BEATLES White Album 2LP UK 1968 Top Load UNPLAYED MONO

	£		1,040
	$		1,378

The Beatles White Album - 1968  Press Mono

PMC 7068

1/RA - 1/MP - 5/TT - 2/RT

XEX 709-1 /710-1 / 711-1 / 712-1

THIS HAS TO BE PROBABLY THE PREMIER EBAY ITEM FOR AGES. YES A TOTALLY MINT UNPLAYED BEATLES WHITE ALBUM FROM THE  BATCH OF NOVEMBER 1968.

I REALISE THERE WILL BE THOSE OUT THERE WHO ARE SCEPTICAL OF THIS CLAIM, AND TO BE HONEST I COULDN'T BLAME YOU FOR BEING SO. AFTER ALL WHO HAS AN UNPLAYED WHITE ALBUM??

SO BEFORE I LIST ANY DETAIL I AM PREPARED TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.

"IF AFTER RECEIVING THE LP SET YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE STATUS OF IT, THEN PROVIDING I RECEIVE IT BACK IN THE SAME STATE AS IT WAS SUPPLIED, I WILL REFUND IN FULL YOUR WINNING BID, LESS POSTAGE"

THE STORY BEHIND THE LP

THE ALBUM BELONGED TO A GENTLEMEN WHO IN THE LATE 60'S OWNED A RECORD SHOP HERE IN THE UK. APART FROM HAVING AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION HE WAS ALSO A BEATLES ENTHUSIAST. UPON THE RELEASE OF THE WHITE ALBUM HE TOOK 2 COPIES FROM HIS ORIGINAL SHOP STOCK FOR HIS OWN COLLECTION. ONE TO PLAY AND ONE TO KEEP!!

THIS THEREFORE IS THE ONE HE CHOSE TO KEEP.

THE FORESIGHT OF DOING THIS IS SOMETHING I WISH I HAD DONE WITH ALL MY TOYS AND RECORDS FROM WHEN I WAS A BOY, HAVING OWNED AND RUINED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS NOW EXTREEMLY RARE AND VALUABLE. BUT HERE IS, IN ALL ITS PRISTINE GLORY ONE UNTOUCHED, UNPLAYED BEATLES WHITE ALBUM FIRST PRESS IN MONO.

I ALSO HAVE A DILEMA IN THAT I ALWAYS PLAY TEST ANY RECORD I LIST TO GIVE THE POTENTIAL BUYERS A REALLY SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE QUALITY IS LIKE, AND FOR OBVIOUS REASONS I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT IN THIS CASE, SO HERE IS WHAT I PROPOSE

I AM GOING TO LIST THE LP FOR A 10 DAY PERIOD AND UNLESS I GET ANY SPECIFIC EMAILS ASKING ME NOT TO DO SO, I AM GOING TO PLAY THE FIRST TEN SECONDS OF EACH SIDE ON JANUARY 7TH TO BE ABLE TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT I ALREADY BELIEVE THAT THE VINYL WILL BE PERFECT. THE FIRST 10 SECONDS WILL MOSTLY INCLUDE THE RUN IN AND ABOUT A COUPLE OF BARS OF MUSIC FROM THE FIRST TRACK.

BUT IF I DO RECEIVE ANY EMAILS FROM POTENTIAL BIDDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED BUT WANT THE THING TOTALLY UNPLAYED THEN I WILL NOT DO SO. WHATEVER HAPPENS I WILL UPDATE THE LISTING ON SUNDAY THE 8TH WITH THE RELEVENT INFO.

I AM GOING TO GIVE A VERY DETAILED DESCRIPTION IS A FEW MINUTES OF EXACTLY WHAT THE SLEEVE, INNERS AND VINYL LOOKS LIKE, BUT BEFORE I DO THIS I WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN I RECEIVED THE LP IT WAS LIKE I HAD BEEN TIME TRAVELLING. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE FEEL AND LOOK OF VIRGIN VINYL AS YOU SLOWLY REMOVE IT FROM THE SLEEVE FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS A GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE OF WHICH ONLY FELLOW COLLECTORS WILL APPRECIATE.

DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME IT HAD BEEN IN THE INNER SLEEVE EACH DISC HAD A SLIGHT RASH COVERING THE SURFACE, SO I HAVE PUT EACH DISC VERY VERY CAREFULLY ON A PROFESSIONAL RECORD CLEANING MACHINE, AND CLEANED THIS RASH OFF, AND HAVE THEN PLACED BOTH DISCS IN POLY LINED SLEEVES TO PRTECT THEM AND THE ORIGINAL BLACK INNERS.

SO NOW ONTO THE DESRIPTION OF THE SET. LETS FIRST START WITH THE SLEEVE.

