Beatles - White Album - 1968 UK Stereo Vinyl LPs - Rare "ROCKY RACOON" Misprint

	£		180
	$		238

The Beatles
THE BEATLES ~ "The White Album"


Original UK Stereo Second Pressing
Original Top Loading Gatefold Cover No. 597218

Has "EMI RECORDING" Text On All 4 Labels
Rare Alternate "SOLD IN U.K." Text Font On 3 Labels


APPLE RECORDS PCS 7067/7068: MATRIX NOs YEX-709-1/YEX-710-1/YEX-711-1/YEX-712-2
Stampers: 7 LL 2 LH 3 GHM 1 GOP

Has quite a rare misprint on Side 2 that appeared on some of these later copies where "Rocky Raccoon" is misspelled as "Rocky Racoon". The first LP also has crossover labels from a first pressing with Side 1 having the original style of "SOLD IN U.K." text


Visually the records are still quite nice and shiny, but with definite signs of use and play over the years. All 4 sides have some surface dust and varying amounts of sleeve removal / scuff / scratch marks. Some don't come up so well in the photos and unfortunately I'm not able to highlight every single one, but Side 2 is definitely the most concerning with two rather large scuffs left from the label and some additional scuffs to the south. Luckily these marks are non-feelable and for the most part have little effect on the audio which is overall surprisingly enjoyable. Visually the records aren't mint and they definitely show their marks, but you can still see a nice shine beneath said marks and it's clear that the records were still taken care of over the years.

Audio gradings:  
Side 1 ~ Very Good / Very Good + Side 2 ~ Very Good Side 3 ~ Excellent - / Very Good + Side 4 ~ Very Good / Very Good +
Luckily despite the marks, the album plays through from beginning to end very nicely without ever jumping or skipping - quite an enjoyable listen! The first LP is a bit more worn down than the latter which is typical with this album due to it's playing order, but it's still a comprehensive experience from beginning to end. The quality of audio over each side is splendid and I get the impression that the records were only played on good equipment as there aren't any extra nasties going towards the inner grooves. Some sides play with less static / crackle than others, with Side 2 being the worst due to some rotational ticks at the end of "Julia", but overall it never takes too much away from the music and it's not anything that pulls you out of the listening experience. 
Most sides have been given 2 gradings as some tracks perform better than others, e.g. on Side 3, "Birthday" plays superbly while little spots of surface noise are noticeable in the quiet beginning and fadeout of "Sexy Sadie", so please assume that the gradings will lie somewhere between both of these depending on the track. All 4 sides are tube cut and the whole album sounds fantastic! It has a really great quality of sound that has never really been replicated on any other pressing to this day. I've graded this album listening on headphones with a very revealing Ariston transcription deck and it's been a real pleasure!

Overall it's not a 100% perfect copy but it's quite a solid one with all things considered, given how easily worn they are. This one is quite up there on the list of all the White Albums I've ever owned and it's difficult to understate how abrasive those original black inner sleeves could be if you weren't careful and there's so much to go wrong over all 4 sides. Discriminating audiophiles may not be 100% pleased due to the surface noise that can appear in places, but it's near impossible to find a perfect copy out there with these pressings - please do not expect minty fresh vinyl.

Cover: Very Good Minus (VG-)

The original Garrod & Lofthouse top-opening gatefold cover is overall in a Very Good - condition. Numbered 597218 and bearing the "Stereo" indicator on the back, it's holding together well but it has seen much better days and the wear is apparent. The seams are holding up, with generally clean albeit slightly discoloured panels and I get the impression that despite being well-loved, it was certainly taken care of. The front and back panels have some thumbnail marks, the openings show some foxing, there are sports of laminate wear including on one of the inner flipbacks and the spine definitely shows some wear of it's own, with worn away laminate and some cracks too. There are some light tears near the top and bottom of the spine but nothing too bad. All in all the cover is far from perfect but given how most white albums turn up these days, it's nothing too bad. It has certainly protected these records well.


Unfortunately neither of the original black inner sleeves are present and instead are some generic white paper ones from the same era. They're holding up okay but one of them has seam splits on all sides. I'd definitely recommend replacing these as they re-introduce a lot of dust to the vinyl, despite having just been cleaned with a spray. I'd replace them myself but I don't have any spares.

Unfortunately no photographs or poster are included. This listing is just for the album cover, the records and the inner sleeves.

Any questions, please feel free to send me a message! Many thanks for looking :)