BEATLES Let It Be BOX SET *NEAR MINT* 1970 Canadian SOAL-6351 LP **COMPLETE**

$

460

*** Once upon a time, I worked in a museum. So I know a lot about collections stewardship and preservation. All rare Beatles records I will be listing on ebay over the next few weeks come from my personal, meticulously tended private collection maintained in quiet, light-controlled, climate controlled archival-type setting in a clean, pet-free, smoke-free home. ***

It is highly likely you won't see many other Beatles releases here on ebay as clean and impeccable as those I am currently offering. They all follow, strictly to the letter, the condition reports I prepare, and more – and they are all guaranteed to be just as nice as anything you will see offered by high profile sellers like Perry Cox and Parlogram. How do I know this? Because I bought my stuff from them, and have given all of it the white-glove treatment ever since.

And with a no-quibble return policy, you can’t go wrong. All you’ll be out is the shipping fees if you want to return an item. But – hear me now, believe me later – once you have this piece in your possession, you won’t want to return it.

See my other Beatles albums currently for sale here on ebay.

I still have an inventory of fantastically clean Beatles items to list. More first press, near-mint UK Parlophones, unplayed singles, some other sealed LPs, some sealed solo stuff, much more and … what are you looking for? Send me a message to find out how I might help you round out your Beatles record collection.

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PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING before going any further.

By bidding on this item, you agree to following.

1. You agree the item you are bidding on NOT brand new and has flaws which are listed below in detail.

2. You agree to read and understand the entire listing description PRIOR to bidding.

3. You agree that by bidding on this item that you have read and understand the entire item description.

4. You agree that PRIOR to bidding, you will ask any questions you may have about the item and be satisfied with the answers.

5. You agree, should you be the wining bidder, to allow up to 5 days processing time to properly pack and post your item.
6. You agree to the Return Policy below, and that should you wish to return this item, it must be returned in same exact condition sent.

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THE BEATLES – Let It Be

1970 Canadian Apple Box Set SOAL-6351
Includes Ethan Russell "Get Back" photo book
Unplayed vinyl and all-original box in fabulous shape

Up for auction is an original 1970 Beatles Canadian Box Set in super-clean condition. Hard to find such a gem in this great shape, 48 years after left the factory.

I purchased this set, as old store stock and still factory sealed, ten years ago from a Canadian gentleman who ran a Toronto record store in the 1960s and ‘70s, so I know its provenance. (Should have left it sealed – but how could I resist?) According to my paperwork from the time, he stated, "of the few countries that issued the Let It Be Box Set, Canada had the most limited numbers – thus making the Canadian issue of this box set the rarest." I have never taken the time to corroborate that statement. (You can do your own research.) All I knew at the time was: I just wanted a Let It Be Box Set in my collection, but I couldn’t afford a UK copy clean enough for my standards.

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CONDITION REPORT

I'll preface the condition report by saying that after I opened this set and examined it, I simply put it away. I've never played the record, and I never even bothered to page through the Ethan Russell picture book. As you may know, the entire set is very fragile by design (making me wonder why they ever even bothered in the first place), so I separated all the different components (empty slip case with inner tray, book, inner sleeve, record) and stored them all in the stacks separately, so as to minimize any chance of damage. All the components have been archived in audiophile sleeves and clean mylar since I bought the set; therefore, everything is still in the same condition as when I first opened the package. All in all, this is everything you could hope for in a set that is 48 years old – it all even still smells brand new, factory fresh.

OUTER SLIPCASE & INNER TRAY

These are the trickiest parts of the box set – the parts that confound serious collectors the most. So often the original outer slipcase and inner tray are tatty or torn in places. Unfortunately, it's just all a very flimsy design and whoever decided this was all structurally sound enough to support a record and a 150 page picture book must have been stoned. 

I'm happy to report that these components are very clean and structurally intact. All the corners are sharp there is a nice, like-new sheen. No finger prints, no smudges, no soiled or dull areas. The edges of the outer slipcase exhibit some white areas that are merely factory imperfections. On the back of the outer slipcase, there is one long crease in the upper left quadrant and a few short creases along the right edge (all likely handling marks). There are some very minor rough spots along the bottom edge, on the back, at the left hand corner and under the word “Ltd.” in the phrase “Distributed in Canada by Capitol Records (Canada) Ltd.” On the right hand corner along the bottom edge it states “Litho In Canada." The original inner tray (not a modern day replacement) is solid, with absolutely no problems to report. No dents, tears, or any glue separation. Lovely.

