The BEATLES - *WHITE ALBUM* - 1968 - UK - *MONO* - 1st PRESSING - 1/1/1/1
£
275
$
364
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Description
THE BEATLES UK - 1st MONO PRESSING - 1968
AUCTION ONLY - NO OFFERS PLEASE
IF YOU ARE BIDDING FROM THE USA, EBAY WILL AUTOMATICALLY ADD AN ADDITIONAL TAX TO YOUR WINNING BID
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This is a true 1st pressing which carries -1 matrix endings on all four sides. Contrary to popular belief, labels WITH and WITHOUT the 'An EMI Recording' text were both in production from day one. In those days, printing presses were set by hand and spelling errors and omissions were quite common. The sheer volume of labels required for initial release, meant that several printing machines would have been needed. I have previously owned mono discs WITH 'An EMI Recording' text, -1 matrix endings and 1-G (earliest possible first pressed) stamper codes, proving beyond any doubt that this correct label appeared on discs from day one.
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THE DISCS: 1/1/1/1 matrix endings Stampers: 3/GDA 3/LA 6/GGP 5/OO VG: In my experience, it is very difficult to find a pair of 'White Album' mono discs in reasonable condition, as so many were played to death and badly handled. I have given the overall grading a conservative VG as it is hard to generalize about 30 tracks. I am fussy, especially about sound, but personally I would consider these discs to be closer to EX- knowing how bad most examples are. Yes, they have been played and there are some very gentle 'ticks' in a couple of places, and the occasional 'pop' but overall they perform much better than a lot copies I have had the unfortunate experience to own. There are no skips, stalls or loud repetitive clicks anywhere, so often found on disc 1 in particular. These discs produce a clear sound without any crackle or distortion. They still retain a good lustre with some surface lines/marks but these are not excessive and are mainly harmless and non sounding. For original mono discs, these are in great condition and would not be easily upgraded.
My advice to anyone wanting to buy mono discs is this: Because they are collectible and of high value, some sellers will often list them as visually graded only, or that they don't have any way of playing vinyl records. Avoid the temptation to buy, as you will invariably end up very disappointed. THE COVER: VG: # 0065224 Reasonably good for an original. The back panel is blank (correct for mono discs). A solid example with the expected age toning caused by the laminate adhesive (therefore there are no original covers that are pure white). Interestingly, these 8mm widespine variants appear to have a double hinge with a recessed spine, which the laminate bridges and was never attached to, so where some of the laminate has flaked away along the length of the spine, the original whiter tone has been revealed. All the text is still clearly legible despite the missing laminate. There are pressure lines and dents which are inevitable on a plain shiny surface, but no damage or any serious issues. A great example.
The photos make the cover look a spectacular snow white, as they do on nearly all on-line listings. Digital cameras seem to produce this image automatically, which is great for the seller and totally misleading for the buyer. I have used a filter in the last photo to show its overall colour more accurately. ALL original covers will be similar to this one, or even more heavily toned, despite how white they may appear to be.
THE INNER SLEEVES: VG: Again, conservatively graded, as these are made from ridiculously fragile paper and are prone to splitting and creasing. They do have a few small seam splits but are still very much intact and only mildly creased. Hard to find in this condition.
THE LYRICS POSTER AND 4 PHOTOS: VG: All original and intact. A few marks on the photos but no damage.
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The photos are of the actual item. I always use professional, anti-static, cleaning fluid and listen to the whole disc. Professional mailers are always used.
I have more Beatles records listed right now, so please have a look.
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