THEM In Reality (LP) 1971 on Happy Tiger HT-1012

$

97

Here's a hard to find album from 1971 by Them.  Happy Tiger label HT-1012 Stereo.  Guys were from Northern Ireland and launched Van Morrison's career, but he is not on this album.  Gloria and Baby Please Don't Go are killer tunes.   

The label is perfect.  LP cover sleeve has a little ringwear starting at the top and bottom front and ever so slightly on the back.  No seam tears.  Vinyl has 3 long hairline scratches on side one and about 5 small light scratches on side 2, none of which are affecting the quality of playback. Had to find them under a bright lamp.  Attached photo of vinyl was particularly scanned in that spot in case you could see the scratch on first song "California Man" upper right about 1-2:00 point in location.

 I would rate the vinyl as a VG+, but the cover has that light ringwear. 
___________________ SHIPPING/HANDLING INFO:  If you see a couple of records under my Surplus-X name that you will bid on, I can combine them for one shipping/handling charge.  For 1 (45 rpm) record - $3.00; for 2-3 records - $4.00.  One album is $4.00 to ship in USA.  I do get a delivery confirmation for tracking purposes.  If bidding from Europe, it will cost $12.00 to ship one 12" album, so let me send an invoice to you first with the shipping/handling charges on it, before you make a Paypal payment. ________________________
Guidelines I use to rate the quality of these records (based on the Goldmine Grading Guide):

• NM: Near Mint - Vinyl, still shiny, as if opened for the first time.  No writing or stickers on the vinyl.  No obvious scratches.  Label:  No writing or stickers and no fading of the label.   
• VG+: Very Good Plus - Similar to NM- except that on the label, there may be a sticker or writing, but it shows very little wear.  There may be only a couple light surface scratches on the grooves, but do not affect the playback with noise or skips.  You may only see these scratches if you put them under a bright light and really look for them.  The picture sleeve, if there is one, might has light creasing or minor seam or corner wear, but still in great condition to show off.
• VG to VG-: Very Good to Very Good Minus:  May not be that shiny anymore and you will see scratches without putting it under a bright light, but they still would not affect the quality of the playback.  It probably has been owned by someone who loved the record and played it a lot.  And the quality is still pretty good, maybe a little noise, but not enough to detract from the listening experience.  The label might have some fading around it, besides having stickers or writing.  The picture sleeve, if there is one, may have obvious ringwear in the middle or around the perimeter of where the record was, maybe some side seam splits, or little tears at the top or side where the record goes back into.  If less defects, then it's a VG.  If it has all this just mentioned, then a VG-.
• G, G+:  Good or Good Plus - It doesn't mean the vinyl is trashed.  It plays though without skipping, but may have heavy noise or fuzz sound because of age, quality, or worn-down grooves. Heavy writing or stickers on the label, ringwear is very obvious on label and outside picture sleeve (if it came with it), has seam splits.  But, amazingly, if you have special audio LP recording software, you could probably clean up those crackles and fuzzes, if you want to create a CD of it for yourself.
• P:  Poor - This is when the vinyl is warped to the point it warps the playback also.  Or it's cracked, but it may or may not still play without a skip.  If a picture sleeve is with it, this is torn or marked up bigtime.  But someone may want to have it for nostalgia or even attempt to fix it.