Beatles’ Story 2-LP 1964 Tightly Spaced STEREO LA First Pressing A3 Plates, NM

$

99

(Note:  If you win multiple items in a week’s listings, please wait for the end of all of the auctions for me to invoice you, so that you can take advantage of my combined shipping offer.  Thanks!)

READ THIS! These records are NOT sold for perfect sound quality. They’re sold for their scarcity and VISUAL grading. They’ve been in storage for a decade, and they WILL play with surface noise that can be addressed with D4 or a VPI cleaning.  I can’t test-play at the minute. Please don’t bid if this is a problem for you.

Beatles’ Story 2-LP 1964 Tightly Spaced STEREO LA First Pressing A3 Plates, NM!

Beatles collectors know that the Los Angeles plant was the parent company, and that first pressing Los Angeles LP’s were the very first pressings in most cases.  Collectors also know that until 1967, mono copies of albums outsold stereo 4 to1, because they were a dollar cheaper.  So, why would anyone need a stereo copy of a talk album?

This is the very difficult Los Angeles Stereo copy with the word, “STEREO” very tightly spaced.  You won’t see these come up for sale very often at all.

And this one’s stunning gorgeous.

Vinyl--- NM/NM.  NM/NM.  All four sides shine 100% brand new.  Maybe one or two extremely light lines if you care to look harder than I did.  And I look very hard.

Plates--- A3/A3.  A3/A3. 

It’s very unusual to find all four plates this early.  I’ve only seen maybe 3 or 4 of these since 1975, and I’ve never seen any plates earlier than this copy. 

Machine-stamped asterisk in the dead wax on all four sides makes this copy pressed in Los Angeles.

Cover--- VG.  First pressing Los Angeles covers were pressed with cream-colored front and back slicks, as opposed to white slicks.  Cream-colored slicks look yellowed anyway, and this one has some yellowing, not much.  Light to moderate dirtwear on front and back covers.  Both top pockets have one-inch splits.  Spine has some worn-off slick.

Gatefold--- VG.  Yellowing around the edges.  NO CENTER SEAM SPLITS.

Labels--- NM/EX. NM/NM.  Side 2 label has some very light spindle marks.  The other three look 1964 brand new, freshly printed.

Capitol Inner Sleeves--- VG.  Burnt orange Capitol inner sleeves are present.  Both sleeves present well, but there are seam splits up to 4 inches long.  Otherwise, the inners are punchy and bold, flat with a few creases from improper insertion at the factory.

Generic inner sleeves will be provided, so as not to damage your original Capitol inner sleeves en route.

RIAA: N/A

Exquisite set!

As these records have been in storage for many years, they will play back with crackling and tics, however; a good moisturizing and cleaning with either D4 Discwasher or a VPI machine always clears them up.  Thanks!)

Note:  All LP’s ship outside of their album covers in order not to damage the covers during shipment.

CAUTION!  There has been a startling increase in bidders canceling their bids.  A word to the wise, I have started blocking any and all bidders who retract their bids regardless of the reason.

Please don’t bid unless you’re willing to honor your amount, okay? Thanks!

(Please note:  Regarding play-testing, my Technics turntable has somehow seized.  The tone arm is stuck in the up position, and I can’t get it to fully return to its cradle.  Is there anyone out there, who can tell me if this is an easy fix?  Thanks!) 

Check out my other auctions for more hard-to-find vinyl!

Shipping is $5.38 for Media Mail for up to 3 single or double albums, excluding boxed sets within the U.S.  $5.38 covers shipping for up to 5 singles within the U.S., and within the same auction week.

Winners in all other countries will be charged actual shipping to their locations, so please wait to be invoiced.  You will be quoted for the cheapest shipping to your country that the US post office can afford me.  Please let me know if you would prefer to pay for a faster means of shipping, but do NOT ask me to declare packages as gifts, or any other means of defrauding the postal services.  Much appreciated.

I ship on Mondays and Thursdays.  This means that immediate payments will be shipped out the following morning, and later payments must wait until the first available Monday or Thursday after payment is received.  Please pay within 7 days of the auction ending.  I do leave negative feedback for non-payers.

Money back guarantee if you're not happy with your purchase.