BEATLES Please Please Me UK 1st Press B/Y MONO LP

	£		31
	$		41

BEATLES Please Please Me UK 1st Press B/Y MONO LP

The Beatles, Please Please Me.

1963 issued UK black and yellow fourth pressed Parlophone Records mono LP, PMC 1202.

Actually the first pressing on the black and yellow label, barring the rather scarce small print "33 1/3" transitional issue after the black/gold releases.

Both labels omit the 'Sold in UK' text but have 'Parlophone Co Ltd' perimeters and 'Recording First Published' lettering.

The embossed 'MKT' tax code is visible to the centre of the side two label.

Matrix numbers: XEX 421-1N and XEX 422-1N.

Stamper numbers: 2 / TR and 4 / TP.

Housed in original front laminated, flipback 'Ernest J. Day' sleeve, large "mono" logo sleeve. Notably, a straight vertical line can be drawn between the end of the "g" in "songs" and the beginning of the text "Photo: Angus McBean" underneath.

LP is housed in original poly-lined 'Use Emitex' inner sleeve.

Not mint, but an extremely clean extant issue, and very much cleaner than most which surface.

Visually vinyl is the top end of VG. Spider trail marks are visible at centre spindle areas, but these are much less excessive than usually seen, and labels have not been worn or whitened.

Vinyl surfaces still have a rich and bright gloss and display just a few light and superficial hairline scuffs. Just a few of these are slightly more visible, but none really obviously so. There are no scratches or deep marks of any kind. General appearance is of a lightly and fairly carefully played LP which has not been abused.

Playback is very clean. The early mono is still vibrant and punchy with no loss of clarity or distortion. No evidence of groove wear by playing with a 'blunderbuss' stylus which has rendered so many of these LPs virtually worthless. Surfaces are very quiet and there is no underlying background noise. There are just a very few patches of the quietest of static crackle here and there, but these are very short lived and can only really be heard at some of the bands between tracks. Many of the bands between tracks are impressively silent. Very little in the way of crackle while the tracks are playing, even in the very quietest patches where the sound drops to virtual silence. All in all still provides a very pleasurable listening experience.

Labels have a good and bright appearance still and are without tears, sticker or pen marks.

Inner sleeve in excellent condition and free of heavy creasing, tears, marks or inscriptions. Just a tad of creasing and one tiny closed nick at top end.

Outer sleeve is also in fairly solid condition, although not perfect. Laminated front panel very bright and clean and free of marks or stains. No scuff marks, impressions or tears to surface. Laminate mostly free of the usual pinche line creases and half moons. There is just a single hairline laminate crease of approx. one and a half inches leading in from the centre of the entry side. Inspected from the inside of the sleeve, this appears to be an area where the sleeve material was either creased or split. This must have been from manufacture, however, as the laminate has been placed over this.

Rear panel still has a tolerably white appearance, although some handling/storage/ringwea darkening beginning to show. No noticeable stains or marks however. Fairly small penned previous owner inscription to top centre of rear panel.

Backflaps are intact, but some creasing and lifting to bottom backflap around the area of a small nick. The right corner of the top backflap has become detached, but without loss.

Edges are in very good order, and the spine especially looks really good, with no wear or chipping. The usual wear and fraying to tips, slightly more markedly so to top left and bottom right corners, where there are also areas of loss to surface material.

In summary a pretty well preserved LP, especially given the near fifty year vintage. Although not mint, not many have survived as well as this one has.

1. I Saw Her Standing There

2. Misery

3. Anna (Go To Him)

4. Chains

5. Boys

6. Ask Me Why

7. Please Please Me

8. Love Me Do

9. P.S. I Love You

10. Baby It's You

11. Do You Want To Know A Secret

12. A Taste Of Honey

13. There's A Place

14. Twist And Shout

John Lennon - Paul McCartney - George Harrison - Ringo Starr

Note that audio grading is subjective and based on sensitivity of equipment used for playback. In this instance playback has been tested on a vintage Technics Quartz Direct Drive SL1700 MKII turntable with Shure cartridge, Technics SU-C 03 amp and Technics SB-F2 Linear Phase speakers.

Also note that I generally do not clean vinyl unless so noted. Most vinyl will show improved playback quality with your preferred cleaning method, but I leave this to the prospective buyer, as controversy still surrounds the ideal method of cleaning vinyl.

POSTAGE & PACKAGING RATES

UNITED KINGDOM = £4.00
EUROPE = £7.75
REST OF WORLD = £10.75

I CAN ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING PAYMENT METHODS ONLY

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