The Beatles : Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band 1/1 1st Mono Press 1967

This first mono pressing may well be the finest example that I have seen...or heard.  I purchased this recently from a collector who purchased his records to 'own' as collectors' items rather than to play and I am confident this has only seen 3/4 spins at most and indeed there is barely any spindle wear.  The vinyl is visually stunning with a pristine finish and the audio is as 'clean' as the day it was first released.  The clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is just on another level and that shines through on 'She's Leaving Home' for example which so often plays with some static distortion but it plays to perfection here.  The only 'flaw' is two clicks on 'Within You Without You' but apart from that it plays with sublime clarity.  There are so many highlights i.e. every track (!) but the classic 'A Day In The Life' really does stand out as it quite simply plays 'as new' with no 'background'.

The iconic cover is in beautiful condition and has clearly hardly ever been handled, it is almost 'as new' with no real wear it truly is a stunning example.  The original red 'Fools' inner is also in great condition with just one very small split and the cut out insert card is indeed like new.

PMC 7027 // XEX 637-1 / XEX 638-1 // MGT 1 / AGM 10

The audio on S1 ranges between Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T1 third line G)  

The gatefold is Near Mint+

The labels are Mint-

The red 'Fools' inner is Ex+

The cut out insert is Mint

The vinyl is in beautiful condition and if you didn't know better you would think it was pressed only yesterday!  It still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and the only wear is one tiny barely visible needle 'speck' on S2, you can only see it really with a magnifying glass!  I cannot emphasise enough just how pristine the vinyl is!  There are obviously no marks, scratches or groove wear and I cannot find any hairlines either although I'm sure there must be a handful.  The run out grooves are super clean and the labels are in fantastic condition - as stated there is barely any spindle wear with nothing on S1 and only two tiny traces on S2 and the KT tax code stands proud on S1.  A stunning vinyl in every respect.

Play grading  

The audience intro on 'Sgt. Pepper's...' has no 'background' and the classic intro itself plays with tremendous clarity and definition.  Being a mono pressing you can already tell it has a greater depth and warmth and this is exemplified by it being such a pristine clean vinyl.  The vocal sections then play 'as new' with no interference and no distortion on the top end.  This is easily a Mint start to the album the playback is stunning.

The segue into 'With A Little Help From My Friends' is faultless and from then on plays with impeccable quality.  Once again the sonic quality provides more evidence of a vinyl that has hardly been played.  There are no dust ticks let alone anything else and Mint is again deserved.  So far the audio for a 55+ years old vinyl is breathtaking!

The intro on 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' so often has some static distortion but there is zero here!  Each verse and chorus then play with outstanding clarity and the depth of the audio is just off the scale!  The long fade out has no 'background' and...you know the grade...

Harrison's 'clang clang' intro on 'Getting Better' regularly plays with static distortion but once again the audio here is just perfect.  It continues in the same precise way with no intrusion whatsoever.  Pure unadulterated Mint audio from the first note to the last and as always every track is played in full so I can give a 'complete' grading.

'Fixing A Hole' is of the same 'high end' standard with no ticks, clicks, pops or static - no interference of any kind.  I cannot stress enough just how sublime the audio on this album is so far.  The clarity and depth is 'as new' there is no other way to describe it.  This truly is audio of the highest calibre.  Another Mint track.

As many audiophiles will know 'She's Leaving Home' is often affected by various sound issues but I am pleased to say this is quite possibly the 'cleanest' version I have ever heard on any pressing!  From the very note you are immediately struck by the sheer clarity on offer here....and it continues!  So often affected by irritating static and an almost 'muddy' sound the audio here is FANTASTIC through every verse and chorus.  I am not sure I've ever heard a Mint mono version of this track but we have one here!

'Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!' ends the side with superlative audio once more.  From start to finish there is no interference and the instrumental in particular are stunning.  That's not to say Lennon's vocals do not play well, they do!  It's just that the clarity and definition on the instrumental sections are off the scale good!  And especially on the wurlitzer sections - this is a mono record being played through a stereo set up and yet there is no loss in audio quality and for a final track to play so clearly is a genuine rarity.  Another Mint classic and wow what a side!

