The Beatles : Please Please Me (1N/1N)

This is the fourth pressing of this album but only the second on the yellow/black Parlophone label.  It is one of the most impressive examples I have ever seen and the audio reflects that and plays to a wonderful standard as detailed below.  Not one single click or pop!  The laminated cover is also in great condition which is a rarity.

Mono 1N/1N pressing on the Yellow/Black label.  'The Parlophone Co. Ltd' etc printed around the perimeter edge.  'Recording first published 1963' and 'Sold in U.K. subject to resale price conditions'.  There is no KT tax on this particular copy.

E.J. Day laminated cover with large 'mono' on the front

The audio on S1 is Ex+ (Near Mint for the majority)

The audio on S2 is Ex+ (Near Mint in many sections)

The cover is Ex+

The inner sleeve is Ex

The labels are Mint-

 Visual grading

  This vinyl has only been lightly played and amazingly I cannot detect any spindle wear at all!  There are no scratches or marks and only a small number of faint hairlines that have no bearing on the audio.  There is a small band of mega faint hairlines on S2 but again they do not affect the playback.  This vinyl has been incredibly well cared for down the decades and there is no groove wear at all and no radial lines.  It retains a lovely glossy sheen and it is not often that you find such a clean early pressing.  The labels and run out grooves are also supremely clean.  A stunning example.

Play grading

With barely any static on the 1,2,3,4 intro 'I Saw Her Standing There' begins superbly and this high quality continues throughout.  There are no clicks or pops and no distortion either.  This is a stunning version and is very impressive start for a record that is fast approaching 56 years of age.  There is a hint of light static on literally the final note but it is obvious that this vinyl has only been played a handful of times and the lack of spindle wear provides further evidence of this as already stated.  This opening track has no intrusive 'background' at all.

'Misery' has a minimal amount of light static on the intro and then plays to near perfection.  The clarity and depth is second to none and as per the previous track the playback is Near Mint in my educated opinion.  There is hardly any static on the fade out also which is a rarity.  

'Anna (Go To Him)' maintains the standard and has only the lightest of background static here and there.  It is so minimal and certainly does not intrude on the quality of the audio.  It is worth noting there are no clicks or pops and no static ticks either.  It is another 'high end' listen and plays with wonderful depth and precision.  

With complete silence in the dead wax 'Chains' performs to a superlative standard from the very first groove.  It's not often you find such an early pressing playing to such a fantastic standard and this track plays with remarkable clarity to the very end.  In fact the long fade out is superb and has next to no static.  Wow!

'Boys' plays loud and true and rarely has no distortion at all and I cannot emphasise enough just how rare this is.  There is often some distortion on a mono record that is being played through a stereo system but there is none in evidence here.  Again this is another sign of a record hardly played.  Stunning from start to finish.

'Ask Me Why' plays very clearly and with only a minimal hint of distortion and I do mean very minimal!  In no way is it intrusive and the clarity is still mega impressive.  There is no interference of any kind.

The familiar refrains of the harmonica intro on the classic 'Please Please Me' is superb, it plays 'as new'.  The vocal then has a little distortion on the top end but it has to be said this is one of the 'cleanest' versions that I have heard in a long time.  As any audiophile knows the final track on any side can play with some distortion but there is relatively little here and it provides an incredible finish to a side that exudes great clarity from beginning to end.  Not one single click or pop and no crackle either!

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With hardly any lead in static on the opening grooves the intro on 'Love Me Do' then plays with sublime quality and with only a handful of light static sounds.  They are very much in the background and totally non-intrusive.  The clarity is hugely impressive and you won't hear many versions better than this.  The harmonica plays superbly throughout, as 'clean' as it was back in '63!

'P.S. I Love You' does not disappoint and plays with great depth and clarity and again you are just struck by how clear the sound is.  Admittedly there is a touch of vocal distortion here and there but it is so minor as to be inconsequential.  As I said you expect this on a mono record being played on a stereo set up.  The audio is still of an extremely high standard and again...no clicks or pops!

'Baby It's You' has a little more static/distortion on the vocal but in my opinion is minimal.  Remember I grade with 100% integrity and will mention any imperfection however minor and this still plays very clearly indeed.  For an early 60s record the playback would still be difficult to improve upon.

For a relatively quiet track 'Do You Want To Know A Secret' plays with 'high end' quality from start to finish.  I'm not sure if I am extolling the virtues of this early pressing as well as I could be!  Thus far every track has barely any 'background' and how many records that are over 55 years old have no clicks, pops or crackle?!  This particular track is another stunning example of a vinyl so well preserved down the years.

'A Taste of Honey' is of a very similar standard and has only a little more static background on the vocal.  Again it is not intrusive and perhaps not even worthy of mention?  The overall audio is superb and would impress any avid Beatles collector.

'There's A Place' and 'Twist And Shout' end the album with excellent audio but with a little more distortion on the top end which is common with 'final tracks' on any side but they still play very clearly and with no other interference.  In saying that these two tracks are often unlistenable due to the high amount of distortion that you often find so I am pleased to say it is kept to a minimum here.  Another example, if was needed, of a vinyl only lightly played.

In summary this stunning early pressing plays with a quality that is so rarely found today.  For fear of repeating myself how many records of this age have no clicks or pops and no crackle?!  Another example of the fantastic clarity on offer here is when you can't hear the music if you understand what I mean i.e. the dead wax between every track is either completely silent or near to it.  Yes a little static distortion here and there but nothing intrusive.  These mono pressings are highly collectable today and it's easy to see why.  So many audiophiles believe they offer a lot more 'sound' and it's hard to disagree as there is certainly a greater depth and warmth on a mono recording.  With a super impressive cover also it would be difficult to find a better 1N/1N record with audio as good as this.

The Cover

This is a fine example of an early mono cover.  Printed by E.J. Day it has only very minor shelf wear and what is really striking is just how strong and robust it is.  It has been preserved very well and has not become flimsy at all over time.  The edges are in perfect condition with no rubbing and the spine is also mega clean and remains 100% legible.  The only obvious corner wear is top left where there is a small crease, the others are extremely clean.  The opening edge is also in fantastic condition with no handling at all.  The laminated front cover has some corner creasing but you couldn't find a much better one to be honest and the back cover is sooo impressive!  It is so clean and the white background has only a minor amount of very light fading.  The flipbacks are also in superb shape with no marking and they remain firmly in place, they have just a couple of minor creases.  It would be difficult to find a better cover than this!

Inner Sleeve

The original poly-lined Emitex sleeve has no splits or tears and no marking either which is rare.  There is some creasing only mainly on the corners.

The Labels

Two of the finest yellow/black Parlophone labels you are ever likely to see on a 'Please Please Me' vinyl!  There is no spindle wear and no marking or writing and are so incredibly clean!  They have lost none of their original colour.  Stunning.  There is no KT tax stamp on either side.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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