FIRTS PRESS WHITE ALBUMS WHERE OF COURSE TOP LOADING SLEEVES AND FULLY LAMINATED WIT A UNIQUE NUMBER EMBOSSED ON THE FRONT COVER

THIS SLEEVE HAS THE UNIQUE NUMBER OF 0190661. THE LAMINATE IS PERFECT EVERYWHERE, EVEN ON THE SPINE WHERE HISTORICALY IT FLAKES AND PEELS. NOT SO IN THIS CASE. THE OTHER PLACE IT USUALLY PEELS IS AROUND THE EMBOSSED BEATLES LOGO, BUT AGAIN ON THIS SLEEVE IT IS PERFECT.

THE QUESTION OF SLEEVE SWAPPING ALWAYS ARISES, BUT I AM VERY VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SLEEVE FOR THE ORIGINAL RECORDS. THE MONO COPIES HAVE THE STEREO AND MONO CATALOGUE NUMBERS ON THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE SPINE, AND THIS IS PERFECTLY CORRECT FOR THE ISSUE, AND ON THE BACK IN THE TOP CORNER THERE IS ON THE STEREO COPIES THE WORD "STEREO", THEREFORE THERE SHOULD BE NO LETTERING ON THE MONO ISSUE AND THIS IS EXACTLY SO ON THIS SLEEVE.

THE ORIGINAL PRESSINGS OF THE WHITE ALBUM WERE IN FACT OFF WHITE, MORE OF A CREAMY WHITE UNLIKE THE LATER ISSUES WHICH WERE A BRILLIANT WHITE, SO SEEING A FIRST PRESS OFF WHITE SLEEVE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AGAIN FOR THIS RELEASE.

I CANNOT PUT INTO WORD PROPERLY JUST HOW STUNNING THIS SLEEVE IS, BUT I AM GOING TO GIVE IT A GOOD GO!. THE TOP OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP AND WHILST THERE ARE A FEW REALLY REALLY TINY FINGERNAIL NICKS, THIS IS TOTALLY UNFEATHERED AND PRISTINE. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THE LAMINATE IS PERFECT IN ALL AREAS, AND THE GATEFOLD CREAKS WHEN OPENED. THIS ALONE TELLS A STORY AS MOST OF THE WHITE ALBUMS YOU WILL EVER PICK UP WILL NOT CREAK AS THE LAMINATE CRACKS ON THE SPINE TO STOP IT DOING THIS, SO THIS WILL TELL YOU HOW FEW TIMES THIS HAS BEEN OENED BEFORE. THE FRONT SURFACE HAS A COUPLE OF REALLY TINY FINGERNAIL MARKS WHICH ARE JUST TO THE NORTH EAST OF THE LAST DIGIT IN THE SLEEVE NUMBER. BUT THEY REALLY ARE SMALL AND I MENTION THEM NATURALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE THERE, BUT VERY INSIGNIFICANT.UNDER CERTAIN LIGHTING CONDITION THERE IS A VERY VERY FINE OUTLINE OF THE SHAPE OF THE RECORD, BUT ONCE AGAIN IT IS SO SLIGHT THAT MOST WOULD PROBABLY NOT EVEN SEE IT, BUT AGAIN IT HAS TO BE MENTIONED. THE ONLY EXAMPLES OF SHELF WEAR TO THE SLEEVE IS ON THE BOTTOM TWO CORNER TIPS WHICH HAVE MINUTE WEAR. THE BOTTOM EDGE IS PERFECT, AND STILL FULLY LAMINATED, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THIS FROM THE PICTURES. FRONT RIGHT EDGE IS ALSO UNWORN, AND AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THE SPINE IS PRISTINE. THE BACK OF THE GATEFOLD IS UNSPOILED OR WORN ANYWHERE. I REALLY BELIEVE A NEAR MINT JUSTIFICATION IS ACCURATE FOR THIS SLEEVE.

THE INSERTS

A FANTASTIC SET OF FREE GIFTS AWAITED THE OWNERS OF THE WHITE ALBUM. FOUR SUPERB COLOUR PRINTS OF THE BEATLES, AND A MASSIVE POSTER WHICH FEATURED THE LYRICS.

