The Who TOMMY UK LP 1ST No 2657 LAMINATED 100% MINT

	£		696
	$		922

THE WHO - TOMMY

IN OH MY GOD!!! CONDITION

FIRST UK PRESS WITH LAMINATED SLEEVE AND NUMBERED BOOKLET

• CATALOGUE:TRACK 613013/4
• MATRIX: 613013 A//1  /  B//1   613014 A//1   /  B//1
• THE MARKINGS OF A TRUE FIRST PRESS SET ARE THAT THE SLEEVE HAS TO BE LAMINATED. ONLY THE VERY FIRST BATCH OF THESE LP'S CAME WITH A FULLY LAMINED SLEEVE. THERE ARE MANY REISSUES AND ALL HAVE A NON LAMINATED SLEEVE. THE DISCS INSIDE ALSO VARY FROM PRESS TO PRESS, BUT ONLY -1 MATRIX NUMBERS ARE TRULY 1ST ISSUES, AND THE LABEL HAS TO BE A MATT BLACK SURFACE WITHOUT ANY RIDGES IN IT EITHER
• I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU JUST HOW EXCITED I AM BY BEING ABLE TO OFFER THIS INCREDIBLE 1ST PRESS TOMMY ALBUM UP FOR AUCTION. I THOUGHT I HAD SEEN SOME SUPERB EXAMPLES OF THIS SET BEFORE, BUT I TELL YOU NOTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN COMPARES TO THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THIS 2 LP SET. IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS IT DID WHEN IT WAS FIRST RELEASED AND YOU COULD EASILY BE FOOLED INTO THINKING IT WAS PRESSED IN 2010. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHY IT IS TILL IN MINT CONDITION, AND INDEED HOW IT IS STILL IN THIS INCREDULOUS STATE. LOOK ENOUGH WAFFLE JUST READ ON AND LISTEN PLEASE!!!!

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

ALL 4 LABELS ARE IN MINT CONDITION. THE JET BLACK BASE COLOUR HAS REMAINED UNRUBBED, AND THERE ARE NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE. THIS COLOUR FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE SILVER TYPEFACE IS ALSO IN TOP CONDITION AND EVERY LETTER IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. THE TRACK LOGO WHICH CAN RUB AND WEAR BADLY IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION ON ALL 4 SIDES. A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLES REVEALS 1-2 SMALL SPIDER LINES CLOSE BY INDICATING THE VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT OF PLAY THAT THIS 1969 SET HAS RECEIVED

A WORD ABOUT THE DISCS. ORIGINAL FIRST ISSUE LABELS CAN EASILY BE INDENTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF EACH LABEL THE CATALOGUE NUMBER HAS 'DOUBLE ALBUM' UNDERNEATH IT AND IN BRACKETS (RECORD 2) ETC., AND NOTHING UNDERNEATH THE ST 33 MARKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LABEL.

 WHEREAS LATER PRESSES HAD  IN  BRACKETS (SET NUMBER 2657-002) ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE UNDER ST 33

THE VINYL

SUPERB ORIGINAL HEVAY DISCS. BOTH DISCS HAVE RETAINED THEIR ORIGINAL LUSTRE . THEY LOOK AS GOOD TODAY AS THEY DID BACK IN 1969. NO HANDLING LINES OR ANY SUPERFICIAL MARKS WHATSOEVER, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO SEE

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 THE WHOLE DOUBLE ALBUM SET FROM START TO FINISH. I HAVE TAKEN THIS EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT IN A BID TO STEP UP WHAT GOOD LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE ON EBAY. IT HAS LONG BEEN SAID AND FAIRLY SO THAT BUYING VINYL ON EBAY IS A LOTTERY AS SELLERS CONTINUE TO MISDESCRIBE THE QUALITY OF THEIR ALBUMS OFTEN LISTED WITHOUT BEING ACTUALLY ABLE TO PLAY THEM. I THINK BUYERS ARE FED UP WITH BIDDING ON MINT ALBUMS TO FIND THEM ACTUAL A FAR LESS GRADE WHEN PLAYED. HERE THEN IS THE WAY FORWARD I BELIEVE AND I HOPE YOU THINK SO TOO

WHAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM THIS FIRST PRESS SET IS A CRYSTAL CLEAR STEREO REPRODUCTION THAT IS BOTH CRISP AND CLEAN SOUNDING. THERE IS NO FRYING BACON, OR CRACKLING GOING ON BEHIND THE MUSIC, AND NOTHING OTHER THAN SILENCE IN THE LINKING GROOVES. A TWICE PLAYED 1969 SET AT MOST THATS ONE PLAY EVERY 21 YEARS!!!

HOW THE HELL HAS THAT HAPPENED???

THERE AREN'T EVEN MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE 4 SIDES, AND I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS VINYL MINT.

AND ALONG WITH THE SLEEVE THIS IS THE BEST COPY ON THE PLANET!!!

BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, TAKE A LISTEN AND BE THE JUDGE

THE SLEEVE

WELL WHERE TO BEGIN WITH THIS SLEEVE? THIS ONE HAS SAT INSIDE A PLASTIC COVER FROM NEW!!!

