Beatles LP White Album White Vinyl UNDOCUMENTED Consigned Alternate Mastering NM

$

69

(Note:  If you win multiple items in a week’s listings, please wait for the end of all of the auctions for me to invoice you, so that you can take advantage of my combined shipping offer.  Thanks!)

READ THIS! These records are NOT sold for perfect sound quality. They’re sold for their scarcity and VISUAL grading. They’ve been in storage for a decade, and they WILL play with surface noise that can be addressed with D4 or a VPI cleaning.  I can’t test-play at the minute. Please don’t bid if this is a problem for you.

So with that said…

Beatles LP White Album White Vinyl UNDOCUMENTED Consigned Alternate Mastering, NM!

Most collectors are aware that there was a consignment plant that was tasked with pressing experimental copies, such as the famous clear and grey marbled copies, or the mud pressings that had black streaking throughout the vinyl.  Pressed just a few days ahead of the August 14 release in 1978, these copies have the hand-etched date, 8-11-78 in the dead wax.

But there’s a far less obvious copy, which may be an alternate Capitol-mastered version of the white vinyl White album.  There are no visual differences, with the exception of the dead wax markings which read, “ALT 8-11-78.”  NO commercially released copies have that advance date in the dead wax except for the experimental copies, so there’s a strong likelihood that the “ALT” is an abbreviation for “alternate.”

The sonic differences in different masters has more to do with discrepancies in highs, lows and midranges, rather than alternate mixes.  In other words, in the same sense that the recalled George Harrison compressed mix of the original 1968 White Album was sonically different, but the same mix, so this copy is sonically different from the released white vinyl version. 

**(I do remember that there’s a piano line in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that comes out a little better in the negative space after the “I don’t know why” and “I don’t know how” lines that isn’t as prominent on the released Apple LP.)**

**Audiophiles are more likely to notice sonic differences than the rest of us.  But they will know when they A/B with a commercial copy.

How do you tell if you have one of these?

**Consignment pressing with the concentric groove closer to the outer edge of the label.  See compere photo.

**Cover and inserts are much flimsier.  Photos are the same consistency as notebook paper, and the poster isn’t much thicker.  Cover is pretty floppy, lacking structure like the commercially-released copies.

**Dead wax has the additional hand-etching date very lightly, “ALT 8-11-78.”** 

Commercially-released white vinyl copies pressed from Los Angeles, Winchester and Jacksonville all lack this date, as do most consignment copies. Only the Alternate Mastering pressing has the “ALT” designation. 

The commercial white vinyl album was issued three days later on Aug. 14, 1978. 

**Most likely, the Alternate Mastering pressing never made it to the public.  I’m guessing on that, because you never see these, just like you never see the other experimental pressings for sale.

** Try and find one in the next decade. 

This copy will be your only opportunity for a very long time.  Don’t give it as a Christmas present.

Vinyl--- NM/NM.  NM/NM.

Plates--- G11/G11. G2/G9.  All four sides have the machine-stamped “Mastered by Capitol” disclaimer.  But there are no Capitol insignias present.

All four sides have the “ALT 8-11-78” hand-etch very lightly.

Cover--- VG.  Still pressed in high gloss, this cover is thinner than the commercially-released white vinyl cover.  Has yellowed pretty uniformly.  NO SPLITS.

Bottom right corner has a water stain.  Top left corner has a push-in.  Back cover lacks the word, “Stereo” in the upper right corner.

Poster--- NM.  Looks like it has never been opened, but I opened it for the photo.  Thinner paper stock than the commercially-released copy.

Photos--- NM/NM/NM/NM.  All four photos have the same very thin paper stock than the commercially-released copy.  George’s photo has the “Printed in U.S.A.” circle from previous issues, the rest have the “SEBX” catalogue numbers and designations.

George’s photo has not been swapped out, since it has the same notebook paper consistency that the others do.  And for some reason, it’s also the only photo that hasn’t yellowed.

Labels--- NM/NM. NM/NM.  I played Side 1 just once in the early 80’s, never played the other sides.

Capitol Inner Sleeves--- VG.  Plain white sleeves have a slight wax texture.  Lots of wrinkles.  NO SPLIT SEAMS.

Generic inner sleeves will be provided, so as not to damage your original Capitol-consigned inner sleeves en route.

As these records have been in storage for many years, they will play back with crackling and tics, however; a good moisturizing and cleaning with either D4 Discwasher or a VPI machine always clears them up.  Thanks!)

Note:  All LP’s ship outside of their album covers in order not to damage the covers during shipment.

CAUTION!  There has been a startling increase in bidders canceling their bids.  A word to the wise, I have started blocking any and all bidders who retract their bids regardless of the reason.

Please don’t bid unless you’re willing to honor your amount, okay? Thanks!

(Please note:  Regarding play-testing, my Technics turntable has somehow seized.  The tone arm is stuck in the up position, and I can’t get it to fully return to its cradle.  Is there anyone out there, who can tell me if this is an easy fix?  Thanks!) 

Check out my other auctions for more hard-to-find vinyl!

Shipping is $5.38 for Media Mail for up to 3 single or double albums, excluding boxed sets within the U.S.  $5.38 covers shipping for up to 5 singles within the U.S., and within the same auction week.

Winners in all other countries will be charged actual shipping to their locations, so please wait to be invoiced.  You will be quoted for the cheapest shipping to your country that the US post office can afford me.  Please let me know if you would prefer to pay for a faster means of shipping, but do NOT ask me to declare packages as gifts, or any other means of defrauding the postal services.  Much appreciated.

I ship on Mondays and Thursdays.  This means that immediate payments will be shipped out the following morning, and later payments must wait until the first available Monday or Thursday after payment is received.  Please pay within 7 days of the auction ending.  I do leave negative feedback for non-payers.

Money back guarantee if you're not happy with your purchase.