THE BEATLES Help STUNNING N/M UK 1965 -1/-1 1st PRESS STEREO LP, PRISTINE SOUND

	£		206
	$		273

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, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled 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: Help!

Producer(s): George Martin

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Help!; The Night Before; You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away; I Need You; Another Girl; You’re Going to Lose That Girl; Ticket to Ride.

Side 2: Act Naturally; It’s Only Love; You Like Me Too Much; Tell Me What You See; I’ve Just Seen a Face; Yesterday; Dizzy Miss Lizzy.

Label/Format: Parlophone – intense black matt surfaces with a very gentle hint of texturing. Side two has the embossed ‘K T’ purchase tax codes, both letters are immaculate. All details as seen on the pictures.

Label Conditions: Both in almost exceptional condition: very clean, fresh and attractive with only light, fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area. Beatles albums from this early period are seldom seen with much less evidence of usage. This record is truly superb and appears hardly played, this reiterated by supreme playing surfaces and practically mint sound quality.

Cat Number: PCS 3071

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: 155 grams. A heavy-pressed record made in the era of quality.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Few standard issue Beatles are rare, they sold in vast numbers. Clearly stereo copies will always be harder to find. But the main factor is condition – the world’s most popular band, Beatles record were most often heavily played, often to near destruction on the most basic of record players. This beautiful, more elusive stereo ‘first issue’ appears very little played, or even handled. It looks fantastic and sounds the same, such copies seldom surface these days. For a very popular record now over 50-years-old, this looks hardly run-in in vinyl terms and is of archive quality. A delight to play-grade, I doubt if this has seen light-of-day for decades. With so many Beatles albums seen, barely worthy of a second look, this is a truly exceptional record that should delight purist collectors, fans and audiophiles.

Original Year of Release: 1965

Matrix Nos: YEX 168-1 / YEX 169-1

Mothers / Stampers: 1 00 / 2 0G [in Beatles terms, these are very early and low]

Musicians: John Lennon – lead, harmony and background vocals, rhythm guitar, electric piano, tambourine; Paul McCartney – lead, harmony and background vocals; lead and bass guitars, electric and acoustic pianos; George Harrison – harmony and background vocals; lead and rhythm guitars; lead vocals; Ringo Starr – drums, percussion, claves, lead vocals on ‘Act Naturally’. George Martin – piano, string arrangement; John Scott – tenor and alto flutes.

Brief Info: The fifth UK Beatles album with half the songs included for the film of the same name. The American version very different, with instrumental music from the movie also included replacing non-film songs. Fourteen gems including what is considered the most covered song ever in ‘Yesterday’. This copy a beautiful first issue in stereo, appearing very little played and offering little short of pristine perfect, immaculate sound. A joy from the second the stylus makes contact to the time it is finally lifted. The cover in also age-defying condition with the original fully intact tracing (rice) paper inner sleeve. With so many of these vintage classics seen in horrendous condition, this one can truly be described as exceptional, and it will take a remarkable record to ever beat this. Indeed it could prove a massive upgrade for many Beatles collectors.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single format with front laminate, this covers all the folds and ends on the back on three external flipbacks. The main back panel is matt and smooth. The front has the outline ‘stereo’ text as used on the first issue examples as seen. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse with the ‘Patents pending’ text. Originals include the fragile tracing paper (rice paper) lined inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: Beautifully clean, fresh and attractive with very shiny, clear and undulled laminate. Never easy to find the white areas on this cover so undarkened or toned, clearly this has never been stored within a smoker’s environment. There is no lifting and any of the few creases are confined to the edges, mostly the spine. There is a press mark near the top left edge, it being the only blemish of any real note and only quite fine. Few covers this age will escape less issues than this and in terms of ageing, it barely hasany at all. One to hold and enjoy, most bar absolute perfectionists should appreciate this classic Beatles original cover.

Cover Back: Exceptional again with little to fault. Firstly, the main exposed card panel: this is superb with minimal traces of any discolouration, toning or grubbiness, clearly cover-protected and hardly handled. Few available ones will get close. No rubbing, ring wear or even record impression, there is very gentle hint of a semi-crease near the bottom left corner. All three flipbacks are incredibly white and clean, even the laminate end areas. No lifting or burring, all solid and attractive without the usual yellowing or grubbiness most seem to acquire. During the 1960s, smoking was particular popular and left its affects on covers like this – well no nicotine has been near this one – it even smells fresh and unaged. A few, mostly fine hairline type creases on the flipback laminate, but how many can hope to avoid these as the barest minimum? Overall this back gives few clues to age and more than compliments the highly attractive front.

Top Edge: Smoothly laminated and with no chips or scuffs, still very white and largely straight.

Bottom Edge: Largely the same again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: This storage edge is clean, fairly sharp with little real wear. Any thickening or burring light as seen viewed end-on, but this has a more ‘rustic’ trim and not razor sharp by any means, this not unusual on slightly thicker than average card. This edge is totally natural, guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced, the laminate end line on the cover front still wide and easily seen. The exposed card on this front edge still very white with minimal hint of any discolouration or blemishes.

Spine and Text: Mainly solid and straight with minimal compression, the ends very gently tapered in manufacture. A couple of fine hairline type creases, the finest of the two just a fraction left of the ‘e’ in ‘Beatles’. But barely any affect on this letter, and all other text is perfect and unworn under the solid and uncracked laminate as seen. For good measure, this is superbly centred.

Corners: A tiny tip rub on the bottom right, little else, excellent shape is retained with no bashes or minimal dink traces.

Cover Summary: A very strong and generally age-defying original all-round example of this classic mid-1960’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better. Unusually clean and fresh with no writing, this beautiful item should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): this in terms of lack of wear, but this has darkened a little, that apart, little else to fault. Beatles albums from this period had the tracing paper lined inners, often described as ‘rice’ paper, they are fragile and delicate, often the centre hole leaves marks or damage to this area. This one has two immaculate crisp undamaged window circles, the lining untorn and solid with only natural crinkle. The main paper hardly creased, and even the recessed wave-style top opening crisp and sharp – all good indicators the record has not been removed many times. All edges unsplit with no repairs – these are seldom a great deal better.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: MINT(–): arguably better. A truly gorgeous visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and heavily pressed. A copy appearing hardly played, and then with utmost care, no damaging worn stylus have been inflicted on this sublime record. Any visual surface traces minuscule, even as viewed critically under bright angled light. Any hints or traces even finer than hairlines and look at those complex, super-clean grooves on my pictures. Quite honestly, viewed in normal room light, these record surfaces remind of new, there is not a single stylus scratch or mark on this hardly run-in stereo record. Visually a stunning example that should please most-all collectors – only one in many hundred will still remain in such wonderful condition.

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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This Beatles dream-piece album plays even above it’s high visual grading with nothing to fault – this was a pure joy from beginning to end with flawless audio reproduction. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is immaculate with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Another wonderful production from George Martin – this is how the band and him wanted their records to sound. This is the real thing, no digital enhancements or remastering required, this simply takes you back to when it was first purchased. An exceptional clean pressing, no wear, no sound degrading and no tracking issues* – and by Beatles standards, this has very low stampers and first matrixes. Few available copies will match, let alone outperform this very early pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, the stereo mix impressive and clear with lovely separation and imagery. I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled within a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. It will prove very difficult to find significantly better and has massive upgrade potential, the record in particular merits my highest recommendation.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black 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 programs. 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 Black 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’.