BEATLES PLEASE PLEASE ME - RARE 1963 4th PRESS - NO 'RECORDING FIRST PUBLISHED'

	£		156
	$		207

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you.

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During nearly eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,600 positive feedbacks from over 2,000 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records.  Until recently I had 100% positive feedback, but I have recently received a totally unjustified negative feedback. Please see my page if you want the full story.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund. 

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PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL AND USE THE 'ZOOM' FACILITY TO GET A CLOSE-UP VIEW.

This is a very early copy of The Beatles' debut LP which looks and sounds great.

This is the 4th label design [the first two were the black and gold labels, then the first yellow and black with the extra 33 1/3, and then this one]. This design was used for two or three months in the Spring and early Summer of 1963 until it was replaced by copies with the text 'Recording first published 1963' printed on the labels.

This has the following 1st matrix numbers, 1st mothers and very early stampers (25th and 21st), putting this in the first six to seven thousand copies pressed:

Side 1: XEX 421-1N               1                  RO

Side 2: XEX 422-1N               1                  RG

Detailed description
Vinyl: The vinyl looks great and has retained its original high sheen. It has clearly been well cared for. Under bright light, hairlines, sleeve-removal lines and fine marks were visible as well as a couple of slightly-more prominent lines or marks, but there is nothing bad anywhere. I have played the entire record and it sounds excellent. There is some background noise and crackle which can be heard in the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click. There were also a few places where you get a soft click for a few seconds but there was nothing loud or intrusive anywhere and nothing which lasted for more than three or four revolutions with the exception of a very, very soft tic (barely audible and only in the left channel) which could intermittently be heard, way-off in the background, during some parts of 'Love Me Do', then for seven revolutions in the silent groove at the end of the track and then briefly (again, barely audible, intermittent and only in the left channel) at the beginning of 'P.S. I Love You' but which completely disappears long before the song finishes. Apart from this there were a few places where I noticed some minor distortion (mainly near the end of each side, and most noticeably in some of the vocal parts of 'Twist and Shout'), but there is nothing overpowering or unpleasant anywhere. This is an extremely listenable copy with very little to detract from the overall enjoyment, but grading strictly, I would play-grade side one as Excellent (or maybe just under) and side two around Excellent minus (Ex-) or Very Good plus (VG+), mainly because of the first and last tracks, although the majority of it sounds much better than that. This is a great example and was a real pleasure to listen to.

Labels: Both labels look great with no damage, writing, stickers etc, just spindle marking. The side 2 label is stamped with a ZMT tax code (the Z and T are stamped clearly either side of the spindle hole and can be seen in the close-up photo of the label. The M is at the top of the spindle hole but can't be seen in the photo because it is much less defined, although it is definitely there and can clearly be seen with a magnifying glass).

Sleeve: The sleeve is nice and clean with no damage, splits, tears or stickers etc and just normal signs of use. There is some corner-wear, creases around the edges and corners and shaping around the disk. There is slight ring-marking and some minor tarnishing on the unlaminated rear, and there is a tiny pen mark (approx 4mm) through the number '1' next to the first track, but as you can see from the photos, it is very minor and is mentioned here purely for the sake of completeness. There is no other writing or pen marks. The flip backs are all complete and intact with no tears or damage and, generally, this is one of the better E.J. Day covers I have seen for Please Please Me.

Edge wear: top/spine/bottom/opening: minimal/light/minimal/light. There is virtually no wear to the edges apart from at the corners. There are a handful of minor creases in the lamination on the spine and noticeable wear at the top corner, but the spine is solid and firm and the text is all 100% readable. There are just light signs of use at the opening.

Corner wear: There is light-to-moderate wear to three of the corners, but the top spine corner is more-heavily worn, although there is nothing unsightly anywhere and no splits.

Inner sleeve: The poly-lined Emitex inner sleeve has no splits, tears or damage, just some normal signs of age and use.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is a very decent example of one of the earliest copies.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded.  A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may send some items in packaging which has been previously used or which has been made from other cardboard packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials, but I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money.

However, to quote an exact cost for every LP is difficult because of the wide variance in weight (e.g. Abbey Road weighs around 230 grams whereas Led Zeppelin III weighs around 390 grams). But the majority of single LPs, when packed, will weigh around 500-550 grams and I have based my P&P rates on this.

Occasionally, you may end up paying a few pence more than it actually costs me and occasionally you may end up paying a few pence less than it actually costs me. If there is a significant discrepancy in your favour I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £4.50.

First 7" or CD = £2.50, each additional 7" or CD add £0.50


UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £8.55 for one to four LPs and £11.40 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £11.95, each additional LP or 12" add £2.00.

First 7" or CD = £8.80, each additional 7" or CD add £0.60.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £15.95, each additional LP or 12" add £3.50.

First 7" or CD = £10.00, each additional 7" or CD add £0.90.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.