BEATLES Sgt Pepper Mono complete 1play MINT

	£		720
	$		954

Hi, I am Mike, a music collector for over 30 years now. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any interested collector. You may notice I do not flood my Ebay site with large numbers of albums at one time: time does not allow it as I Play-Grade every record I offer (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story - I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same treatment as far as I am concerned and will be treated with the same respect. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with my digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. Good luck.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance. Regarding the runner up bidder, its always worth asking if I have a second copy of any item also. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed.

PLEASE READ ALL DESCRIPTIONS AND CHECK PICTURES CAREFULLY FOR ALL THE INFORMATION GIVEN.

Artist or Band: THE BEATLES

Album Title: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band

Cat Number: PMC 7027 Mono

Label and Condition: Parlophone, yellow and black with silver text. The gramophone Co Ltd etc. Made in Gt Britain on labels. (see scans for full details of anything needed). KT tax code near centre hole. These two labels are mint - I have never seen Beatles labels quite like these. These labels have ZERO spindle traces, this record was unplayed, yes that’s right unplayed. The owner bought a mono and a stereo copy and simply never played this one. The matt black finish has not even got any finger print traces, now how rare it that? Even the heavily embossed KT tax code is still fully proud of the label and even still black!, even a couple of plays on a vintage deck or even taking it out of the inner sleeve takes the ink of these codes. I have never seen this before. An absolute mint virgin record that is unlikely to be seen or offered better.

Country of Manufacture: Gt Britain

Rarity Factor: Well judge for yourselves, Beatles albums are not rare as such as I have always stated, but even modestly played copies are, a copy like this that has received - now one play, from me for my mandatory play-grade - are just about as rare as anything likely to be offered from this most famous group of all time.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: YEX 537-1 / 638-1. The small pressing code looks like a 3, but these are always a challenge to the eye-sight.

Album Information: No lengthy history lesson needed about this album - anyone reading this will know all about this legendary record and its impact on the development of music. What will be more needed is what condition this record and cover is in and actually what’s on offer. Well as stated earlier, this copy was unplayed, it has been played once now by me - I just cannot let any album be offered, especially an important one like this - without play-grading. Even a brand new record can disappoint with a bad pressing or hidden nasties. Well this record did not disappoint (please see ‘vinyl condition and grade’). This copy simply looks new. The cover looks virtually new too, it has that wonderful crackle when opened that only new laminated covers had - finding vintage covers that still do that is simply wonderful and almost sends a shiver down the spine. A cover that crackles is wonderful, a record that crackles is not so good, fear not there is little of that on this record. The record comes in its original psych red and white inner that is as close to mint as you will ever find. Thin paper always, this one is the same colour as from new, no yellowing or marks (or any so tiny that it would be an insult to mention them) hardly any ruffles and most incredably NO splits. The edges on this pepper are razor sharp and quite how this inner has avoided splitting is just remarkable, proving again this copy probably was never taken out. The insert is also included as of course its mint, again I doubt if its made the trip out of the cover until now for my pictures. Well there it is, a mint mono Pepper, how many of these exist today I wouldn’t know, but few I would confidently guess. Some may be offered in this condition, but how many will truly be up to this when they show up? I have been told by many of my buyers I undergrade, well I simply say better than overgrading - I do not use the word mint lightly but for this wonderful record I feel this is appropriate because if a better Mono Pepper can be found I sure would like to see it. This is specialist and connoisseur territory and its potential for investment is far better than money in the bank.

Cover Condition and Details: Mint(-) gatefold, laminated front, back and inner gatefold, comes with its original insert (near mint). Two large flipbacks in the centrefold (pristine perfect, with no glue residue or sticking marks). Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. Mono printed on back cover so this is the original cover for this record - no artificial upgrading (please see close up scan). The world’s most famous cover that set the standard for the future: a stunning original mono cover that looks breath-taking. I cannot give a full mint grading simply because it has a light crease near the bottom right on the front and a tiny one on the bottom corner (and I mean tiny). The other light crease hardly shows really as its on the dark area at the end of the (s.) in flowers - this is all minor but this is just about all the wear this incredible cover has (if you call this wear). There is a tiny hairline mark on the bottom left too but look hard to see it.

Cover Lamination: Stunning lamination that could be used as a mirror. This cover was stored in a heavy duty PVC outer protective cover and the laminate is near perfect. Shiny with no dull areas, no lifting, peeling or dry areas. Virtually unmarked anywhere, inside or out, just that tiny faint hairline as mentioned. Creases are minimal apart from the aforementioned and just the odd tiny ones that always occur near the spine edges - just opening a gatefold cover does this but any present here are so light they hardly show. You will be hard pressed to find the laminate on a Pepper better than this.

Cover Front: Stunning visually and looks as fresh as the day it was made. Deep rich colour (that goes for all the cover sides). Stored in a non-smokers house, in a rack for around 35 years and there it stayed. I would guess that tiny crease on the front was either made in transit home or getting it into the tight-fitting protective cover. This front has hardly any wear at all - its super clean and devoid of any serious marks.

Cover Back: Very similar to the front, maybe even better it thats possible.

Cover Gatefold Inner: Very attractive indeed and no wear at all (Mint). The flipbacks are rock solid and unlifted or freyed and super clean. The lamination on the hinge fold is fully intact and not cracked as many often are - simply remarkable, thats why it crackles when opened.

