The double diamond zip cover is Ex++

The insert is Mint-

The original die-cut inner sleeve is Ex-

The Decca labels are Near Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in very good to excellent condition overall and the only issue really is one small scratchy mark on S1 and a couple more on S2 but it's only the one on S1 that causes a little interference.  Other than that it is very clean with only a small number of faint hairlines with just a small one on S1 that is a little more obvious.  The labels are very clean with only some spindle wear around the centre circle.

Play grading

The intro on the classic 'Brown Sugar' plays perfectly and the first verse / chorus x 2 section is just as strong and clear without any background.  The mid sax instrumental is flawless and it proceeds in the same way.  The power and definition of the audio is stunning and the only intrusion is one brief static crackle sound right at the end.  It's still worthy of a Mint- grade in my opinion.

The 'spoken' intro on 'Sway' has a couple of minor statics and then the opening vocal has only a minimal amount of very light background static, nothing intrusive.  From then onwards it plays with genuine quality and there is no other background.  The power and depth of the audio is undiminished and the closing instrumental is superb with only a couple of crackles at the end of the fade out.  The opening section is Ex+ and the remainder Near Mint

The acoustic opening on 'Wild Horses' plays with sublime clarity and the first verse just has a little static here and there but it is not loud.  The first chorus is perfect and the second verse again plays with some light intermittent static.  The following chorus has no intrusion and the instrumental bridge is just as clean.  It continues to play very clearly but at the end there is a crackle once per revolution for a few seconds.  It's not that loud but yes you do notice it.  It's mainly during the instrumental section and then the final chorus plays very clearly.  The majority is Ex and better in some sections and that one section near the end grades as VG

The intro on 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking' has no intrusion and the opening vocal section is superb.  Great power and depth and that typical raw Stones sound.  The first chorus plays to perfection and it continues in much the same way - the Hear me ringin'... 'backing vocal' is STUNNING and the long percussive / sax instrumental is on the same level.  You can turn it up to loud and sonically it is superb.  So deep and strong and there is no intrusion.  Richards' solo section plays with phenomenal quality and overall this has to grade as Mint- it really is a superb version.

'You Gotta Move' ends the side with real quality.  The intro has only a handful of very quiet statics and it then plays with stunning precision from that point on.  There is just one dull sound right at the end on the percussive beats so I'll say Near Mint overall.

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'Bitch' plays with stunning power and depth through every vocal and instrumental section, it could not play any better aside from a couple of seconds of light static at the end of the fade out. Jagger at his raw best.  Mint-

The intro on 'I Got The Blues' has some light static ticks and then the opening vocal plays very clearly with the bare minimum of static.  From then on it plays with great clarity, power and depth and no other background apart from a couple of statics on the fade out.  Ex+

The intro an opening vocal on 'Sister Morphine' play very clearly with minimal light static and the second vocal section is superb.  The instrumental section and particularly when Watts comes in is so strong and deep and there is no intrusion.  The next vocal is flawless and there is only the lightest of static for 2/3 seconds right after.  The remainder of this classic plays with stunning precision - this is Ex+ at the start and then Near Mint with only a couple of light ticks on the fade out.

The intro on 'Dead Flowers' is close to perfect with just one quiet static and the first verse is similar with only a couple of barely audible ticks.  The following chorus is 'as new' and it continues in exactly the same way.  The clarity and depth of the audio is outstanding - the vast majority is Mint but overall Near Mint is very much deserved.

The acoustic intro on 'Moonlight Mile' plays with great clarity and the opening vocal is flawless.  This track often plays with distortion I find but this is a very clean version with hardly any.  It continues to play with very strong audio and the powerful section towards the end is a case in point.  Sonically it is very strong and if there is any inner groove distortion it is kept to an absolute minimum.  The quiet end section then plays so clearly with barely any background and.  A Near Mint- version.

The Cover, Insert & Inner Sleeve

As stated this is one of the finest examples of this iconic cover that I have ever seen.  The top edges are so clean and the bottom edges have only a little rubbing towards the right hand corner.  The spine is in fantastic condition including the corners and the right hand corners have very little wear.  The front cover is a work of art, literally!  There is no marking and the surface is still so clean and shiny!  The double diamond zip is still in full working order and the small flap just above the buckle has only one very minor crease, how rare is that?!  The back cover is just as impressive really and that is even with a price and a couple of other numbers written in the top left corner.  A superb example.

The insert is in perfect condition and the die-cut inner sleeve has just one very small bottom edge split and a little glue residue showing through here and there.

COC-59100-A4   ---   COC-5910-B4  T.M.L. ROLLING STONES RECORDS (etched on both sides)

Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been 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

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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!!

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