The Beatles - Abbey Road LP - RAREST APPLE LABEL TEXT FORMAT - 1st PRESS 1969

	£		31
	$		41

The Beatles – Abbey Road LP
Original UK Stereo 1st Press.  Released 26th September 1969.

VERY RARE LABEL VARIANT – VERY HARD TO FIND!!!

Housed within original fully laminated sleeve, printed by Garrod and Lofthouse International Ltd.  The inner flaps are formed from the edges of the front cover.  The sleeve does not have flip-backs.

Catalogue Code: PCS 7088.

Matrix Numbers: Side A - YEX 749-2 and Side B - YEX 750-1

Side A: Mother code 8 and Stamper code GLA (183).

Side B: Mother code 4 and Stamper GLD (180).

This is what is known as the “standard” sleeve variant having the Apple logo correctly aligned with the side A track listing and “Apple Records” text on the rear.  The front cover photography is correctly sized as opposed to an earlier more magnified version of the photograph.  “Her Majesty” cannot be found in the track listing on the sleeve or on the vinyl label.  LP is contained within the original plain white EMI die cut inner sleeve.

VERY RARE LABEL VARIANT:

I understand this to be the RAREST label format of any Abbey Road pressing.  Side A label text states the following in this order:

STEREO

PCS 7088

(YEX.749)

(P) 1969

(“An EMI

Recording”)

33 1/3

Mfd. In U.K.

SIDE 1

Side B label text states the following in this order with the formatting error shown in red:

STEREO

(YEX.750)

(P) 1969

PCS 7088

(“An EMI

Recording”)

Mfd. In U.K.

SIDE 1

33 1/3

Therefore, the text on side B is printed in the wrong order.  33 1/3 is printed below the other text on the left side of the label and on the right side of the label the PCS 7088 is moved from the second line to the fourth line.  Please see the photographs for clarification.  I understand only a small number of these labels were printed in error by EMI and the mistake quickly rectified, making this a very rare label format.

Vinyl condition: VG/VG.  Both sides of the vinyl are clean with only some very light / hairline scratches that are visible under very bright light.  This has minimal effect on sound quality.  There is some minor surface noise throughout both sides of the LP, however this is generally lost within the depth of the tracks and is only really audible between tracks.  The LP plays through beautifully with no skips or jumps.  However, I appreciate that opinions will differ according to different eyes, ears, equipment etc.  No spindle wear to either side of the LP.  Some minor spindle marks to the centre of the label around the spindle hole on both sides.

The plain white, die cut EMI inner sleeve is in good condition, no tears, but with some creasing of the corners and the top and some very mild discolouration due to age and handling.  The inner sleeve has “MADE IN ENGLAND” and “PATENT NO. 1,125,555.” printed in blue at the bottom of the rear side, characteristic of the EMI inner sleeves of this time.

Sleeve: G. Some ring wear to the front and the back.  Clean from marks and writing both inside and out.  Some indentation marks just to the right of Paul McCartney’s head that look to have been caused by something being scribbled on a piece of paper on top of the sleeve.   Some very light surface wear to the laminate in places although still maintaining its glossy surface.  Some creases are evident to both sides near the open edge and around the other sides.  The laminate is chipped in places around the seams where the white cardboard is evident but this is minimal.  On the spine there is a small split in the centre and a couple of chips affecting the title.  There is some slight scuffing to each of the corners of the sleeve although minimal.  Generally in good condition without any writing, stickers, Cellotape etc.

Track Listing: (1) Come Together, (2) Something, (3) Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, (4) Oh! Darling, (5) Octopus’s Garden, (6) I Want You (She’s So Heavy), (7) Here Comes The Sun, (8) Because, (9) You Never Give Me Your Money, (10) Sun King, (11) Mean Mr. Mustard, (12) Polythene Pam, (13) She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, (14) Golden Slumbers, (15) The End, (16) (un-credited) Her Majesty.

Thank you for looking at this item.  Happy Bidding!!!

!

MINT (M)

THE VINYL WILL BE IN BRAND NEW CONDITION. THERE WILL NO SURFACE MARKS OR DETERIORATION IN QUALITY. FOR THE SLEEVE AND ANY EXTRAS THE SAME APPLIES

EXCELLENT (EX)

THE VINYL COULD HAVE SOME MINOR SIGNS OF PLAYING WITH VERY LITTLE LESSENING IN QUALITY. SLEEVE MAY HAVE SLIGHT SIGN OF USE AND SLIGHT CREASING

VERY GOOD (VG)

THE VINYL HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN PLAYED MANY TIMES BUT NO MAJOR DETERIORATION IN SOUND QUALITY. THERE MAY BE SURFACE MARKS AND THE ODD LIGHT SCRATCH. ALSO THERE COULD BE SOME SURFACE NOISE. NORMAL WEAR ON SLEEVE BUT NO MAJOR FAULT IS ACCEPTABLE

GOOD (G)

DUE TO PROLONGED PLAYING THE VINYL’S SOUND QUALITY HAS NOTICEABLY DETERIORATED. THERE COULD ALSO BE DISTORTION AND MILD SCRATCHES. THE SLEEVE COULD SUFFER FROM DISCOLOURATION, FOLDS, SPLIT SPINES AND SCUFFS.

FAIR (F)

THE RECORD IS JUST PLAYABLE DISPLAYS CONSIDERABLE SURFACE NOISE, MAY JUMP. THE SLEEVE MAY BE TORN, STAINED AND DEFACED

POOR (P)

VINYL WILL NOT PLAY PROPERLY DUE TO SCRATCHES BAD SURFACE MARKS ETC. THE SLEEVE WILL BE BADLY DAMAGED OR MISSING

VARIATIONS

(NM) = NEAR MINT (VG-) = SLIGHTLY UNDER VERY GOOD (EX+)= SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN EXCELLENT

THE N,+,- SYMBOLS ARE USED TO GRADE INBETWEEN THE SET GRADES