Cover Edges: Every edge is perfect with no wear - all still laminated. The spine is superb, solid and square with all its text pristine under uncracked laminate. All corners are sharp and crisp with no wear (even white tips). The cover has been folded about 2mm short of pairing up spot on, but this is the most minor manufacturing error. This cover is totally unflattened or the spine would have suffered - it clearly has not.

This cover all round is magnificent and considering its age, it proves it has been kept to the highest of standards. It simply has been bought, stored and left. A much better mono cover you will not find easily. One for the connoisseur collector.

Vinyl Condition: Mint, this one deserves the highest of gradings because it simply it that. Super clean and shiny and unmarked, a stunning sight. Mono Peppers are usually found in a well played state - obviously a classic like this was played and played and wear set in very quickly - but that is what records were bought for, to be enjoyed and loved. Most have heavily marked labels, scuffs and a maze of scratches and with a sound quality that matches the looks. I have found clean looking copies before but nothing compared to this one. This album in mono always seemed to suffer more than most even after just a few plays on the appropriate deck of the times. ‘She’s Leaving Home’ for instance always was highly prone to distortion and sound degrading - like ‘Michelle’ does on Rubber Soul the inner bands on mono records always suffer because of the tracking angle and and backforce generated on the heavy tones arms of 60s mono decks. The groove walls were stripped after just a few plays making them noisy and distorted. What a delight to hear this wonderful record that has none of this. The incredible details and dynamic mono mix of this record are truly awesome - its a gateway into the recording studio - another masterwork of production by George Martin. Play this on a quality modern turntable and you will be astounded by the richness and details hidden in these vintage grooves -this is how this album was meant to be heard. Modern CDs simply cannot compete with the real thing - all the feeling is lost. Are the mono mixes available legally on CD anyway? This album has no distortion, pops or ticks - and any surface sounds are almost nil. Again if a better mono copy of this exists or gets offered I would like to see and hear it.

Track Listing:Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart’s Club Band; With a little help from my friends; Lucy in the sky with diamonds; Getting better; Fixing a hole; She’s leaving home; Being for the benefit of Mr Kite; Within you without you; When I’m sixty four; Lovely Rita; God morning, Good morning; Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart’s Club Band (reprise); A day in the life.

Inner Sleeve Condition: Near Mint as described earlier.

Insert Condition: Mint with deep rich colour and no creases or marks.

Album Played For Grading: Reluctantly, yes - but I had to do it.

Final Summary: This has to be one of my best ever albums I have ever offered for sale on Ebay - just holding this fabulous copy gives pleasure - infact I even handled this record with gloves on just to avoid the chance of putting fingerprints on the label. Just check out the scans - have you ever seen labels this clean for a Beatles album?, note the still black Tax Codes). I cannot apologize for my minimum selling price (I dont use reserves as it just confuses any potential bidder). This album cost me very deep and it will gain in value over a short time quickly - as stated earlier - albums like this are true investment quality and will not get offered in near virgin condition often. This UK pressed mono Sgt Pepper is special - just what would a large London shop charge for a copy like this?, if they could find one this good. You will only want to buy this album once, you would never need to upgrade this copy, it would hardly be possible too. The only slight problem with this copy is - Its almost too good to play. For my final summary I quote from the Virgin Top 1000 Albums of all Time ‘The Beatles reached for the sky, and they got it. This one album revolutionized, altered and reinvented the boundaries of 20th century popular music, style and graphic art. Thirty plus years on, this four-track recording is still a masterpiece. Equal credit is now justifiably placed with the elegant George Martin. he was the chemist who made their crazy ideas work. He shaped their glorious songs and fantasmagorical lyrics with melody and harmony, pushing recording techniques into unknown waters. Much of late 60s pop was fashioned out of this one record; a mass of third rate orange-coated-treacle-airship-jasmine-mushroomheaded-dreamweavers followed. Nothing came near it, and together with Revolver, nothing ever will’. - I can add little to that – Mike.

Payment Details please read carefully:

Buyer pays: (UK) £2.50 P&P , for first-class delivery with standard £28 insurance. Items that sell over £30 will be sent via Recorded Delivery and Special Delivery for over £55.

Europe: £4. This is covered up to £28 (45 Euros) insurance and would be sent 1st-class airmail. A recorded airmail service is now in place for Europe too: this means any item will be fully covered to its true value, No customs sticker is needed for Europe, so this is a worthwhile investment. This costs extra £3, the item is tracked and the item has to be signed for - I will use this service to Europe as standard for very expensive rare items e.g. records over £75.

USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and other Far Eastern countries etc: £5.50. This is covered up to £28 (43 US Dollars) insurance and would be sent 1st-class airmail. Please note I do not profit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more).

Extra insurance is available for non-UK items but bear in mind I have to state the true value of the item on the parcel and customs would be aware and you may well get charged import duties.

PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Overseas bidders please note conversion rates for Pounds to Dollars and Pounds to Euros will be charged at 1.65 to cover PayPal or cash conversions.

PLEASE NOTE: Any PayPal user can now pay me with UK Sterling if they wish with no need to convert to US dollars (although they still can if they wish to). Any instant PayPal transaction from anywhere in the world will mean the item will be sent immediately - it makes deals fast and very efficient.

Mailing Details: All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken out of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with a minimum of TWO stiffners for extra protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection and three or four stiffners. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other intesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear if any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.