BEATLES Sgt Pepper 1G / 1A & ULTIMATE WIDE SPINE COVER.

	£		929
	$		1,231

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World – Please see my detailed packing picture and Written Details further down.

Artist or Band: THE BEATLES

Album Title: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Producer(s): George Martin.

A Special Note About This Copy and It’s Rarity: Sometimes something so wonderful comes along, I even question my own sanity in letting it go – here is a case in point… As I always state, most Beatles standard issue albums are not rare, far from it, but there are some exceptions. All their albums sold in vast numbers, pressing plants could hardly keep up with demand. Finding clean, lightly played copies that still play well are a different matter however. So many were played into submission, trashed even, so when a very clean copy that has clearly hardly ever been played comes along it’s more of an exception. This landmark issue in the history of popular music sold in colossal amounts and still does even today. It’s popularity and importance within its genre cannot be overstated. What makes this complete stereo copy rarer are two major facts. Firstly this copy includes the almost legendary ‘Wide Spine Cover’ variant and in the most sensational of conditions. This spine is almost DOUBLE the thickness of a standard Pepper spine. Not only that, this one has survived since 1967 in stunning condition, totally uncrushed or flattened, bolt upright and erect and NOT rammed back into shape, no need too. Please see my close up pictures of this breathtaking and rare spine variant. It will take an extraordinary one to better it. Secondly, bearing in mind this record was pressed in colossal numbers, this one has the earliest mothers (1 / 1) and stampers I have ever seen (G / A). With 1 G on side One and 1 A on side Two, this Pepper is one of the very first off the production line and most all have much higher, multi digits and letters e.g. 3 M A H or 2 3 G H M or similar are more the normal. A ‘1 G’ copy would have been pressed withing the first 300, this was the normal run before letter changed then to ‘R’, then ‘A’ and so on. When considered, this stereo copy is almost like finding a ‘White Album’ with a three figure number of the front cover. Honestly, how often will a 1 G / 1 A ‘Pepper’ ever be seen or offered in stereo? The cream on top of what is an extraordinay copy is this record plays with nigh-on perfect sound. Yes true, even that ultra difficult track ‘She’s Leaving Home’, always my test track on this album plays with NO crackle, distortion or unwanted sounds. Only one in very many will ever do that. Even with minimal traces of groovewear or foreign debris pressed into the grooves, this song will sound less than wonderful. Along with ‘Yesterday’ on ‘Help’, this is probably the most demanding Beatles track on their long players. The area which it sits on the record was almost the most critical part for the tracking angle. If old equipment was not aligned correctly or the stylus worn, just one play would ruin the sound of this most critical song, thus so many are so disappointing these days. Some consider this track normal to have inherent surface noise, but it should play just as quiet as the rest of the album, and this one does. Never dismiss this fact, play you own copy and see. Modern revealing equipment will bring out the good and bad on a less-than-worthy copy and this incredibly early pressing sounds stunning. No ‘Pepper’ is not a rare album, far from it, but this is just a little exceptional and all the relevent information about conditions is below.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; With a Little Help From My Friends; Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds; Getting Better; Fixing a Hole; She’s Leaving Home; Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite.

Side 2: Within You Without You; When I’m Sixty-Four; Lovely Rita; Good Morning Good Morning; Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise); A Day in the Life.

Label/Format: Parlophone – Yellow and Black format. Text and detail includes: ‘Sold in UK Subject to Resale’ etc, ‘The Gramophone Co Ltd’ etc, ‘Made in Gt Britain’. Also the embossed KT tax codes are included on this unbanded stereo copy. With the ultra early Mother and Stamper codes, this criteria meets with the recognised ‘First Pressing’ format of this classic masterpiece.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, attractive and deep black. Hardly a spindle mark to be seen on side one and only light and faint on side two. The ‘K T’ embossed tax codes on side one are practically perfect with no flattening or any rub traces minuscule. These are so unworn in fact, even seeing them is not easy. These two fine letters are delicate and invariably wear badly, so another indicator of a copy hardly played which is reinforced by wonderful clean sound. Both clean and fresh looking and clearly little handled with hardly any traces of fingermarks which will show up all too easily and near impossible to remove once applied These two early Parlophone labels will be very difficult to find better on a genuinely early copy of this landmark Beatles album.