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MOST COPIES FOR SALE, YOU WILL NOTICE IMMEDIATELY THAT THE SLEEVE LETS THE RECORDS DOWN, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE VINYL IS. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS, SO LETS TAKE A LOOK AT WHY THIS IS SUCH A HARD SLEEVE TO FIND IN A COLLECTIBLE CONDITION.

THE FIRST THING IS THAT THE SLEEVE IS FULLY LAMINATED AND AS IT IS A TRI GATEFOLD IT MEANS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SURFACE AREAS ARE VERY THIN AND FLIMSY WHICH OFTEN RESULTS IN SERIOUS CREASES, FOLDS AND BENDS TO THE LAMINTE, BUT BY FAR THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THIS SLEEVE HISTORICALLY IS THE SPINE AND THE AREA WHERE THE LP'S SIT INSIDE THE COVER. SO STARTING WITH THAT, WHAT YOU WILL FIND ON MOST EXAMPLES IS A TORN OPENING EDGE, AND THIS IS ENTIRELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT BOTH ALUMBS IST INSIDE THE SAME POCKET WHICH HAS THE OPENING EDGE ON THE INSIDE OF THE GATEFOLD BY THE SPINE, MEANING THET THE LP'S HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY SLID INTO THE POCKET VIA THE INSIDE OF THE SLEEVE AND NOT THE OUTSIDE, THE SLIGHTEST WRONG BIT OF PRESSURE TRYING TO GET THEN IN OR OUT ALWAYS RESULTED IN A TORN OPENING EDGE.

THE MOST VISIBLE DAMAGE ON MOST COPIES THOUGH IS THE ACTUAL SPINE, WHICH IS OFTEN FOUND BADLY TORN. THIS IS COMPLETELY DUE TO HOW THE LP'S SIT INSIDE THE POCKET, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE NOT FIRMLY PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE POCKET ( I HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED HOW HARD THAT IS TO DO) THEN THE VINYLS STICKOUT A LITTLE NEAR THE SPINE AND WHEN THE SLEEVE IS CLOSED THE VINYL ACTS LIKE A DULL BLADE AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WEARS THROUGH THE SPINE.

ANYWAY THATS WHAT MOST COPIES WILL HAVE SUFFERED. THIS COPY IS TOTALLY UNBLEMISHED

THE FRONT SURFACE IS TOTALLY FLAT AND GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR.THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES, FOLDS OR BENDS ANYWHERE, AMAZINGLY, NO ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLY THERE ARE NO LAMINATE LINES NEAR THE SPINE EITHER (UNHEARD OF)

THE ONLY MINISCULE BLEMISH ON THE ENTIRE SLEEVE IS ON THE VERY TOP RIGHT TIP WHERE A TINY SLIVER OF LAMINATE HAS LIFTED, BUT HONESTLY IT IS NOTHING, AND THE TIP ITSELF IS TOTALLY UNWORN

THE  SPINE IS JUST UNTORN. UNWORN, JUST MAGNIFICENT, NO LAMINATE LOSS, FLAKE, PEEL, LIFT OR ANYTHING, AND IT IS STILL HIGHLY POLISHED. INCREDIBLE (SORRY TO KEEP USING THIS WORD, BUT IT JUST IS!!!)!

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS MAGNIFICENT AS THE FRONT. ALSO WORTH A MENTION IS THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE EXPOSED EDGES AS WELL AS THE SPINE ARE IN MINT CONDITION, NO CRACKS TO THE LAMINATE AT ALL AND EVERY UNLAMINATED EDGE IS UNRUBBED AND UNFEATHERED

THE THIRD LAMINATED SURFACE IS ONCE AGAIN GLEAMING AND FREE FROM ANY  LINES  I HAVE TAKEN A PICTURE OF ALL THREE LAMINATED SURFACE FULLY OPENED OUT, AND I HOPE YOU CAN SEE WHAT SUPERB CONDITION IT IS IN.

I HAVE ALSO TAKEN A PICTURE OF THE TRIFOLD INNER SURFACES AND ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE IN SUPERB UNMARKED CONDITION. THE FAR RIGHT SECTION IS THE POCKET THAT HOUSES THE VINYL, AND THERE IS A CLOSE UP OF THE EDGE THAT THE LP'S SLIDE INTO TO SHOW IT IN IT'S MINT CONDITION

THE NUMBERED BOOKLET THAT COMES INSIDE THE SLEEVE IS IN MINT FLAT CONDITION AND CONTAINS THE UNIQUE VERY LOW NUMBER NUMBER '2567'

THE TWO ORIGINAL INNER POLY LINED SLEEVES ARE IN SUPERB CONDITION. FLAT AND UNCREASED , AND UNSPLIT.

ANYWAY WHO EVER WINS THIS LP WILL I AM CERTAIN BE JUST AS AMAZED AS I AM RIGHT NOW HOLD WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A VAULT COPY OF THIS ICONIC WHO ALBUM

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS MAGNIFICENT SLEEVE MINT!!!!  IT IS JUST THAT BRILLIANT

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

GARRY