THE BEATLES ABBEY ROAD 2/1 1st PRESS Misaligned Apple No HER MAJESTY EX/MINT-
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Description
The Beatles : Abbey Road 2/1 1st Stereo Press (Misaligned Apple)
This first pressing plays to a superb standard with only minimal 'background' and clarity and definition of the audio is very impressive indeed. It has been played a number but has lost none of its original sonic quality.
This has the 'misaligned apple' on the back cover and no 'Her Majesty' credit on the S2 label. This is how you can tell it is a genuine first press.
The cover is in excellent condition with only minimal wear and it also includes the original black inner which has only a little wear.
Royal Mail shipping costs have massively increased recently and they are shown below. The cost can vary depending on what my estimate of the final sale price will be i.e. if tracking / extra insurance is required.
PCS 7088 // YEX 749 - 2 / YEX 750 - 1 // AP 1 / OT 1
The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority)
The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / T1 intro Ex- / T3 & 4 NM- / T8 Ex)
The cover is a very strong Ex
The original inner sleeve is Ex-
The labels are Ex+
Play grading
'Come Together' plays with stunning precision from the very first groove. There is no decrease in quality as the vocal begins and continues to play with great clarity and that familiar deep, rich and heavy bass sound. There are no clicks or pops and only 2/3 insignificant light ticks. A superb version with no obvious intrusion that grades as Near Mint for sure but it has to be said the vast majority is even better than that!
The intro on the classic 'Something' is faultless and as it progresses you cannot help but admire the quality of the audio. There is no interference and it plays with wonderful clarity and definition. There is just a minimal hint of mega light static in a handful of places but it is so quiet as to be negligible. I will grade as Near Mint but yes that may be underselling it.
'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' again plays beautifully with only a couple of very light ticks in the middle section. Near Mint
'Oh ! Darling' provides another example of the superb production values on offer here and plays with great precision from start to finish. There is no distortion either and this easily grades as Mint- the playback is immaculate.
'Octopus's Garden' is nigh on perfect with only a minor touch of barely noticeable static. As I often say I only mention this to be 100% 'complete' in my grading and in no way does it intrude on the superb audio. There is just the one tick right at the end of the final but Near Mint is easily deserved.
The intro on 'I Want You' plays so well with just one mega light tick and as the vocal comes in the playback is 'as new'. This 'high end' standard is maintained as it progresses and what is impressive is the depth of the sound on this classic track. For once there is no obvious distortion and I really cannot fault the power and clarity of the audio. There are 3/4 very light ticks during the instrumental piece after the first 'She's so heavy...' section but again they are so quiet and non-intrusive. From that point on it plays with great quality and the 'heavy' section is stunning! Just a hint of barely audible static at the beginning but it just gets better the further you get into it! The power and depth of the audio is so impressive - there is no distortion on the 'high octane' final section and in all honesty this is 'as new', what a finish! I will grade as Near Mint but again so much is better than that!
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'Here Comes The Sun' has only minimal static and one light click on the intro but the music can still be heard very clearly. At the start of the first verse there are 3/4 light ticks but from that point on the audio is superb and 'as new' is again the easiest way to describe it. The clarity is outstanding and each note plays with sublime precision. So this grades as Ex- for the intro but the remainder is Mint- for certainly.
The intro on 'Because' is so clean with no interference and then plays incredibly well for a relatively quiet track. There is perhaps just the lightest of background static but if you're sat a few feet away from the speakers you may well not hear it! I am sure many would call this Mint but I will be cautious and grade as Near Mint
The piano intro on 'You Never Give Me Your Money' has just one light static tick and then plays flawlessly as the vocal begins. As the tempo increases the playback is so strong and has only very minor static distortion in a couple of sections which is very much in the background anyway. This is Near Mint- and the long quiet fade out is nigh on perfect.
The segue into 'Sun King' is also very clean and the intro then plays with great clarity and only a couple of very light ticks. I do often think I should not mention ticks as one, they are so quiet and non-intrusive and just what you expect with vinyl and two, they make my grading much longer ha ha! This is a very impressive intro when you consider how quiet it is and the fact that the record is over 50 years old. Once the vocal begins the audio cannot be faulted and there are no clicks or pops etc just very clean audio. The remainder is of the same standard with barely any static and Near Mint- is fair.
The following 'trio' of songs starting with 'Mean Mr Mustard', followed by 'Polythene Pam' and ending with 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window' all play with great precision and Mint- is more than deserved as the clarity and power from start to finish is of a superb standard.