Cat Number: PCS 7027.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 150 grams, a very impressive weight for this one, most I have had previously average around 135 to 140 grams.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: YEX 637-1 / YEX 638-1

Stamper Codes: 1 G / 1 A. It was to my total astonishment when I saw these, in record terms, almost like finding a needle in a haystack. (please see my close up picture of this side one ‘G’ stamper. Not easy to take but hopefully it can be seen.)

Brief Artist & Album Info: Any music lover, collector and Beatles fan will know most all there is to know already and almost certainly will know more than me anyway regarding fine details. What I think is far more important is to make clear what is actually here on offer and the visual and playing conditions, because simply I do not offer albums of this magnitude lightly. A copy of ‘Pepper’ has to be a minimum of excellent for me to offer. I have already outlined above what this copy is all about and it’s rarity, I do not wish to repeat myself (too often anyway), but this is a genuine rare ultra early example in lovely visual and playing conditions. And it includes the massively collectable and sort-after wide spine that was not manufactured on too many and certainly not for very long. Most examples have the thinner, more founded spine that never wear well. This has to be seen to be believed and fully appreciated. Whenever I manage to get a copy of Sgt Pepper the first ‘Test’ track I play is ‘She’s Leaving Home’, only very rarely will this song play anything like well with distortion and breakup being almost the norm. As I have stated many times before, Beatles albums always have at least one ‘critical track’ that nearly always gives problems. On Rubber Soul it’s ‘Michelle’, on Revolver it’s ‘In My Life’ and ‘Got to Get You Into My Life’, on Help! it’s ‘Yesterday’, on For Sale its ‘Mr Moonlight’ on With the Beatles it’s ‘Money’ - on this album it’s ‘She’s Leaving Home’ and sometimes the final song, ‘A Day in the Life’ can sometimes suffer too. I can only assume the groove patterns on these tracks were such they clipped and damaged more easily along with the fact they are tracks nearer the centre which were more critical to the tracking angle. Let’s be honest, how many people using Dansettes or similar record players, actually took the time to check and align the stylus? This copy plays the near impossible ‘She’s Leaving Home’ with superb sound with barely any traces of crackle and no distortion – few ever will. I can hardly reiterate enough this is an exception rather than the rule, if you dont believe me, try listening to your own copy, is it totally noise-free, distortion-free, devoid of pops or clicks and all high frequencies sharp and clear? If it is, treasure it because few will be. This beautifully, fresh copy is truly exceptional and could mean a huge upgrade for many collectors, I would guess most serious collectors will have this already but are the conditions up to scratch (or not as the case may be). This came from a conoisseur’s collection and was purchased practically on issue day. The playing surfaces do have ultra fine surface traces, he like to keep his records dust-free, but this can leave mega-fine marks if too much enthusiasm was used. I say very quickly, these super-faint traces have NO sound whatsoever and this record looks superb. Only with critical viewing under direct light can these tiny surface blemishes be seen – there are NO scratches at all and quite honestly, this has not been played much at all. This splendid copy sets a high standard and most Beatles fans and collectors will be more than happy to own it especially with the rare and highly sort-after ‘Wide Spine’ cover, that is truly in jaw-drop condition.

Cover Grade and Format: Undergraded Mint(-), this is a breathtaking wide spine cover that has not seen light of day for decades. This has the PCS 7027 Stereo cover number. Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.

Laminate – Front & Back: Truly gorgeous, the only blemish on the front is one small, faint half moon surface crease near the right edge (but look hard). Any marks or blemishes are minuscule, even under light. The laminate is ultra clean, clear and with fantastic rich shine. All fully adhered with no lifting or blisters. The famous artwork has rich colour, the back red is incredibly rich and vibrant, totally unfaded and washed-out like some. This has not been light exposed and no fading has occurred. No friction rubs or dulling with no record impression or ringwear worthy of mention. The opening edges front and back see the laminate end a little short of full width, but both the fine exposed strips are ultra clean with grime-line formation or chipping. With both outer faces in near pristine condition, this is a cover to cherish and that’s before the as new inside and massively wide spine are viewed.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside gatefold is simply stunning. With such a wide spine, the hinge parts are very vulnerable to wear and damage, but not on this one. Even the laminate on the hinge is fully uncracked with no roughness to the fingertip, incredible to say the least. The top flipbacks are pristine with NO sticking together of the laminate ends that so often pull the surfaces. This is NOT a Fourth Proof cover in case anyone wants to know, this has the standard style flipback lamination and no inside text. The freshness of the laminate on all parts of this cover is unusally high and the cover protection all these years as more than reaped dividends. These famous ‘Pepper’ portraits will rarely be seen better

Top & Bottom Edges: Totally unworn up to the right cornertip, full laminate intact and strong. Both pairs incredibly straight too.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with any burr traces very small and minor, there is no feathering and both guaranteed untrimmed. Record enters on either edge as both are open which is totally correct.

