Uriah Heep SWEET FREEDOM UK LP 1ST PRESS A1/B1 MINT-

	£		64
	$		85

URIAH HEEP - SWEET FREEDOM

IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION

FIRST PRESS A-1/B-1

• CATALOGUE:BRONZE ILPS 9245
• MATRIX: ILPS 9245 A-1 / B-1
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 1 H / 1 GG

THE SUPERB URIAH HEEP AT ARGUABLY THEIR BEST. PRODUCED IN 1973 ON THE BRONZE RECORD LABEL. AT THIS EARLY STAGE BRONZE ALBUMS WHICH WERE A SUBSIDIARY OF THE ISLAND LABEL STILL HAD THE ISLAND CATALOGUE NUMBERS HENCE THE ILPS

THIS ALBUM IS THE BEST COPY I HAVE EVER HAD MY HANDS ON, AND I WOULD PRESS YOU TO TAKE A LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES,

THE RECORD

THE LABELS

THE LIGHT TAN LABELS ARE IN TOP CONDITION SHOWING NO STAINS OR MARKS AND NO LOSS OF COLOUR. THE TYPEFACE IS EQUALLY PRISTINE AND ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. I HAD TO REALLY LOOK CLOSE TO SEE ANY SPIDER LINES AT ALL, BUT DID SPOT A COUPLE OF REALY SMALL CLOSE KNIT LINES WHEN I ANGLED THE LABEL INTO THE INTESE ILLIMINATION OF A SPOTLIGHT, AND EVEN THEN I HAD TO PLAY AROUND TO SPOT THEM. THIS LP HAS JUST NOT BEEN PLAYED MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE 1973

THE VINYL

THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION AND HAS NOT LOST ANY OF ITS ORIGINAL LUSTRE. YOU CAN TELL THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN PLAYED JUST BY LOOKING AT HOW THE RECORD STILL GLEAMS. THERE ARE NO MARKS ON THE SURFACE EITHER, AND ONLY WHEN OFFERED UP TO THE SPOTLIGHT ARE THERE A COUPLE OF WISPY LINES TO BE SEEN

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.

I HAVE RECORDED FOUR THREE MINUTE EXCERPTS  FROM THIS  ALBUM,  I HAVE RECORDED THE FIRST TRACK FROM EACH SIDE WHICH INCLUDES THE DEAD WAX RUN IN, I HAVE ALSO RECORDED THE LINKING GROOVES TO THE START OF THE OTHER TRACKS THAT ON OFFER. THE CLARITY IS AS I PREVIOUSLY SAID SUPERB. CLEAR AS ABELL AND HAS A GREAT STEREO SPLIT. THE RECORDINGS SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THIS CLARITY AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO BACKGROUND NOISES, AND THE QUITE PASSAGES REMAIN QUIET.

WHAT THIS VINYL GIVES YOU IS A TRULY FIRST PRESS STEREO REPRODUCTION, WITHOUT ANY DISTORTION AND NO BACKGROUND CRACKLING. IF I AM BEING ULTRA PICKY THEN THERE IS THE BAREST TRACE OF STATIC IN A COUPLE OF THE LINKING GROOVES, BUT NO POPS OR CLICKS, JUST A MAGNIFICENT ALBUM THAT PLAYS TO PERFECTION

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

ORIGINAL 'ROBOR' UNLAMINATED GATEGOLD SLEEVE WHICH IS IN ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. I HAVE TAKED AN WHOLE BUNCH OF PICTURES THAT SHOW IT OFF.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND HAS NO HEAVY CREASES, NO LIGHT CREASES, AND NOT EVEN ANY OF THE SMALL LINES TO USUALLY FIND DOWN THE SPINE. THE COLOURS ON THIS SLEEVE ALWAYS RUB DUE TO THE POWDERY NATURE OF THE FINISH. MOST COPIES YOU WILL COME ACCROSS ARE HEAVILY RUBBED, BUT THIS SUPERB EXAMPLE HAS ONLY THE LIGHTEST TRACES OF WEAR, WHICH APPEARS JUST AROUND THE PERIMETER EDGES IN THE FORM OF A LIGHT DUSTINESS.

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE 100% FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR, AND THIS IS DUE TO THE LP BEING HOUSED IN A PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVE FOR MOST OF ITS 37 YEARS

THE SPINE IS ABSOLOUTELY PRISTINE. AGAIN THIS USUALLY SUFFERES FROM SEVERE RUBBING. HERE IS ONE THAT IS MINT. NO LOSS OF COLOUR AND EVERY LETTER OF THE YELLOW TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS CLEAN AS THE FRONT,JUST THAT VERY LIGHT TRACE OF PERIMETER RUBBING, AND ONE TINY LINE IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS TWO SECTIONS TO THE INNER AREA MAKING 4 PANELS. EACH ONE IS IN PRISTINE, MINT CONDITION AND COUPLD NOT LOOK ANY BETTER

THE SLEEVE GRADES NEAR MINT MINUS

I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS INCREDIBLE VINYL AND SLEEVE WILL NEVER NEED UPGRADING

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

GARRY