Description WISHBONE ASH - ARGUSSUPERB EX+ PLAYTHROUGH CONDITION1ST PRESS BLUE AND BLACK LABELSVERY FIRST PRESS 1L/1L MATRIX NUMBERSOUTSTANDING EX+ SLEEVE CATALOGUE:MCA MDKS 8006MATRIX: 7-LNMG-256-1L / 257-1LTHERE IS NOTHING LOWER THAN A -1L MATRIX MOTHERS/STAMPERS:1 I / 1 A TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE LP, PRESS THE PLAY BUTTONS BELOW (ONE PER SIDE), WAIT FOR THE RECORDING TO LOADPowered by eCommercePlayer.comPowered by eCommercePlayer.com THE RECORDS THE LABELSTHE JET BLACK, AND BLUE BANDED LABELS ARE IN TOP 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 GREAT CONDITION AND ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE.THERE ARE JUST 5-6 SMALL SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE HOLE THE VINYLTHE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL HAS LOST NONE OF IT'S ORIGINAL SHEEN AND LUSTRE. IN DAYLIGHT IT LOOKS FLAWLESS. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE NUMEROUS VERY VERY FINE AND BARELY VISIBLE WISPY HAIRLINES. 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 ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING BIDDING ON, AND WHILST IT TAKES FAR LONGER TO DO, I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFF THIS AS A SERVICE TO MY CUSTOMERSTHE 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 IT IS, PARTICULARLY THE QUIETER EXCERPTS.THE SILENT BITS ARE SILENT, AND THE MUSIC COMES THROUGH CRISPLY AND CLEARLY. THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS JUST SUBLIME, AND THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A CLASSIC WISHBONE ASH ALBUM IN GREAT ORIGINAL CONDITIONTHERE IS NO DISTORTION WHATSOEVER AT ANY POINT AND EVERY NOTE IS HEARD AS IT WAS INTENDED.THERE IS NO HEAVY BACKGROUND CRACKLE OR CLICKS AT ALL!!THERE IS SOME VERY FAINT STATIC BACKGROUND HEARD IN SOME OF THE LINKING GROOVES AND MOST SILENT PASSAGES. I HEARD NO MORE THAN 1-2 MINUSCULE DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAYTHROUGH. THIS ALBUM PLAYS EX+ DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT THOUGH, TAKE A LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF AGAINST YOUR OWN STANDARDS THE SLEEVE NON LAMINATED , GATEFOLD FIRST ISSUE SLEEVE FROM ROBERT STACETHIS 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 GETS RUBBED AWAY.HERE WE HAVE A VERY ACCEPTABLE SLEEVE. THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND ALL OF THE COLOURS ARE RETAINED. JUST LIGHT GREYING TO THE BOTTOM EDGE AND THE CAPETHERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES, CREASE LINES OR BENDS. AND ONLY THREE TINY LINES CLOSE BY THE SPINE. NONE ALONG THE TOP EDGE, NONE ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE.THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THIS SLEEVE ARE USUALLY WORN AWAY, BUT THIS SLEEVE HAS VERY WELL CARED FOR AND THE TOP EDGE ONLY HAS A SPECK OF RUB TO THE RIGHT CORNER TIPS, AND THE BOTTOM EDGE JUST A LITTLE LIGHT SHELF WEAR AND RUB TO THE REAR RIGHT CORNER AREA.THE SPINE LIKE MOST SOFT CARDED SLEEVES IS USUALLY FOUND VERY SQUASHED. THIS ONE IS NOT. IT HAS HAS SOME LITTLE DENTS ALONG THE LENGTH, BUT NO FINGER TO THUMB SQUASHING AND THE EDGES OF THE SPINE ARE UNWORNALL OF THE DELICATE BLACK TEXT IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, AND THE ONLY SPECK OF RUB VISIBLE IS AT THE VERY BOTTOM TIP END.THE OPENING EDGE IS STILL RAZOR SHARP WITH JUST A COUPLE OF TINY THUMB NICKSTHE REAR SURFACE HAS A LIGHT SHADOW OF RING WEAR OVER THE BOTTOM EDGE AND THREE MINUSCULE PRESSURE LINES ON THE SPINEOPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PRISTINE INNER SURFACE AGAIN NO COLOUR LOSS WHATSOEVER. THE BROWN BASE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT.THE BLUE AND WHITE POLY LINED INNER SLEEVE HAS THE CORRECT 4-72 IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER (APRIL 1972) THE ALBUM'S RELEASE DATE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RECORDED IN 1971I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS MAGNIFICENT SLEEVE EX+ GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR ITGARRY