Spine and Text: As wonderful as this cover is, this spine has the greatest significance for the specialist and connoisseur collector. This has the much rare wide spine construction which is totally different to the far more common thinner, more rounded spine. Both have perilous dispositions: the thin spine often sheds its laminate as it cracks and dries, exposing the text which fades and rubs, these often look tatty with wear rife. This massive spine looks very different, being made 90 degrees upright and very erect. Clearly this is prone to flattening and crushing and few of these will survive looking almost as made as this one does. This being a thing of stunning beauty and I can only tip-my-hat to the original owner who has kept this delicate area pristine. This is beyond immaculate, it almost makes me wonder how many even from new would have been this good. Covers stored in shop racks and handled, often roughly, many would have been damaged or flattened from day one. This gorgeous vital part has to be seen. Bolt upright with no weakening of the folds whatsoever, ultra clean with fresh clear laminate and all text as made as my close up pictures will show. Also look at my comparison spine picture, the difference between a standard spine and this thickly made one. Chalk and cheese being honest, such a shame this variant was dropped. For those familiar with Jethro Tulls debut and Zappa’s original ‘Lumpy Gravy’ albums, both of them had huge wide spines and this rare ‘Pepper’ one is almost the same. This cover is truly connoisseur standard.

Corners: Small tip rubs bottom right, the top right have barely a trace. The spine pair are immaculate with no wear at all and retain stunning shape and definition.

Cover Summary: One of my most unforgettable covers ever, this is up there with the most astonishing items I have ever had. Only one in many thousands will ever get close to this. Any wide spine gems that do survive, will rarely make the open market and will be locked away in valuable collections never to be offered for sale. No only has the gorgeous spine survived in perfect condition, the rest of the cover is almost the same too. This could prove the ultimate upgrade for the discerning collector and if anyone has not got this rarer variant, well a better one is not likely to be found easy – and if so, at what price?

The Inner: EX+, and possibly undegraded at that. Made with very thin and unforgiving paper, most of these are split on all seam edges, bdly creased, torn, rubbed or missing altogether – some even have substantial ringwear. This is a lovely example that is totally unsplit and has NO repairs. The ultra fragile, shaped top entrance edge is near pristine with no burring or tears. This has the ‘Made in Great Britain’ and ‘Patents Applied For’ text and is a classy inner with flipback construction. This famous psych design never looked much better than this and even the seams are rock solid and unlifted or creased. Minimal glue darkeing on the edges and less than slight record rim impression that no ‘used’ example will ever avoid. There is one corner crease-fold and a trace on the bottom edge. Very slightly darkened with age. Given all the facts, and this really is a delicate inner, this is a very nice one.

The Insert: Practically Mint: clean, attractive with no creasing or burring, all edges crisp and sharp – it looks as new as any ever will.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX++ simply downgraded from Mint(-) because of those super-fine surface blemishes – whispy and faint traces even lighter than hairlines and with no sound and only visible under light. Finding the earliest pressings in better condition will never prove easy. Unbanded and very heavily pressed and still a superb visual copy. Very clean with a lovely sheen, intense black with deep and wide grooves, this record looks pretty amazing and I have few doubts it has been played very little. Few ‘Peppers’ will look this clean and fresh these days, looking closely at the ultra clean grooves reveals the complex jagged information that lies embedded within them – this is a breathtaking recording and this one retains supreme sound. Collectors will know what most copies of this, and similar aged Beatles items will look like these days. Often seen more grey and dulled with a maze of fingermarks and deep sounding scratches (or worse, hidden distortion and invisible groovewear). One slip or jolt or drop from an unforgiving heavy vintage arm could have put a ‘terminal’ furrow or crater on this record – we have all seen them at sometime. As stated, this copy has avoided any abuse or accidents and is a genuine very early pressing with few plays on the clock. This copy is beautiful and I feel certain very modestly and little played, a view reinforced by the wonderful audio quality my play-grade revealed. Visually a super record that should please most collectors.

