Beatles’ Story LP 1964 First-Day Pressing TIGHTLY SPACED “STEREO” LA, EX

$

169

(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 LP 1964 First-Day Pressing TIGHTLY SPACED “STEREO” Los Angeles, EX!

First-day issue copies out of LA are of course, the very first copies on the market in the U.S.

*Los Angeles was Capitol’s parent company, who got the first tapes from Britain.

* “STEREO” is tightly-spaced on the labels, which were Los Angeles’ early in-house labels.

*A3 pressing plate is dangerously close to the first plates stamped out, which were A1.  Plates were good for about 25,000 to 30,000 copies before new plates were replaced.  Anticipating sales in the millions in the first few months after release, A3 plates would have easily been used for first-day issues.

Vinyl--- EX/EX.  EX/EX.  All four sides shine like absolutely brand new.  But each side has at least one light line in a sea of better than 95% new gloss.  Exquisite set.

Plates--- A3/A3.  A3/A3.  Machine-stamped asterisk in the dead wax makes this copy pressed in Los Angeles.

Cover--- EX.  Excuse the shadow on the covers. That's not dirt or yellowing! 

One of the nicest 1964 covers I’ve seen in a long time.  First pressing covers used cream-colored slicks out of LA, which made the white border stand out, both front and back.  This cover has extremely light ringwear, and essentially NO dirtwear.  Minor edgewear and minor corner bumps.  NO SPLIT SEAMS.  Not even almost.

Gatefold--- EX.  Exactly the same condition inside as it is outside.  NO CENTER SPLITS.

First pressing covers until the end of 1967 had the Stereo Cartridge and Needle disclaimer at the bottom of the right panel in the gatefold.  The disclaimer was removed in early 1968, when MONO was phased out.  See photo.

Labels--- NM/NM.  NM/NM.  Sides are configured 1 and 4, 2 and 3.  All four labels look absolutely 1964-brand new, as if they were just printed this afternoon.  NO SPINDLE MARKS AMONG ALL FOUR SIDES.

Capitol Inner Sleeve--- VG/VG.  Original Capitol Cobalt Blue sleeves with the West Coast thumb tabs are present. Both show age from the 61 years. Sleeve one has a bottom seam split about 3 inches long, and sleeve two has a side seam split about half an inch long.

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

RIAA: N/A

Man, if you or your collector are working on an entire catalogue of first-day issues, it would be best not to pass on this copy.  This one’s stunning.

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.

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