BEATLES WHITE ALBUM COMPLETE UK 1st PRESS. INNERS/POSTER/PICS/SPACER, PLAYGRADED

	£		67
	$		89

All my items have a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described you can return it for a full refund.

But . . . (I know that this should be common sense) . . .

. . . please ensure that you have read and understood the description before placing a bid.


If there is anything you do not understand (especially if English is not your first language) please ask any questions before placing a bid.

Thank you.

 ******************************************
P&P charges for bidders outside the UK: Please note that I send ALL international items tracked and insured, which costs more than the standard airmail rate.

For further information please see below for full P&P and insurance details.

 *************************************************************

Please note that:

I NO LONGER POST TO MEXICO.

THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL.

Complete example of this UK 1st pressing of The Beatles White Album.

Many copies of this are offered for sale with newer photos, poster etc, but all the inserts here are guaranteed to be 100% genuine and original UK 1st press from 1968.

This has the following 1st press matrix numbers, mothers and stampers:

Side 1:    YEX 709-1        4       AL

Side 2:    YEX 710-1        4       MR

Side 3:    YEX 711-2        1       TT

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl is flat and has retained its original high sheen with relatively few marks, although there are a handful of noticeable marks on each side, visible to the naked eye. However, with the exception of a small, soft scratch on side three, these marks aren't audible, but because of them, a visual grade would be lower than the play-grade. I have played the entire record (all four sides) and it plays well throughout with no significant issues. There is background noise which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click, hiss or pop. There are a few places where you get two or three soft clicks, but there are hardly any persistent clicks; the only ones that I noticed were seven clicks near the start of 'Martha My Dear', six near the end of 'Julia' and a click (caused by the small mark on side three) which begins at the end of 'Yer Blues' and continues into the beginning of 'Mother Nature's Son', but it is soft and only audible in the right channel.  The only other thing worthy of mention is some fuzziness, mainly audible towards the ends of the sides and most noticeable on 'Helter Skelter' on side three, but there is nothing overpowering or intrusive, and the tracks near the beginning of the sides generally sound superb. Overall this is a decent example and was a pleasure to listen to. I would play-grade sides one, two and four as Excellent minus (Ex-) and side three as Very Good (VG).

Labels: All four labels look superb with absolutely no signs of damage, writing, stickers etc and relatively light spindle marking, suggesting that the records weren't played very much.

Sleeve: The top-opening gatefold sleeve has no damage, splits, stickers etc and just normal signs of use. There are some creases around the edges and corners and some small scuffs and marks. It has discoloured with age, especially near the edges, opening and spine. The rear has the word 'Stereo' in the top right corner. The front has 'The BEATLES' embossed and the unique number printed near the bottom right corner. Please note that the unique number on this cover has been altered to read 0001220. The second digit has been changed to look like a zero, giving what would be a very collectable low number, but this is not the original number. I have shown this close-up in the final photo.

Edge wear: There is not much wear to the laminated (side and bottom) edges apart from at the corners. The spine is solid, with some scuffs along the folds and the lamination has split/flaked and discoloured at the edges, but the card underneath is solid and firm and the text is all readable. There are normal signs of use at the openings, with some marks, wear, discolouration and a couple of small nicks.

Corner wear: There is moderate corner wear, with corner creases to the bottom front corner and, slightly less, to the bottom rear corner, but there is nothing major and no corner-splits.

Inner sleeves: The original 1st press inner sleeves show normal signs of age and use. One of them has small tears around the centre hole and two large seam splits. The other has one small seam split and a couple of bigger tears around the centre hole. Both of them have worn and scruffy opening edges.

Photos: The original 1st press band photos have never been displayed so no pin-holes, sellotape etc, but they are showing signs of age. There is a very soft crease in George's photo and all of them are a bit discoloured/marked on the borders, mainly at the bottom.

Spacer: The original 1st press spacer page is complete and intact. It has a crease down the middle, some other smaller creases at the edges and corners, a couple of tiny edge-tears (just a few milimetres) and normal signs of handling and use etc. It is quite discoloured expecially at the edges but is guaranteed 100% genuine and original.

Poster: The original 1st press poster has never been displayed so no pin-holes, sellotape, missing corners etc. The lyric side has some stains/marks on the centre panels (the ones that are on the outside when it is folded) which you can see in the photo, but this is an otherwise very nice example and the poster side looks great.

Detracting features not covered above:  None, but please note the information above regarding the cover number.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

******************************************

Information about descriptions and gradings.
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. I am aware that different grading systems have different definitions and so I try as much as possible to describe items in plain English, rather than simply using gradings. Where gradings are given these are based on the UK RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM. This grading system differs from some other grading systems, in particular the Goldmine grading system. Please make sure that you are familiar with the UK record collector grading system before you bid.

Play-graded vinyl: Although I don't have time to play them all, I believe that records are for playing and so I try to play-grade records whenever possible. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to listing it. If I have play-graded the record I will usually only give a description of how the record looks (i.e. not a visual grading). The grading in the listing will be a play-grading and may be slightly different from the grading that the record would receive from a purely visual inspection. If I haven't play-graded the record, it will be given a visual grading.

Play-grading MONO records: Mono records and stereo records have different grooves. A stereo record produces a stereo sound via both lateral and vertical groove modulation whereas a mono record is not intended to produce any sound from vertical modulation. Playing a mono record with a stereo cartridge will create distortion because it is trying to pick-up the vertical (stereo) part of the signal, whereas this is not intended to be heard on a mono record and so is just noise.  Using a pre-amp with a mono switch will eliminate the noise caused by vertical modulation leaving just the lateral groove signal which is how the record was intended to be heard. Based on the assumption that most people choosing to listen to a mono record will have the right equipment to play it on, I play all mono records via a pre-amp with a mono switch.  My play-grading is based on how the record sounds when played through a mono switch. If you do not have a mono switch on your amp or pre-amp you will be reproducing the noise from the vertical part of the signal and so the record will not sound as good. This is not any fault of the record, it is inherent to playing any mono record through a system that it was not designed for.

Visually-graded vinyl: 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.

******************************************

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.

******************************************

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 sometimes use recycled packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

******************************************

P&P charges

My P&P charges are 'totally transparent'. Please read below and if you have any questions about P&P costs please contact me BEFORE you bid. Thank you.

Sending items costs more than just the stamps on the package, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me to do so. I need to cover the cost of packing materials, plastic sleeves, new inner sleeves (where applicable), transportation, fees and charges associated with sending the item (including fees incurred to receive the cost of postage and, where applicable, currency exchange) etc. To cover these expenses I add a nominal figure to the basic cost charged at the post office. For UK sales I add £1.10, for European sales I add £1.90 and for transactions outside Europe I add £2.30. These are nominal amounts and the actual cost to me is always higher than this. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

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 550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

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.

Depending on the precise weight of your parcel, you may occasionally end up paying a few pence more or a few pence less than it actually costs me, but if there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

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) = £5.20.

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 £9.35 for one to four LPs and £12.00 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.

******************************************

Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £13.60, each additional LP or 12" add £2.20.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £17.50, each additional LP or 12" add £3.80.

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.

 ******************************************

 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.