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 snippetts 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: Any collector needing an ultimately early pressed stereo copy of this record will want one that not only looks good, but sounds good too – this copy has fantastic overall sound with practically nothing to fault at all. This exceptional record plays even above it’s high visual grading with strong distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear. Sound quality is astonishing with a massive dynamic range and very detailed sound, another George Martin masterpiece of production. This record has barely any unwanted sounds and I am one who thinks vinyl can rarely ever play ‘dead silent’ in its entirity, and any popular records of this era and that come anywhere close are truly exceptional. Especially so with Beatles classics that were usually played into submission. Few copies will match or better this I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp and remain fully focused with breathtaking sound. The detail and sounds locked into these vintage, wear-free grooves is astonishing. This remains one of the most important albums ever issued and sounds very different to the mono version – both being essential. An album of amazing depth with complex sounds and quite stunning stereo imagery that still astounds even today. The impossibly critical ‘She’s Leaving Home’ plays superbly and devoid of that irritating crackle and clipping most seem to inherit. This being my benchmark song on the album. I usually find if this critical and unforgiving track plays well, the entire album usually does too which was the case here. Any stresses to those critical high frequencies being minuscule and insignificant, this record has nigh-on audiophile sound. Believe me, I have heard this album that will make most listeners cringe, with echo, noise and break up on the vocals all so common. This, where present, so often blamed on static, well it seems strange why static only would affect one track while the rest plays okay. If any record is so impregnated with static, it’s best avoided or dumped, or at least treated with an anti-static pistol or better still, invest in a quality carbon brush arm that tracks on any turntable. I never find static causes crackle or sound degrading anyway, but produces a spike discharge down through the speakers if sufficiently present. After fitting the carbon brush arm, I have had no problems with static whatsoever and strongly recommend one. What causes the unwanted sounds is either groovewear or in-ground debris. Nothing can be done about groovewear of course, but dust and grime can be removed by a professional quality record cleaner such as my Moth. I will rarely touch any Beatles album that I cannot hear before I buy to offer, its just too risky. We all know what these old records were usually played on and the horrendous results. Ultra faint surface sound is just about acceptable – (but only just), but copies with more I simply refuse to offer – if they don’t please me why would they please others? Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this landmark album, will an earlier one ever been offered on Ebay? A copy that will prove immensely difficult to find significantly better for quality sound. Any tiny sound blemishes (of which there are barely any) are simply brushed aside by the breathtaking clean sound and on a highly revealing, clinical turntable that this reveals all the good (as well as the bad). A much rarer copy worthy of the highest consideration and recommendation. This is a Beatles record and cover I am unlikely to forget and I am still asking myself why I am even letting this go.

End Piece: To sum up: ‘Sgt Pepper’ is not even remotely rare in mono or stereo, it sold millions. I have found both formats pretty easy to find if needed. It’s the conditions that make the difference for most. But this one is as stated above, a little different. One of the very first issued and pressed and including that stunning wide spine cover in the most stunning conditions. My pictures do not lie and unless my hearing is going, I don’t think I have ever heard a cleaner, more detailed or enjoyable copy of this legendary, groundbreaking title. Yes I am sure there will be plenty of other ‘Peppers’ on Ebay now and throughout the year, but if all tick the right boxes this one does, I truly would be amazed. Do NOT lose this wonderful piece.

THIS RECORD WILL BE SENT FREE OF CHARGE WITH FULL INSURANCE AND SIGNED-FOR POSTAGE TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

Please see my packing box pictures for full confidence of safety, these are standard on ALL albums I sell whether more common titles or the most rare.

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 its 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 programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

THERE IS PACKING – AND THERE IS ONEADAYRECORDS PACKING.

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 heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth 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 thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) 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 THREE or EVEN FOUR VERY THICK stiffners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords (please see my picture of these stiffners and compare to the wafer-thin commercially available ones that offer pretty much zero protection). Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. The thick record and stiffner ‘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. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand based on over 6,000+ items sold in over 8 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. Even one of these stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£39 maximum]) = £8. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); 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 [£39 maximum]) = £12. Add £3 per extra LP. (insurance 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: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 neccessarily 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’.

PLEASE NOTE: I can send a picture of the second label on request - Mike.