SO LETS START WITH THE BLACK INNER SLEEVES. THE CENTRE HOLES ARE PERFECTLY CIRCULAR AND THERE ARE NO TEARS OR SPLITS ANYWHERE AROUND EITHER OF THEM. I HAVE REMOVED THE RECORDS SO THAT THEY WILL REMAIN IN THIS STATE FOR ALWAYS. THERE IS A SLIGHT OUTLINE TRACE OF EACH DISC'S EDGE, BUT THIS IS PEFECTLY NATURAL. WHAT IS IMPRESSIVE HOWEVER IS THAT THE INNER SLEEVES ARE PERFECTLY FLAT AND UNCREASED. VERY DESIREABLE IN THIS CONDITION. THE FOUR COLOUR PRINTS AGAIN HAVE OFTEN BEEN SWAPPED FOR INFERIOR THINNER PAPER ISSUES FROM LATER PRESSINGS, BUT IN THIS SET YOU GET THE ORIGINALS PRINTED ON THE HEAVIER STOCK PAPER. NO WEAR AT ALL TO ANY OF THEM, AND I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THIS MIGHT BE OPNLY THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME THEY HAVE EVER BEEN OUT OF THE SLEEVE. IN ADDITION TO THE PICTURES THERE WAS ONE OTHER ITEM THAT WAS INCLUDED WITH THEM WHICH WAS A SHEET OF PAPER THAT SEPERATED THEM FROM THE CARD INNER TO STOP ANY SCRATCHING OF THE SURFACE OF THE TOP PHOTO. THIS IS ALSO PRESENT AND STILL DOING ITS JOB.

FINALLY THE POSTER WHICH IS AS PRISTINE AS THE DAY IT WAS INSERTED INTO THE SLEEVE. PERFECTLY SCAE, CLEAN AND RAZOR SHARP QUAD FOLDS.

OK NOW FOR THE VINYL

BEING AS SCEPTICAL AS ANY ONE I WAS LOOKING FOR SIGNS THAT THE RECORDS HAD IN FACT BEEN PLAYED SO THE MOST OBVOIUS WAS TO LOOK WAS TO EXAMINE THE SPINDLE HOLE UNDER VARIOUS LIGHTING AND ANGLE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY SPIDER LINES TO SHOW THAT THE DISC HAD BEEN PLACED ON A TURNTABLE. I SPENT A GOOD 10 MINUTES LOOKING FOR SIGNS AND THERE ARE NONE WHATSOEVER.

THE VINYL ITSELF LOOKS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING ONCE I HAD CLEANED IT, IT WAS LOOKING EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS PRESSED. BUT NOW I WANTED TO GIVE IT THE FINAL EXAMINATION TO PROOVE BEYOND DOUBT WHETEHR THE RECORD HAD BEEN PLAYED. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF LIGHTING YOU CAN LOOK UNDER TO CHECK FOR SURFACE MARKS, BUT NONE THAT I KNOW OF BEATS A PIN SPOT LIGHT FOR SHOWING ANY AND ALL FLAWS IN VINYL. PLCING EACH DISC IN TURN UNDER HTIS LIGHT AND ROTATING THEM AND CHANGING THE ANGLES REVEEALED EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR. PROOF THAT THE DISCS HAD NOT BEEPN PLAYED. NO SCRATCHES, NO SURFACE MARKS NO FINGER MARKS, AND MOST IMPRESSIVELY NO HAIRLINES.I COMPARED IT TO A BRAND NEW LP I HAD RECENTLY BOUGHT AND NOT PLAYED AND BOTH LOOKED IDENTICAL

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ASK THAT I HAVEN'T COVERED THEN PLEASE EMAIL ME. NATURALLY I WILL ONLY SHIP THIS INSURED SO THE POSTAGE FOR THE UK WILL BE AROUND THE £7-8 MARK

I DIDN'T GET ANY EMAILS ASKING ME NOT TO PLAY THE LP'S SO I HAVE TRUE TO MY WORD PLAYED THE FIRST 10 SECONDS OF EACH SIDE.

I OWN A REGA PLANAR TURNTABLE AND VERY VERY CAREFULLY LOWERED EACH DISC IN TURN OVER THE SPINDLE, MAKING SURE THE LABEL DID NOT RUN OVER THE SPIDLE ITSELF.

GENTLY LOWERING THE STYLUS ONTO THE VINYL HAS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING.

ABSOLUTELY BLOOMING BRILLIANT !!!!!

NEAR SILENT/SILENT RUN INS AND WHEN THE MUSIC STARTED THE SOUND WAS JUST INCREDIBLE. I HAVE TO ADMIT I WAS IN AWE OF THE BEUTIFUL SOUND AND THE TEMPTATION TO LEAVE THE STYLUS ON AND LET IT PLAY THROUGH WAS CHALLENGING TO SAY THE LEAST. BUT TRUE TO MY WORD I ONLY GAVE IT 10 SECONDS PER SIDE. WHEN I HAD FINISHED WITH SIDE 4 (REVOLUTION) I WAS IN TWO MINDS AS TO SHOULD I JUST PULL THE AUCTION AND KEEP THIS SUPERB SPECIMIN, SUCH WAS THE INFLUENCE OF THIS MINT SOUND. I GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO APPRECIATE THE STRUGGLE.

ANYWAY I HAVE RELENTED AND NOW YOU ALL KNOW JUST HOW BRILLIANT THE RECORD IS GOING TO SOUND, IF YOU CHOOSE TO PLAY IT THAT IS.

KEEP ON BIDDING, AND MAY THE BEST MAN OR WOMAN WIN!