The classic 'Golden Slumbers' does have a couple of static/clicky type sounds at the start but then plays very well with just a little more static during the quieter sections. However, it is only quiet and not that intrusive and overall deserves an Ex grade.
'Carry That Weight' is very impressive and has only the bare minimum of static in the background. The instrumental section is stunning and the guitar solo could not play any better, the playback is immense! Near Mint
'The End' plays very clearly on the intro and only minimal static distortion on the final section. The 'silent' section is again very 'clean' with only 3/4 very light ticks and 'Her Majesty' ends proceedings with perfect audio. A Near Mint / Mint finish for sure.
In summary this first pressing plays to an exceptional standard overall with barely any interference. The clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is something you only find with vinyl and whilst this has been played a number of times it has lost barely any of its original quality. A stunning album.
Visual grading
The vinyl is in excellent condition and has no scratches. There are a few faint hairlines on each side and also a couple of small hairline scuffs on S2 but they have no affect on the audio at all. I would say the audio quality is better than the visual look but in no way is it in poor condition. I just have very high standards and it isn't quite as visually perfect as many of the other records that I sell! As I say it remains in excellent shape with no scratches and the hairlines are only superficial. There is some spindle wear on each side but again this shows how robust vinyl from the 60s is - the amount of times it has been played is not to the detriment of the audio now and this has obviously always been played on 'high end' equipment thus maintaining its original quality.
The Cover
The laminated G & L cover with the 'misaligned apple' on the back is in excellent condition with only a little shelf wear. The edges and thin pinched spine are 'as new' and the corners have only a minimal wear although just a little more on the one top right. The opening edge is in superb shape with barely any handling wear. The front cover is also very clean with only 3/4 very minor laminate creases, one small 'white' scuff near the bottom edge which I only just noticed and a small number of the usual small creases around the edges. The back cover is even cleaner with only a couple of minor laminate creases. A fine example overall.
The Inner Sleeve
Rarely seen with the original black inner this one is in excellent order with no side splits and just two small tears on the central 'window'. There is only minimal creasing.
The Labels
The Apple labels are in lovely condition with no marking or writing, just some spindle wear.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
PCS 7088 // YEX 749 - 2 / YEX 750 - 1 // AP 1 / OT 1
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
I SHIP WORLDWIDE BUT WHEN SENDING ITEMS TO ITALY, RUSSIA/UKRAINE AND SOUTH AMERICA I WILL ONLY SEND THEM VIA TRACKED SHIPPING AND THIS COSTS AN ADDITIONAL £5.00.
WHEN ITEMS SELL BETWEEN £50.00 AND £250.00 AND ARE TO BE SENT TO ANY INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION TRACKED SHIPPING IS AGAIN NECESSARY AND COSTS AN ADDITIONAL £7.50 AS EXTRA INSURANCE IS REQUIRED.
FOR ITEMS OVER £250.00 PLEASE CONTACT ME AS THERE WILL BE A HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUM AND WILL HAVE TO BE SENT VIA A COURIER SERVICE AND THE COSTS CAN VARY. THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE UP TO £250.00 HENCE THE NEED FOR ANOTHER SERVICE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT AND THEN WAIT FOR THE INVOICE. PLEASE ONLY BID IF YOU AGREE WITH THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, MANY THANKS.
COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED WHEN MORE THAN ONE ITEM IS WON.
ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PLACED IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE THE COVER IN ORDER TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS IN THE POST. EVERYTHING IS THEN PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.
UK Postage Rates (First Class)
LPs/12" singles : £5.75 (recorded) up to 1kg then £0.95 per extra item
7" singles / CDs : £1.95 then £0.35 per extra
EUROPE (Standard)
LPs/12" singles : £10.95 then £1.75 per extra
7" singles / CDs : £6.45 then £0.95 per extra
REST OF WORLD (Standard)
LPs/12" singles : £18.95 then £1.95 per extra
7" singles / CDs : £7.95 then £1.45 per extra
I WILL LEAVE FEEDBACK ONCE I HAVE RECEIVED IT. THIS IS SO I KNOW THE ITEM HAS BEEN RECEIVED SAFELY AND THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH IT. IF YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE LEAVING FEEDBACK AND I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM, 100% GUARANTEED. I WILL ALSO PAY THE RETURN POSTAGE COST IF I AM AT FAULT - yes this can happen as I am only human!!
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