Wishbone Ash ARGUS UK LP RARE BLACK LABEL NMINT

	£		19
	$		25

WISHBONE ASH - ARGUS

IN SUPERB CONDITION

• CATALOGUE:MCA MDKS 8006
• MATRIX: 7-LNMG-256-2L / 257-2L

THE RARE BLACK LABEL MCA PRESSING OF THE CLASSIC ARGUS.

THE BLACK LABEL WAS ONLY IN PRODUCTION FOR A FEW MONTHS IN 1973, AND TRANSITIONED THE BLUE AND BLACK LABEL THROUGH TO THE 1ST STYLE RAINBOW LABEL, AND AS SUCH ALBUMS RELEASED ON THIS LABEL ARE NOW MUCH SOUGHT AFTER. ARGUS WAS ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 1971 ON THE BLUE AND BLACK LABEL AND IT HAD THE FIRST PRESS 1L MATRIX NUMBERS. THIS WAS THE FIRST REISSUE WITH THE 2L NUMBERS. FORTUNATELY THEY STILL HAD THE FIRST PRESS ROBERT STACE SLEEVES AVAILABLE SO THIS SUPERB SET COMES IN A NEAR PRISTINE CONDITION

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE JET BLACK LABELS ARE IN MINT CONDITION. THE BASE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT AND HASN'T WORN ANYWHERE, AND IT STRETCHES RIGHT INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE SILVER TYPEFACE AND LOGOS ARE ALSO IN TOP CONDITION AND ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE.

THERE IS JUST ONE REALLY SMALL SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE SHOWING THAT THIS LP REALLY HAS HAD NO MORE THAN 1-2 PLAYS EVER!!!

THE VINYL

THE RECORD GLEAMS LIKE NEW AND COULN'T LOOK ANY BETTER. ALL OF THE ORIGINAL LUSTRE HAS BEEN RETAINED. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE MARKS OR ANY SIGNS OF HANDLING ON THE DISCS, AND EVEN UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE ONLY A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES

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 REPORDUCTION IS PURE FIRST PRESS

THE LP PLAYS THROUGH BRILLIANTLY ON BOTH SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW FANTASTIC THESE DISCS SOUNDS. THE SILENT BITS ARE SILENT, AND THE MUSIC COMES THROUGH CRISPLY AND CLEARLY.

THERE IS SOME VERY VERY LIGHT VINYL NOISE (STATIC LIKE) IN A FEW OF THE QUIETEST SPOTS, BUT NOTHING THAT MARS THE SUPERB PERFORMANCE OF THIS REPRODUCTION

THE SLEEVE

NON LAMINATED , GATEFOLD FIRST ISSUE SLEEVE FROM ROBERT STACE

THIS SLEEVE IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST WISHBONE ASH SLEEVE TO GET IN A HIGH GRADE COLLECTIBLE CONDITION. BEING UNLAMINATED IS ONE THING, BUT THIS SLEEVE HAS A POWDERY FINISH TO ITS SURFACE AND MOST COPIES OF THIS THAT YOU WILL SEE WILL BE VERY BADLY RUBBED. THE COLOUR THAT GETS AFFECTED MOST OF ALL IS THE SOLDIER'S RED CAPE WHICH IS USUALLY MORE GREY THAN RED AS THE TOP COLOUR HAS RUBBED AWAY. HERE WE HAVE A GREAT ALMOST PRISTINE SLEEVE. THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND MOST OF THE COLOURS ARE RETAINED. THERE IS THE VERY SLIGHTEST DUSTING OF GREY IN A COUPLE OF PATCHES, BUT THIS IS BARELY NOTICABLE. THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES, CREASE LINES OR BENDS. IN FACT THE SMALL LINES THAT YOU WOULD USUALLY FIND NEAR THE SPINE ARE RESTRICTED TO JUST TWO REALLY SMALL ONES.

THE TOP EDGE IS UNWORN, WHILST THE BOTTOM EDGE SHOWS MARGINAL SHELF WEAR. THE SPINE WHICH LIKE MOST SOFT CARDED SLEEVES IS USUALLY FOUND VERY SQUASHED. THIS ONE HOWEVER IS ABSOLUTELY FLAT AND SQUARE AND HAS NO COLOUR LOSS AND EVERY LETTER OF THE TYPEFACE IS LEGIBLE. TRULY AMAZINT.

THE OPENING EDGE IS AS NEW RAZOR SHARP AND IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE RECORD HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SLEEVE

THE REAR SURFACE IS IMMACULATE SHOWING A PRISTINE FINISH. NO RING WEAR AND NOT EVEN ANY SIGN OF RECORD SHAPE. THE STICKER IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER IS THE OFFICIAL MCA STICKER

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PRISTINE INNER SURFACE AGAIN NO COLOUR LOSS APART FROM ONE SMALL WHITE PIN PRICK ON THE LOWER LEFT PANEL

THE BLUE AND WHITE POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE IS IN MAGNIFICENT UNMOLESTED CONDITION

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS MAGNIFICENT SLEEVE NEAR MINT

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

GARRY