THE BEATLES Sgt Pepper VERY EARLY UK 1967 STEREO, ALL ELEMENTS EX or BETTER.

	£		127
	$		168

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers will now be blocked at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: THE BEATLES

Album Title: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Producer(s): George Martin.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; With a Little Help From My Friends; Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds; Getting Better; Fixing a Hole; She’s Leaving Home; Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite.

Side 2: Within You Without You; When I’m Sixty-Four; Lovely Rita; Good Morning Good Morning; Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise); A Day in the Life.

Label/Format: Parlophone – matt, smooth surfaces. Side one has the embossed ‘K T’ tax codes and both are crisp and sharp.

Label Conditions: Both in superb condition: ultra clean, fresh and highly attractive with only light, fine and faint spindle marks. In terms of numbers, hardly any on side one, and only light on two. For one of the world’s most popular albums, this one appears to be very little played.

Cat Number: PCS 7027.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 137 grams. A very good weight. I have had heavier and some lighter, this one around average.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Very few Beatles standard albums are rare and this is not a hard one to find. Stereo copies may be a little more difficult than mono I suppose but hardly difficult. The main factor is the condition: this album sold in vast numbers, but so many were played almost to destruction on heavy tracking vintage record players. So often the beautiful sound ruined by groove wear, scratched and grubby, dulled surfaces. Finding one only very lightly played and offering impressive clean sound is far harder. This is a lovely complete all-round example.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: YEX 637-1 / YEX 638-1

Stamper Codes: 1 A / 2 T [these can be considered very low and early]

Brief Artist & Album Info: Any music lover, collector and Beatles fan will know most all there is to know already and I will concentrate on conditions. A copy of ‘Pepper’ has to be a minimum of around excellent visually with even better sound for me to offer – finding low grade copies is very easy. Basically what is here is a standard stereo and complete issue ‘Sgt Pepper’, no wide spines or 4th proof covers, but very early mother and stamper codes. All elements are in super condition and the record looks and plays beautifully with little unwanted. Copies like this are harder to find for sure, and I think many, if not most collectors will enjoy this copy.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: a fully laminated gatefold format with two external flipbacks on the top edges of the centrefold – these were later removed on subsequent issues. This has the correct PCS 7027 Stereo cover number. Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. Includes psych ‘flame’ inner sleeve and insert sheet.

Laminate – Front & Back: This is arguably undergraded, both front and back look very nice indeed. Both sides retain excellent shine, freshness and clarity with no lifting and minimal traces of dulling – a little near the top edge of the back. A couple of mild press marks on the front that only really show viewed under angled light, and only a couple of laminate creases, these on the back near the left edge. The graphics both sides retain impressive colour with no faded areas.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside gatefold is superb and looks practically as-made. It even retains a fine ‘creak’ on opening and resistence as well. So it will not open to flat without breaking that fully intact and unsplit central fold hinge laminate, as can be seen in my picture. The flipbacks are immaculate and without any pulling or grubbiness to their ends.

Top Edges: Both straight, unworn or chipped with super-smooth surfaces. Also flat and parallel, they hardly get better.

Bottom Edges: Same again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and both quite sharp with any burr or thickening light as seen viewed end-on. Both edges are open to store the record and the insert – both guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. The fine exposed strips are fully present where the laminate ends naturally short. Both strips show little wear at all.

Spine and Text: This cover has the standard more round and narrow spine. They are more prone to wear and often shed their laminate protection. This, like most in this format, has shed a little here and there. A little grubbiness to the exposed card, but the majority of the text is present with little wear. Often these are seen threadbare, split and in a real mess without any text at all. So all-in-all, this is a very respectable spine which is always the most vulnerable area on this famous old cover.

Corners: Any tip rubs are tiny and very light indeed, hardly anything in fact. Excellent or better shape retained, that being quite unusual.

Cover Summary: A very fine all-round example that remains attractive and appears only lightly handled or ‘used’. Above average and setting a high standard. Not perfect enough for the perfectionist but many collectors will enjoy it.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): made with very thin and unforgiving paper, most of these are split on all seam edges, badly creased, torn, rubbed or missing altogether – some even have substantial ringwear. It has the ‘Made in Great Britain’ and ‘Patents Applied For’ text and is in very fine condition. These were never lined, so with just the tiny bottom edge central split from quite a heavy record is almost the least to be expected. This I neatly repaired to eliminate risk of it widening in the future, and being honest, you would hardly even know it was ever there. No hard creasing, just a little natural crinkle that few can hope to escape. Generally clean, still fresh and attractive with any rim impression gentle with virtually no disturbance or rubbing to the coloured areas. These ARE getting hard to find like this, I consider this inner almost exceptional now.

The Insert: PRACTICALLY MINT: clean, attractive with no creasing or rubbing, all edges crisp and sharp – it looks as new as any ever will. This has deep rich colour, and is of course guaranteed original and Printed in England.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: viewed critically under bright angled light, this does have fine whispy surface marks but absolutely NO penetrating scratches at all. When viewed in normal room light, there appears just one very minor, very fine surface scuff, anything else hardly even shows. Very clean, fresh with excellent shine and very solidly pressed. This appears very little played and it should please many collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: Any collector needing a quality pressed stereo copy of this record will want one that not only looks in super condition, but sounds the same – this copy has very impressive overall sound with very little to fault. It plays even above it’s visual grading with strong distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear with no tracking issues*. Sound quality is astonishing with a very wide dynamic range and super detailed sound, another George Martin masterpiece of production. This record has little unwanted – the odd gentle sporadic tick being near impossible to avoid on such vintage, very popular pieces. Especially so with Beatles classics that were usually played into submission. Few available copies will match or better this significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp and remains fully focused with breathtaking sound. The detail and sounds locked into these vintage, wear-free grooves is astonishing. This remains one of the most important albums ever issued and sounds very different to the mono version – both being essential. An album of amazing depth with complex sounds and quite stunning stereo imagery that still thrills even today. The challenging ‘She’s Leaving Home’ plays incredibly well and minimal hint of that irritating crackle and clipping most seem to inherit. This being my benchmark song on the album. I usually find if this critical and unforgiving track plays well, the entire album usually does too, which was the case here. Any stresses to those critical high frequencies being minuscule, this record has impressive sound. I have heard some copies of this album that would make most listeners cringe, with break-up, noise and distortion on the vocals, which is all too common. I will not offer copies like that. We all know what these old records were usually played on and the horrendous results. Minor blemishes have to be acceptable being realistic – (but only just) – but copies with any more than little and very minor, I simply refuse to offer – if they don’t please me why would they please others? Nothing of any note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this landmark album. A copy that could prove difficult to find significantly better. Any tiny sound blemishes (of which there are barely any) are simply brushed aside by the breathtaking clean sound and on a highly revealing, clinical turntable that this reveals all the good (as well as the bad). With jaw-dropping detail and dynamics, this leads directly into the recording studio itself and does it very high justice.

End Piece: To sum up: ‘Sgt Pepper’ is not even remotely rare in mono or stereo, it sold millions. I have found both formats pretty easy to find if needed. It’s the conditions that make the difference, especially for the audio quality. Only one in many will withstand being played to satisfaction on an LP12 or other similar high-end turntable. This can be played and enjoyed to high satisfaction. It gave me that rare tingle factor that only the great recordings ever can with the most incredible detail and dynamics possible. Just the odd tiny reminder you are listening to a 47-year-old record, but I have no personal issues with that. Few will better this significantly – a very impressive example – ENJOY!

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Blue moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean it’s good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Blue moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is minuscule in over 14 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.