Outer Slipcase : Very clean EX+ / NM-

Inner Tray : MINT

INNER SLEEVE

The inner sleeve is a single slipcase jacket constructed of very sturdy cardboard with a glued-on slick. It maintains all of its original factory luster and is solid all the way around, with no issues. All four corners very sharp. Again – no finger prints, no smudges, no soiled or dull areas. There is some very minor, inoffensive creasing in the slick along the bottom front. This is a factory imperfection, and not an aesthetic issue at all.

Inner Sleeve: MINT

RECORD

Please refer to photo #5 and note the "chips" in the paper on the Apple label. This is a factory flaw. Please look at the photo and be certain you can live with this flaw BEFORE you bid.

As stated earlier, this vinyl is UNPLAYED. You'll be the first to drop a needle into its grooves. Immaculate and beautiful. Of course, the runouts are Bell Sound stamped and have the 'Phil & Ronnie' etchings.

Side A Label: EX

Side B Label: MINT

Side A Vinyl: High NEAR MINT

Side B Vinyl: High NEAR MINT

BOOK

Overall, the condition of the Ethan Russell book mirrors the condition of the outer slip case and the inner sleeve: super-clean, all original factory gloss is maintained; no finger prints, no smudges, no soiled or dull areas. Please look carefully at the photos and observe “white” areas on the black and on the edges. Again, these are all factory flaws. Again, please be certain you can live with these flaws BEFORE you bid. There are minor scratches and surface marks on the front and back cover, one small scuff mark on the back cover. The cover laminate has some mild rifting all along the front vertically, along the seam where the front cover turns forward to reveal the pages. The laminate also has one “bubble” on the back in the center at the spine, The book is bound as new; there is not even a hint of separation in the binding. All four corners are sharp, and all pages inside are stone mint. I want to grade this book Near Mint Minus – because in actuality it is, overall – but I’ll play it safe and grade it EX.

Book: Very clean EX

And it really goes without saying, but just to clarify:

• No mold 
• No dirt
• No funky smells
• No warping
• No ring wear
• No edge wear
• No seam splits
• No foxing
• No dents, glue separation, crushed areas or tears
• No replacement parts
• Not a reissue
• Not a counterfeit

So there you have it. A very nice and immaculate example of the Canadian Let It Be Box set, worthy of any serious Beatles collection.

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SHIPPING

Triple-packed, oversized shipping that is absolutely required for this delicate set is a flat $40.00, and will be by Parcel Force International Priority (outside the UK) or Royal Mail First Class (inside the UK), insured and signed for. For sales outside the U.K., your phone number is required for the Airbill.

I only ship to the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Scandinavia, Germany, France, Ireland and a few other EU countries, and Japan.

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GUARANTEE / RETURNS

Satisfaction guaranteed. If you are unhappy with your purchase because you feel it did not match the item description, please contact me within 5 (five) days of signed receipt. The buyer must bear all costs and responsibility of safely returning the item – in SAME CONDITION SENT and similarly packed. I do not refund shipping charges on returns, in either direction.

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FINALLY: Please know that I conduct all my business here on ebay with the highest integrity. I think it only fair that I expect the same from you, the buyer. This means if you are an ethically challenged person, please take your business elsewhere.

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You can also check my excellent seller feedback over at Discogs (user name: INTERSTELLAR_VINYL) and over at Steve Hoffman Music Forums (user name: 1970).

Please ask questions, which I will be happy to answer as quickly as I can. I can also provide more images upon request.

Thank you for looking, and happy bidding.

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A CLOSING NOTE

I have done my best to provide an accurate description of this item at the time it was listed. Sometimes, a typographical error takes place, or a flaw detail may be inadvertently overlooked. Since ebay frowns on item description changes, I will disclose any material changes in the item description before the invoice is issued. This way, the purchaser will have the option of cancelling the sale by mutual agreement and with no dispute. Prospective purchasers always have the option of requesting item description updates before buying. These updates, if any, will then be posted in the Questions and Answers section.