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The intro on 'Within You Without You' again pays testament to how well this vinyl has been preserved and plays with great precision and no interference.  The first verse plays very cleanly but there are two clicks followed by a light tick on the 'when they pass away' line caused by what I think is a tiny needle drop mark but that is the only negative here.  Aside from that it plays with a stunning clarity of sound where each note is as sharp and precise as the day it was released back in '67 and when I say stunning I mean it!  The playback is crystal clear and there is no sign of any static or any other intrusion and in a sense this is difficult to grade.  98/99% is Mint but yes there are two clicks.  Let's say that one line is G but the rest as Mint I think that is fair.

Normal service is resumed with 'When I'm Sixty-Four' which plays with imperious quality throughout with no 'background' at all not even a solitary dust tick.  Again I cannot impress enough just how incredible the audio is and you would not be disappointed if you had just bought this record brand new!  That's the clarity of sound we have here.  Mint

'Lovely Rita' plays with immaculate audio with no intrusion.  I am now running out of suitable adjectives but suffice to say this is 'as new' from start to finish.  Another Mint track.

The 'intro' on 'Good Morning, Good Morning' has no static distortion (a rarity) and the opening vocal has no 'background', the clarity is again amazing.  It's interesting to note that there is literally no distortion on any of Harrison's guitar and that is extremely rare!  Every section plays perfectly and that includes the farmyard outro!  100% Mint in every way.

The classic intro on the 'Sgt. Pepper's...' reprise is STUNNING!  From the countdown, through Ringo's percussion and then the 'heavy' bass section the audio is so powerful and the depth on a level I have never heard before.  The vocals are Harrison's brief solos are equally as strong and Mint is an easy grade to give.

The segue into 'A Day In The Life' could not play with any greater clarity and John's opening vocal has a clarity you so rarely find on these first pressings today.  Not one tick etc just pure Mint audio.  As the music builds during the first 'crescendo' section there is no distortion on the top end and the next more up-tempo verse has no 'background' either.  As I sometimes say I just cannot believe what I am listening to here!  The 'orchestral' section more than keeps up the standard and the final verse from John vocal again plays with perfect clarity.  The final crescendo builds with sublime precision and again there is no distortion.  The long piano fade out is so clean I can't say I've ever heard better.  Remarkably there is no 'background' at all and the 'nonsense' track as the needle runs off plays perfectly also!  This classic plays with unbelievable clarity and definition throughout and demands to be graded as Mint it is a stunning version in every sense.

In summary this first mono pressing is as close to perfect as is possible.  In all my years on eBay I have never heard a Sgt. Pepper's with a clarity of sound as impressive as this and it is only that very brief moment during 'Within You Without You' that keeps this from being the perfect record!  I hope I have described it adequately because 99% is 'as new' no exaggeration with a sonic quality that is quite clearly from a vinyl that has hardly ever been on a turntable.  As I mentioned earlier the previous owner preserved his collection beautifully and this record and cover is easily the most stunning example I have seen or heard in many a year.  'She's Leaving Home' is a prime example - I have never heard it play with such stunning quality and especially on a true mono pressing.  The mono pressings give a greater depth and warmth of sound, a commonly held view, so when you find a vinyl as clean as this the sonic quality is just further enhanced you could say.  An absolutely stunning album with just two blips!

The Gatefold, red 'Fool' Inner & Insert

The iconic G&L cover is in fantastic condition and is without question the most stunning example I have seen in a long time.  There is NO obvious shelf wear!  Ok there is a small faded area on the front cover top right where there was maybe a price sticker but it is only very minor.  It has retained its original shape and structure incredibly well and the edges and spine have no wear whatsoever.  Only the bottom right corner has a tiny rub and I do mean tiny!   The two opening edges are also in pristine condition.  The front and back cover still have their immaculate glossy 'look' and the inside of the gatefold is as fresh as the day it was produced!  The colours are radiant and the flipbacks are still 100% attached along the top edge.  It might sound like an odd thing to say but it has that 'fresh' smell of a new cover, only typical of a Sgt. Pepper's cover I hasten to add.  It doesn't get any better than this, a STUNNING cover in every way.

The original red 'Fools' inner is in lovely condition with only one very small 4cm split on the bottom edge.  There is no marking and barely any creasing.  The cut out insert is 'brand new' with no wear of any kind.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

PMC 7027 // XEX 637-1 / XEX 638-1 // MGT 1 / AGM 10

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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