The Beatles Abbey Road 1st Press Apple LP 1969 With 1st Press Cover (No Her Maj)

	£		37
	$		49

I am selling off some of my collection and over the next few months and will be listing some very nice and very rare albums and singles from the 50's through to the 90's!! I will be listing The Beatles, Cream, Purple, Zeppplin, The Stones, Small Faces, Floyd, Creedence Clearwater, Beach Boys and many, many more so please add me to your watch list as I may have something you need to help complete you collection!!!!

Artist or Band: The Beatles 

Album Title: Abbey Road 

Producer(s): George Martin

Cat Number: PCS 7088 

Label/Format: Apple – Original Apple format with Matt surface.

Country of Manufacture: UK

Track list: Side 1: Come Together; Something; Maxwell's Silver Hammer; Oh! Darling; Octopus's Garden; I Want You.

 Side 2: Here Comes The Sun; Because: You Never Give Me Your Money; Sun King; Mean Mr Mustard; Polythene Pam; She Came In Through The Bathroom Window; Golden Slumbers; Carry That Weight; The End; Her Majesty (Not Credited)

Matrix Nos: Side 1: YEX-749-4 Side 2: YEX-750-3 

Stamper Codes: Side 1: 3 and LT Side 2: 2 and OA

Other Etchings: Side 1: HTM   Side 2: HTM

Musicians: John Lennon: Lead, Harmony and Background Vocals; Rhythm, Lead and Acoustic Guitars; Acoustic and Electric Pianos; Hammond Organ and Moog Synthesizer; White Noise generator: Sound Effects; Percussion;Paul McCartney: Lead, Harmony and Background Vocals; Bass, Rhythm, Lead and Acoustic Guitars; Acoustic and Electric Pianos, Hammond organ and Moog Synthesizer; Sound Effects; Wind Chimes; Handclaps; percussion; George Harrison: Harmony and Background Vocals; Lead, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitars; Bass on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight"; Hammond Organ; Harmonium and Moog Synthesizer; Handclaps and Percussion; Lead Vocals (on "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun"); Ringo Starr: Drums; Percussion;Anvil on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer";Background Vocals; Lead Vocals on "Octopus's Garden"

Brief Artist & Album Info: "ABBEY ROAD"  is the eleventh album by English rock band The Beatles, released on 26 September 1969 by Apple Records. The recording sessions for the album were the last in which all four Beatles participated. Although "Let It Be" was the final album that the Beatles completed before the band's dissolution in April 1970, most of the album had been recorded before the Abbey Road sessions began. A double A-side single from the album, "Something"/"Come Together", released in October, topped the Billboard chart in the US.

Though "Abbey Road" was an immediate commercial success and reached number one in the UK and US, it initially received mixed reviews, some critics describing its music as inauthentic and bemoaning the production's artificial effects. Many critics now view the album as the Beatles' best and rank it as one of the greatest albums of all time. In particular, George Harrison's  contributions, "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" ", are considered to be among the best songs he wrote for the group. The album's cover, which features the four band members walking across a Zebra Crossing outside Abbey Road Studios, has become one of the most famous and imitated images in the history of popular music.

After the unpleasant recording sessions for the proposed "Get Back" album (ultimately released in 1970 as "Let It Be", Paul McCartney suggested to music producer George Martin that the group get together and make an album "the way we used to do it", free of the conflict that had begun following the death of Brian Epstein and carried over to the sessions for the "White Album". Martin agreed, but on the strict condition that all the group, particularly John Lennon allow him to produce the record in the same manner as earlier albums and that discipline would be adhered to.

CONDITION

Labels: The Green Apple Labels are Both in SUPERB condition with Only slight signs of Spindle Wear or Spider Marks to be seen. There is no Writing, Label Lifts or Marks anywhere.I would easily grade these as Excellent!!!!

Vinyl: Plays throughout absolutely Fine with very Little background noise. There are the Odd couple of  Pops and Clicks but no Jumps. The record still contains that glossy sheen though there are several very minimal surface marks and thumbnails to be seen, these in NO way interfere with the Reasonable sound quality. This Album plays up to its high visual grading with hardly anything of note to fault. It offers strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. A typical polished production from George Martin. Minimal surface sound and no tracking issues. This play-grade proved a real pleasure when playing this fast disappearing Apple album. It will prove quite difficult to find a significantly better copy and merits a very strong recommendation. I would grade both sides as Very Good ++!!!!

Cover/Sleeve: The cover was designed by Apple Records creative director Kosh. It is the only original UK Beatles album sleeve to show neither the artist name nor the album title on its front cover, which was Kosh's idea, despite EMI claiming the record would not sell without this information. He later explained that "we didn't need to write the band's name on the cover ... They were the MOST famous band in the world"

The front cover design, a photograph of the group on a Zebra crossing, was based on ideas sketched by McCartney, and taken on 8 August 1969 outside EMI Studios in Abbey road. At 11:35 that morning, photographer lain Macmillan was given only ten minutes to take the photo whilst he stood on a step-ladder and a policeman held up traffic behind the camera. Macmillan took six photographs, which McCartney later examined with a magnifying glass before deciding which of the shots would be used upon the album sleeve.

This is a  Fully Laminated format. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.

What a Fantastic front picture. The Laminate still retains a Fine shine and Clarity without any Dulling. However there are several Very light Laminate Creases (Not Splits) to the front of the cover.The spine is in brilliant order, with all writing readable.The Opening edges are slightly Frayed. This cover is Incredibly difficult to find in Excellent or Better condition simply because of it's design and age. However I would be happy enough to grade it as Very Good ++!!!!

Cover/Sleeve Summary: Not seen often, this one is in Very Good condition with only gentle clues of age, any blemishes mostly light – a few laminate creases are Incredibly hard to Avoid at the Barest minimum. This classic cover should (as described) please many collectors.

Inner Sleeve: There is hardly any creasing and all edges are unsplit with no repairs. So graded as Very Good++!!!!

Album Played For Grading: I play/grade ALL records I offer before submitting, I also play them in their 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. I use a Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge and Linn Lingo, with my Linn system and Forest Totem Speakers. This system is guaranteed  to pick up any distortion or interference within the sound.

Grading: In my opinion I REFUSE to believe that there is ANY record that can be truly graded as Mint, the BEST that could be offered is Mint- (minus)!!!! Especially so from the 50's, 60's, 70's or even up to the present date!!!! Even copies bought new today would have some form of imperfection on the Record or Cover!!!! Under that assumption I will NEVER use the word Mint in any of my descriptions and Mint- is the HIGHEST grade I would ever offer. So I will only from Excellent, Good or Poor with a -(minus), +(plus) or ++(plus,plus)!!!!

Bid With Confidence: I take great care and pride with what I sell and offer a FULL money back guarantee, in the unlikely event of the buyer not agreeing with my description. As long as the item is repacked and returned to me in the same condition it was sent.

Postage: All of my records will be professionally packaged. I use Dependapack Vinyl Record Mailers that have locking tab closures with strong locking tab record wraps. I also use corrugated record stiffeners and extra strong tape marked with Handle With Care. This is to ensure your Valuable Record/s are protected whilst in transit. I will add a nominal fee of .40p to my postage and packaging for this service. Any Record valued at £100 or more I would prefer to send by Special Deliver/International Signed For.