Vinyl: PINK FLOYD PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN - ABSOLUTE EARLIEST 1st UK PRESS NEAR MINT

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you .

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During nearly eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,600 positive feedbacks from over 2,000 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records. Until recently I had 100% positive feedback, but I have recently received a totally unjustified negative feedback. Please see my page if you want the full story.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund.

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PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL AND USE THE 'ZOOM' FACILITY TO GET A CLOSE-UP VIEW.

Here is a genuine piece of musical history - an absolute earliest first copy of Pink Floyd's first ever LP!

Not only does this have the first press matrix numbers, but with the first mothers and the first stampers on both sides, you cannot find an earlier copy. This really is the ultimate first pressing and it is in outstanding condition.

As you would expect, this has the following 1st press matrix numbers:

Side 1: YAX 3419-1

Side 2: YAX 3420-1

But what makes this one special is that this copy also has the 1st mothers and 1st stampers on both sides:

Side 1: 1 G

Side 2: 1 G

making it the earliest copy you can find.

So, in full, the matrix numbers, mothers and stampers on this LP are:

Side 1: YAX 3419-1 1 G

Side 2: YAX 3420-1 1 G

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl looks great and has retained its original high sheen. It has clearly been well cared for and rarely played. Under bright light, just hairlines and fine marks were visible but there is nothing significant anywhere. I have played the entire record and it sounds fantastic with almost nothing to report. There is some soft background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and a few places where you get one or two random clicks. But there is absolutely nothing loud or intrusive anywhere. I was listening intently through headphones and on side two I heard four tiny tics in 'Interstellar Overdrive' and a handful of barely audible 'pressing blip' noises in the silent groove before 'Bike', but both of these points are mentioned purely for completeness as they are really, really quiet and I doubt that most people would even notice them. I didn't hear any repetitive noises at all on side one. This is a superb example and was a real pleasure to listen to. Much of both sides play-grades Near Mint and I'm sure that many people would grade it as such, but because of the few tiny issues mentioned I would play-grade both sides as Excellent plus (Ex+) with side one being very close to Near Mint (NM). I think it would be hard to find a genuine first pressing which sounds much better than this and to find another one in this condition with 1G/1G stampers is probably almost impossible.
Labels: Both labels look superb with just light spindle marking, suggesting that the record was not played very much. There is a small mark on the side one label, and this label also has the KT tax code stamped near the centre hole.
Sleeve: This is an original, earliest example with nothing printed on the top flip-back. It is really nice and clean with no damage, writing, splits, tears or stickers etc and just very light signs of use. There are a few oxbow creases near the opening and some light creases around the edges and corners, but this is as near to perfect as I think you are likely to find.
Edge wear: top/spine/bottom /opening : none/none/none/minimal. There is no wear to the laminated edges and spine apart from at the tips of the corners. The spine is solid and firm and the text is all 100% readable. There are just very light signs of use at the opening.
Corner wear: I have shown close-ups of the corners in the pictures. There is minimal wear at the spine corners and light wear at the opening corners with the bottom opening corner having a minor dent/crease (see photo).
Inner sleeve: Original EMI advertising inner sleeve. No splits, tears or damage, just minor signs of age and use.

Detracting features not covered above: None. This is the absolute earliest first copy of Pink Floyd's first ever LP and it is in outstanding condition.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded. A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing .
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases. I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may send some items in packaging which has been previously used or which has been made from other cardboard packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

However, to quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 500-550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Occasionally, you may end up paying a few pence more than it actually costs me and occasionally you may end up paying a few pence less than it actually costs me. If there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £4.50.

First 7" or CD = £2.50, each additional 7" or CD add £0.50

UK Special Delivery -Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £8.55 for one to four LPs and £11.40 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £11.95, each additional LP or 12" add £2.00.

First 7" or CD = £8.80, each additional 7" or CD add £0.60.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £15.95, each additional LP or 12" add £3.50.

First 7" or CD = £10.00, each additional 7" or CD add £0.90.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.