THE BEATLES - THE COLLECTION / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab / #21,235 / VG/VG Box

$

355

The MFSL box: 14 LPs remastered at half speed from the original stereo masters and pressed on virgin vinyl by Victor Records of Japan; each LP housed in a rice-paper inner sleeve and two cardboard sleeves; an artbook featuring the full color reproductions of the original sleeves; a smaller book with photos of the band and notes (composition/production/release dates, etc.) on each song; the MFSL Geo-Disc cartridge alignment system. The Beatles Complete, on audiophile-quality vinyl, in VG/VG condition. #21,235 of the limited edition issue. A detailed accounting of the condition follows.

The box is lightly soiled and worn: small chips at the corners, rubbing and chipping to the felt bottom, light external paint and dust soiling. On the other hand, the titling is still bright, the hinges and clasp are free of damage, and the internal slots are clean and undamaged.

The art book is very clean, solid and attractive with light crease marks to the cover. The smaller book has a small stain to the edge and light curling to the wrappers. It is otherwise solid and presentable.

The Geo-Disc is fine but its sleeve has a small curl/tear at the front.

The rice paper sleeves are fine. The two card board sleeves show variable degrees of soiliing and wear, viz. corner bumps, handling discoloration and patchy yellowing (cigarettes?). A bit roughed up but without any major splits. Still presentable.

In the main, the labels and sides are quite clean: touches of spindle markings around the holes evident, but otherwise clean; bright and glossy sides with a few small marks to be detailed next.

We put the sides through a thorough visual and aural inspection. Details for each side follow, but keep in mind the general assessment and grade: clean, bright, high-quality sound. We've detailed the faults, where none are mentioned the song/side is closer to Ex or even NM than VG.

"Please Please Me": (Side 1) - scuff touching first track and a small needle mark to "Chairs"; light crackle at the lead-in, clean therafter; one or two ticks early on in "I Saw Her..." and a couple more later; light crackle between "I Saw Her..." and "Misery"; light static at beginning of "Misery", light ticking at close; light repeating tick in "Anna" with light static at close; short repeat tick and soft static in "Chairs", light static between "Chairs" and "Boys" and between "Boys" and "Ask Me Why"; tick between "Ask Me Why" and "Please Please Me"; a few dull ticks on "Please Please Me"; (Side 2) light paper scuff across the first four tracks; light static at lead-in; touches of static to "Love Me Do"; static in break b/t "Love Me Do" and "P.S...." and between "P.S...." and "Baby It's You"; 3 minor pops to "Baby It's You"; light static and crackle to "Do You Want to Know a Secret", "Taste of Honey", and "There's a Place"; two dull pops to "There's a Place."

"With the Beatles": (Side 1) - 3 hairlines, 1 touchable scratch, some "water" spots; crackle at lead-in; touches of static and crackle to "It Won't Be Long"; static audible b/t "It Won't Be Long" and "All I've Got to Do"; b/t that and "All My Loving"; light static to "All My Loving"; light ticks at break b/t "All My Loving" and "Don't Bother Me"; one small pop to "Don't Bother Me"; light static and audible crackle b/t "Don't Bother Me" and "Little Child"; audible ticks to "Little Child"; 3 audible pops between "Little Child" and "Till There Was You"; static b/t "TTWY" and "Please Mr. Postman"; (Side 2) - scuff, multiple hairlines and other smaller needle marks; thump and a skip to "Roll Over Beethoven"; audible noise between "Hold Me Tight" and "You Really Gotta Hold on Me"; repeat mild thud/tick running through "YRGHOM", "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "Devil in Her Heart", but lightening there; audible, if light, tick b/t "DIHH" and "Not a Static Time"; light static b/t "NAST" and "Money".

"A Hard Day's Night": (Side 1) - 2 faint hairlines; light static at lead-in; very soft ticks at first few bars of "If I Fell" with a light tick at the end; light ticks early in "And I Love Her"; (Side 2) - 1 faint hairline; one light pop to "I'll Cry Instead" with 5 muffled pops later; light static b/t "ICI" and "Things We Said Today"; faint static at end of "You Can't Do That" and "I'll Be Back".

"Beatles for Sale": (Side 1) - some small "water" spots, scratches to the end of "Rock & Roll Music" and "Mr. Moonlight"; light static at lead-in & early in "No Reply"; audible static b/t "NR" and "I'm a Loser"; light static in "IAL"; ticks b/t "IAL" and "Baby's in Black"; static b/t "BIB" & "Rock & Roll Music"; repeating light tick to "R&RM"; audible tick at the break and into "I'll Follow the Sun", ending quickly but recurring later, but only briefly; tick to opening of "Mr. Moonlight", fades then recurs, then fades, then recurs; (Side 2) - light static at lead-in; touch of static to "8 Days"; very light static in the break and the following break; very faint static at the start of "Every Little Thing".

"Help!": (Side 1) - one small noise toward the end of "Help"; a light tick or two at the start of "Hide Your Love Away"; mild tick at the break between "Lose That Girl" and "Ticket to Ride"; (Side 2) - 2 hairlines to track 2, a faint hairline to track 3; light ticks at end of "Act Naturally" and into the break; light static at the opening of "It's Only Love"; very soft touches of static to "You Like Me Too Much".

"Rubber Soul": (Side 1) - light static at the close of "Baby You Can Drive My Car"; light static to the break after "Norwegian Wood"; touches of light static under "You Won't See Me"; one small pop and light static under "Michelle"; (Side 2) - light static at lead-in; light static under "Girl" and "In My Life"; a few very soft ticks under "If I Needed Someone".

"Revolver": (Side 1) - 2 hairlines; touches of light static between tracks; a soft tick at the beginning of "Love You Too"; (Side 2) - light static to lead-in and under "Good Day Sunshine"; light static at breaks.

"Sgt. Pepper's...": (Side 1) - light static under "With a Little Help" and "Lucy..."; very light ticks at the end of "Fixing a Hole"; (Side 2) - soft tick at lead-in and opening of "Within You Without You", light ticking thereafter; light ticks in "...64"; light ticks to the opening of "Rita" and one pop.

"The Beatles": (Side 1) - noise-free; (Side 2) - very soft static at lead-in and beneath the opening of "Martha, My Dear", then a small skip; otherwise clean and noise-free; (Side 3) - touch of static at lead-in and opening of "Birthday"; audible lighter ticks to "Yer Blues"; light ticks & 4 moderate pops to "Mother Nature's Son"; (Side 4) - light static at lead-in and early bars of "Revolution"; touches of light static to "Honey Pie" and one moderate pop; small skip at start of "Cry Baby Cry" with light ticking at end; touches of soft static to "9" and a few light ticks.

"Yellow Submarine": (Side 1)(Side 2) - very clean throughout.

"Abbey Road": (Side 1) - 2 "water" spots and the prospect of a light in-the-groove (tramline) scratch to track 1; clean start with a touch of static, recurrent light tick to "Come Together"; light static to "Something..." and a few soft ticks; light fuzz to "Silver Hammer"; very light static audible in passing on "Oh Darling", "Octopus's Garden" and "I Want You"; (Side 2) - small shadow early on "The End" and scratch at its end; light static and ticks at the start of "Here Comes the Sun"; light static under "Because"; a couple of light ticks early in "You Never..."; very faint and short-lived tick at the beginning of "The End", repeating tick at close and into break; "Her Majesty" clean.

"Magical Mystery Tour": (Side 1) - 2 hairlines; light static at lead-in, clean therafter; soft ticks to "Fool on the Hill"; shot-lived repeating tick to "I Am the Walrus"; (Side 2) - prospect of an in-the-groove scratch to first track; mild pop at the end of "Hello, Goodbye"; one small pop on "All You Need is Love".

"Let it Be": (Side 1) - 2 hairlines to first track; a touch of scuff or needle-mark to second track; light static, 3 mild pops to "On Our Way Home"; light static after "Across the Universe"; soft static under "Let it Be"; (Side 2) - 2 small needle marks to first track; light crackle at lead-in and opening bars of "I've Got a Feeling"; two mild ticks at start of "One After 909" and one moderate pop later; repeat light ticks early in "Long and Winding Road", light static to same; touches of light and passing static to "Fer Your Blues" and "Get Back"

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