Beatles PLEASE PLEASE ME rare 1963 UK MONO 4th PRESS LP VG+ vinyl+audio

	£		41
	$		54

THE BEATLES - PLEASE PLEASE ME

A rare and sought after copy of this 1963 UK fourth pressing on the UK yellow/black Parlophone label, MONO PMC 1202

The dead wax matrix numbers are :

Side 1  XEX 421 - 1N with stampers "2" and "R P" at 9.30 o'clock and 3.30 o'clock respectively

Side 2  XEX 422 - 1N with stampers "1" and "R G" at 9.30 o'clock and 3.30 o'clock respectively

The appearance of the vinyl is excellent-. Completely flat and very heavy duty, and when viewed in normal daylight still retaining a beautiful glossy and jet black lacquered sheen with just a few small, very light surface scuffs in evidence when the vinyl tilted at the right angle. Under a brighter light it is possible to make out more wispy hairlines and some light surface scuffs indicating that the vinyl has had a fair number of plays but there is nothing here that is "feelable" or that appears below the surface and certainly the quality of the audio adds further credence to this. Overall I would grade the vinyl condition as a strong VG.

The labels are excellent. No blemishes whatsoever, apart from just a few very fine, faint spindle traces adjacent to the centre hole and only visible under a bright light. Note the absence of the "Recording first published 1963" text which indicates a genuine fourth pressing.

The front-side laminated and flip back Ernest J. Day outer sleeve is VG.  All edges remain firm with barely any scuffing and that includes the rigid spine where all writing remains perfectly legible. Each corner remains a well defined right angle but with a little scuffing which is slightly more pronounced on the top left corner and the bottom right corner where the scuffing is accompanied by a 0.5cm edge split right on the corner itself. The iconic front side photography is completely intact with a rich, vibrant appearance - very impressive. There is just a little, sporadic laminate lifting adjacent to the bottom edge where there are also a few small "nicks". The reverse side has no doodles or unwanted writing, and the bottom and side flip backs are in excellent condition. Unfortunately there is a brown line of tape residue on the top flip back (see photo) with further scuffing/tear to the original flip back due no doubt to a previous owner attempting to remove the original sellotape strip. Note that the "Ernest J. Day" credit in the bottom right corner further authenticates this as the rarer 4th pressing.

Finally, the quality of the audio is VG+. There is impressive mono tone and clarity throughout and with no distortion, even on the higher frequencies and at higher volume. No skips or clicks and just the occasional hint of some very light background crackle during some of the quieter interludes and at the beginning of each side : nothing intrusive with every track still making for a great listen. I suspect that this record has had far less than it's deserved number of plays and it shows...truly impressive audio throughout.

The tracks are :

Side 1 :

1. I SAW HER STANDING THERE

2. MISERY

3. ANNA (GO TO HIM)

4. CHAINS

5. BOYS

6. ASK ME WHY

7. PLEASE PLEASE ME

Side 2 :

1. LOVE ME DO

2. P.S. I LOVE YOU

3. BABY IT'S YOU

4. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET

5. A TASTE OF HONEY

6. THERE'S A PLACE

7. TWIST AND SHOUT

Comes with original  "USE EMITEX CLEANING CLOTH..." tracing paper lined, die-cut inner sleeve with a 3cm seam split at the top of the left edge, some light fraying on the top edge, some minor scuffing/marking towards the bottom left corner, and some minor creasing, but still fully functional. Note that I always post the record in a new plain white inner sleeve in order to protect the original.

In summary a VG+ audio quality and VG sleeve quality copy of this rare and sought after 1963 UK 4th pressing MONO Beatles classic - a worthy addition to any Beatles record collection and only continuing to gain in value.

 If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'll do my best to oblige. 

If this record interests you then take a look at my other 60's & 70's classic vinyl listings.

A bit about myself : I have been collecting vinyl for more than 48 years and have amassed a huge collection covering a varied genre, but mostly of 1960's and 70's origin. Most of my records were originally bought by myself for my own collection, but during the past 30 years I have embellished my collection by buying records from a variety of sources : friends/acquaintances, car boot sales, auctions, and even through putting up a "vinyl wanted" notice in my wife's shop! I am now retired and take great delight in being able to spend more time scouring the country and attending boot sales and auctions in the hope of unearthing more vinyl gems...I am 63 years of age now and am still discovering bands and music of the 60's and 70's that I have never come across before. Wonderful! Richard

My ebay feedback speaks for itself so rest assured that you are buying from a trusted seller and in the very unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase just e-mail me and I'll sort out the problem. I offer a "no quibble" refund policy. 

On the subject of postage, I take great care in the packaging of all items, using a proper vinyl cardboard mailer along with at least two cardboard stiffeners. I take great care in separating the record from the outer sleeve in order to help prevent sleeve damage in transit and I always insert the vinyl, outer sleeve and inner into a clear plastic sleeve, thus adding further protection. 

For this item postage & packaging will be :

for the UK Royal Mail 1st class : £3.00, 

for continental Europe Royal Mail 1st class/Airmail : £8

and for Rest of the World Royal Mail 1st class/Airmail : £11. 

 I do discount post & packaging costs for multiple purchases. I do NOT profit from postage.

Good luck with your bidding! Richard

NOTE : My vinyl descriptions comply with the official Record Collector vinyl grading guidelines :

Mint

The records itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items, such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent

The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and /or creasing.

Very Good

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good

The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.

Fair

The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents are torn, stained and/or defaced

Poor

The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents are badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad

The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler