BEATLES WHITE ALBUM UK 1st PRES MONO TOP OPENER 0052391
£
175
$
232
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Description
The Beatles White Album
Limited Edition MONO Top Opener
No. 0052391
APPLE: 1st UK Pressing
PMC 7067 / 7068
This copy of the White Album is a very rare limited edition MONO top opener version - with the very low number 0052391. This MONO recording is much rarer than the Stereo release that most people own and goes for a much higher price.
It is a laminated, top opening cover which indicates that it is one of the earliest ever made. It is also rare because most top openers were produced as STEREO versions. Apparently, there were a few White Album's produced and created before the official release date of 7th December 1968. I guess they were review copies for radio stations/musice journalists etc. This is one of them because Sides 1&2 and 3&4 ommit the "An EMI recording" wording – the only real way to tell them apart from later MONO releases. This is therefore a limited edition Mono record and not the normal Stereo used for most apple labeled records of this era.
MONO top opener copies did not have the word "Stereo" printed on the top right hand corner of the back. The few Mono ones that were printed were just left blank – as this one is.
The records have "Sold in the UK subject to..." i.e. it is a 1st Pressing.
The original matt black inner sleeve's are in excellent condition – no seam splits and just very minor creasing + a minor 1/4" tear near the centre of one inner.
Included are the original 1968 glossy prints (with the slightly textured rear sides) of the fab four - in excellent condition.
Has the original large poster/lyric sheet - which is also in excellent condition.
These photos/poster inserts are the original Garrod & Lofthouse ones and are clearly marked on the poster.
The original Garrod & Lofthouse cover is in a very good+ condition. No splits, doodles, writing or other disfiguring marks. Nice spine that still crackles a little when the gatefold is opened. This is the rare wide spine version. The overall condition of the cover is that it is very strong & clean thick card example which retains a good 'whiteness' and bears no significant age discolouration or major wear. The front panel laminate is unpitted and undamaged, with just light storagewear and no heavy creasing or marks. The lower corners bear some light storagewear but the top opening edges are clean with light wear only but no tears or feathering. The rear panel and inside of the gatefold are both undamaged and without any writing, marks or missing paper. The spine has some missing laminate but all the text is intact & readable and all seams are undamaged.
The LP's are in very good+ to excellent condition. Light feathering marks/couple of faint hairlines from taking out of the sleeves. Clearly its been played over the years but has been extremely well looked after by the previous owner. Not MINT but plays extremely well.
The labels are the original dark green Apple ones. They are in excellent condition.
Matrix's No.s:
RECORD 1 = XEX 709 - 1 / XEX 710 - 1
RECORD 2 = XEX 711 - 1 / XEX 712 - 1
Stamping codes for both records;
RECORD 1 = 1M/7OH
RECORD 2 = 1R/2R
Finally, the MONO copy differs from the STEREO in that it contains rare versions of songs and themselves talking:-
· Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da - the stereo version has hand-clapping during the intro, the mono version does not.
· While My Guitar Gently Weeps – the stereo version has some vocal sounds from George at the end, the mono version does not.
· Blackbird – the bird sound effects are quite different between the stereo and the mono release.
· Piggies - the pig sound effects are quite different between the stereo and the mono release.
· Don't Pass Me By - the mono version is much faster than the stereo, and therefore is shorter. The violin sounds at the end are markedly different.
· Why Don't We Do It In The Road - the stereo version has hand-clapping during the intro, the mono version does not.
· I Will - the stereo version has more prominent bongos.
· Birthday - the stereo version has extra vocals at the end of the second chorus.
· Sexy Sadie - the stereo version has two taps on the tambourine during the intro, the mono version only has one.
· Helter Skelter - the stereo version has a fade-out/fade-in dummy ending with Ringo's shout of "I've got blisters on my fingers", the mono version does not ! ... this makes the stereo version almost a minute longer.
· Long, Long, Long - the stereo version is fine, but on the mono, George's double-tracked vocal is embarrassingly out of synch.
· Back In The U.S.S.R - the airplane overdubs occur in different places on the mono and stereo versions.
· Honey Pie - the stereo version has a shorter guitar solo than the mono version
Considering this LP is now 37 years old, it is a really nice example of a very rare LP and has been very well looked after.
A similar copy to this (with a slightly lower number) was sold on ebay last week for £500. MINT copies often fetch £1,500+.
POSTAGE: £5 (UK), £6 (EUROPE) & £10 (REST OF THE WORLD). Please note that these postage costs include insurance.
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