BEATLES PLEASE PLEASE ME - 1st UK PRESS BLACK GOLD, DICK JAMES - EXCELLENT AUDIO

	£		501
	$		664

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.

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.

Superb genuine 1st pressing which is complete with its original poly-lined Emitex inner sleeve and original first-press cover. This is one of the best-looking examples I've seen.

This has the following 1st press matrix numbers:

Side 1: XEX 421-1N

Side 2: XEX 422-1N

Side 1:           2                          GO

Detailed description
Cover: This is the correct, original first-press cover with the Angus McBean credit at the extreme right of the cover, lining up with the 's' in 'songs' [on later covers it is slightly further to the left and lines up with the 'g' in 'songs']. The laminated front of the cover has no damage, writing, splits, tears or stickers etc and just normal signs of use, with some creases around the edges and corners, slight edge-wear and corner-wear. The unlaminated rear is one of the best I've seen - nice and clean with hardly any marks. The flipbacks are all complete and intact. The only issue to note is a 'Factory Sample - Not for sale' sticker near the top of the back cover. It is my opinion that this is not original to this cover and that it has been added in an attempt to disguise a stain or small patch of damage (the edges of which can just be seen around the sticker if the area is examined closely - see final photo), but there are no other flaws worthy of mention and the sticker does the job that it was intended to do. Overall this is one of the best 1st press covers I've seen - they rarely turn up looking as good as this one.
Edge wear: top/spine/bottom/opening: light/light/light/moderate. There is only minor wear to the laminated top and bottom edges and spine apart from at the corners. The spine is solid and firm, with wear at the corners (mainly the top one) but no wear along its length and the text is all 100% readable. There are no seam-splits to any edges. The opening edge shows normal signs of use, with some slight softening/feathering near the centre of the front opening, but nothing major.
Corner wear: There is moderate corner-wear but no actual splits. The top-spine corner is more worn than the others, but there is nothing prominent or unsightly anywhere.
Labels: Very nice labels on both sides with no writing, tears, stickers, damage etc. Both have some minor signs of wear and use, but very little marking or wear around the spindle holes (and unlike many copies these have NOT been 'inked-in' to try and make them look better!). The only issue worthy of mention is a vertical crease on the side two label which is a manufacturing flaw and has been there from new. The MT tax code is on side one.
Vinyl: The heavy (166 gram) vinyl has retained its original high sheen and has obviously been well-treated. Under bright light, hairlines, sleeve-removal lines, fine marks and scuffs were visible. Side one also has a prominent-LOOKING line (which goes across all seven tracks) but which has NO AUDIBLE IMPACT.  I have played the entire record several times and it has hardly any clicks [I heard a couple of soft clicks in some of the fades and silent grooves and there are three barely audible tics in 'Ask me why', but there is nothing persistent anywhere]. Like many copies, there was some noticeable distortion. However, this is confined to the right-channel only and so it can be easily eliminated by biasing the balance to the left channel (the record is mono so this makes no difference to the music). When listening to the record in this way, there is almost no distortion, just some background noise in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click. The absence of any significant clicks means that listening to this copy was much better than most I've experienced.  I am basing my play-grading on listening to the album as described above (i.e. biasing to the left speaker) and based on this I would play-grade the whole album around Excellent (Ex) with side two maybe just-under.  A play-grading including the output from the right channel would be much lower, but played in the manner described, this is a superb example and was a real pleasure to listen to.
Inner sleeve: Original poly-lined Emitex inner sleeve made from much thicker, heavier paper than later ones. No splits, tears or damage etc, just normal signs of age and use.

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.