Beatles White Album German Stereo SMO 1968 1/1/1/1

	£		39
	$		51

Beatles White Album German Stereo  

Early (1968) German issue No 0396597

Top loader SMO 2051/2052

YEX 709-1 /YEX 710-1 / YEX 711-1 / YEX 712-1 
this is an early pressing, later pressing have ‘manufactured in Germany” on runout

“Stereo” printed on rear jacket sleeve r/h top corner

ELECTROLA GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H., Köln-Braunsfeld
Printed and made in Germany by Heinrich Nicolaus G.m.b.H.

Trivia: The Beatles or "The White album" as it became better known was released on 22nd November, 1968. The colourful artwork that had adorned previous albums was absent here, instead the ‘double wallet’ design merely had The BEATLES embossed on the front all white cover. This was also the Beatles first album to appear on the Apple label, the change from Parlophone to Apple had first taken place with the release of the "Hey Jude" single in August, 1968. Despite being a double album it entered the UK chart at no. 1 and occupied that position for eight of the 22 weeks it spent in the chart. The US situation was even more impressive with a nine week stay in the top spot during an initial chart run of 65 weeks.

Sleeve:  Gate-fold sleeve, top loader. Overall a clean copy in as much as no grubby age related handling marks or writing, light edge wear on top opening edge (only to expected as it’s a top loader), small nick on top edge, all edges straight, readable spine, light marks on back sleeve (see photos for clearer clarification). Generally well looked after copy given age/condition, strong VG+ towards Ex-

Four (John, Paul, George and Ringo) pictures, all in nice condition, no rips or splits, light age related discolouration on back only,  strong VG+ /EX-

Comes with new poly-lined inners - however original black inners are included, but these are hanging on by their last thread, one has actually completely split - these are free

Labels: Classic Apple labels, all four are clean (no grubby marks or writing) very light play only,  graded clean EX- towards EX (see photos)

Vinyl:  Visually all four sides retain original glossy bright sheen - no nasties or groove wear, light (feint) needle lines and a few wispy lines from sleeve removable these are difficult to see and primarily only visible under light. Lovely condition, quite a rarity in an era of parties and mishandled vinyl, easily VG+ more towards EX-

Audio: Plays through clean - nice separation, no hisses, hops, skips, sticks, pips, pops or crackle, nothing that interferes with listening in anyway (played on Project carbon - blue Ortofon) graded minimum EX- more EX

Will sell abroad through Global shipping only. Please note I have no control over price; postage included in this description relates to the UK part of the journey only. Will be properly packed, vinyl separated and wrapped in bubble wrap with cardboard stiffeners for added protection.

I have tried to be honest and transparent in my description - the photographs form part of the description. Questions are welcome, don't hesitate to ask. I have good feedback (and positive comments) as both a buyer and seller, so you can buy with confidence. I am a collector for 47+ years buying and selling a few records over the years to feed my changing habits. The few records I sell are either the results of upgrades or duplicates or a bit of thinning every now and again. If anything is not as expected, please contact me straight away and I will do everything to resolve any problems without argument.

I strictly adhere to the Record Collector Magazine's Grading Guide using one + or - for addition guidance:

Audio:  audio quality can differ from one pressing to another and unless you have two copies to compare it is sometimes difficult to know. Audio quality can also vary from one system to another and while I try to describe my audio experience it might not be the same as somebody elses.

MINT: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. 

EXCELLENT: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and / or creasing.

VERY GOOD: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

GOOD: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.