The Beatles : The White Album 1st Mono Press No 0069976 (Complete with 4 portraits & poster)

This first mono pressing plays to a standard that you just hardly ever find today.  I am confident in saying it is the finest version I have ever heard and that is not a selling 'technique' that is just my true and honest assessment.  The vinyls may not be visually perfect but the audio more or less is!  The clarity throughout is immaculate and both records play without a single click or pop and almost zero static and there is certainly no crackle.  There is very little spindle wear so I suspect they have not been played very much.  I cannot emphasise enough how well they play, the sonic quality is stunning!

This is a genuine first press as determined by the matrix numbers and that there is no 'An EMI Recording' and 'Sold in UK etc..' on the labels.

This is undoubtedly a time warp classic, a FINAL UPGRADE if you will, and this first pressing is also one of the earliest in that the gatefold has a relatively low number of 0069976.  Anything under 100,00 can be considered low in my opinion.  The 'top loading' cover is in superb condition with only very minor wear and hopefully the photos do it justice.

It also comes complete with the glossy John Kelly portraits and the large lyric/collage poster.  They are all in fantastic condition, 'as new' in fact.  The original black inners are included and they are also in superb order with no splits just some creasing.

PMC 7067/8 // XEX 709 - 1 / XEX 710 - 1 / YEX 750 - 1 / XEX 711 - 1 / XEX 712 - 1 // OM 5 / OL 7 / PH 2 / RM 1  

The audio on S1 is Mint- (Tracks 2 & 3 Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint- (Track 1, 2 & 3 Near Mint)

The audio on S3 is Mint- (Track 7 Near Mint+)

The audio on S4 is Mint-

The gatefold is a very strong Ex

The four photos and lyric poster are Mint-

The labels are Near Mint

The original black inner sleeves are Ex+

 Visual grading

  The vinyls are in excellent condition with no scratches and have clearly not been played too much judging by the stunning audio and the minimal spindle wear.  The records do have some hairlines with a few more on the second record.  Possibly the greatest disparity I have seen between the Near Mint / Mint audio that we have here and the visual look of the records.  However, I have seen this many times before and I have believe these are not actually hairlines but minor 'sweep' type lines that are caused during the pressing procedure.  Do not let this put you off because once you give the records a 'spin' you will be amazed by the sound quality!  It has to be said that at first glance the vinyls are very clean and it is only when you hold them at a certain angle in a bright light that you can see the 'lines' as they are very faint.  It just goes to show it's scratches and not 'sweep line / hairlines' that will affect the audio quality and I repeat the audio here is STUNNING!!  The run out grooves and the 'no EMI' labels are super clean with no marking.

Play grading

With only a couple of super quiet dust ticks on the 'aeroplane' intro to the final note 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' plays with superb audio and no interference at all.  There are no ticks or clicks, no static or crackle and no distortion either.  A stunning Mint start to this classic album.

'Dear Prudence' also plays with great clarity and the only 'background' if you can call it that is a small number of dust ticks.  Why I mention them I don't know as you will find them on new vinyl let alone one that is 52 years old!  Just noticed a couple of faint ticks on the fade out but this is easily grades as Near Mint although I'm sure many would grade higher.

'Glass Onion' is nigh on perfect and plays with tremendous sonic quality.  The depth and strong bass on this track is so impressive and there is only a minimal touch of mega light static on the 'strings' fade out.  The vast majority is Mint but will grade as Near Mint just to err on the side of caution.

There is no issue in deciding how to grade 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-LA-Da' as there is no 'background' from start to finish.  The clarity is exceptional and Mint is a fair assessment.

'Wild Honey Pie' is of the same 'high end' standard and plays with immaculate precision.  Mint

The acoustic intro on 'The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill' is so 'clean' and as the vocal begins there is no decrease in quality.  It continues in the same precise way with no interference and even the whistling and clapping at the end 'play' with wonderful clarity!  Mint again.

The piano intro announcing the classic 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' plays perfectly.  From then on the clarity can hardly be faulted - the playback is so strong with no obvious static and Clapton's famous solo is breathtakingly clear and precise.  The remainder again takes your breath away (!) the audio is absolutely stunning!  Again Clapton's work at the end has no interference and the long fade out is so 'clean' with only a handful of ticks right at the end when the music is barely audible!

'Happiness Is A Warm Gun' ends the side with a real sense of warmth and depth.  Once more there is no 'background' and for any final track on a 'mono' record to play as well as this is a rarity.  I have no hesitation in grading these two final tracks as Mint- the audio is outstanding. 

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'Martha My Dear' has only minimal light static on the piano intro and still plays so clearly.  Once the vocal starts there is barely any static and from then on it plays beautifully.  Another mention for the clarity here - each note is so 'clear' and there is no 'muddiness' to the sound at all.  It is patently obvious this has not been played very much.  A stunning Near Mint version.

'I'm So Tired' plays extremely well with just a hint of mega light intermittent static but is so much in the background as to be insignificant and non-intrusive.  Remember I am listening out for any 'imperfection' however minor and this static could easily be missed.  No clicks or pops and is Near Mint again.

'Blackbird' has barely any static on the intro and thereafter the audio is so 'clean' for such a quiet track.  A couple of gentle static 'ticks' during the brief 'silent' section but this is a fantastic version without question.  Near Mint

There is nothing to fault with 'Piggies' at all.  The audio is STUNNING in every way and you would think this vinyl was only pressed yesterday!  Wow Mint all the way!

'Rocky Raccoon' maintains this standard and plays with incredible precision from the first groove to the last.  This is Mint in every sense of the word, I do not need to say anymore!

'Don't Pass Me By' and 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road' are of the same quality.  I can't quite believe the quality of the audio on this first pressing so far!

Again for such a quiet track 'I Will' plays with great precision and, whilst I'm trying hard not to repeat myself, there is just no interference to be heard.  The clarity is exceptional and Mint is a fair assessment.

'Julia' more than keeps up the standard and plays beautifully throughout.  This final track on the side often has some static/crackle or worse but this is one of the 'cleanest' versions I have ever heard, if not the best!  A handful of barely audible dust ticks this is audio of the highest calibre.  Not bad for over 50!  Mint- I can confidently say

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If I've ever heard a better version of 'Birthday' I cannot remember when that was!  It is so powerful and the depth and stunning strong bass just adds so much to the audio.  There is no distortion and believe me when I say you can really turn this one up to loud!  It is stunning and I don't even have to consider the grade here - Mint +++!

'Yer Blues' similarly plays with immense depth and power from start to finish and with no sign of any interference.  Not one static sound and certainly no clicks or pops.  The fade out is also stunning.  You know the grade.

The quiet acoustic intro on 'Mother Nature's Son' is faultless and to the very end it plays with great precision and clarity.  

'Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey' is immaculate from the word go.  I am just running out of superlatives for this album - I have just never heard this 'high octane' track play in such spectacular fashion.  There is no distortion here and of course being such a 'loud' track that is such a rarity.  The clarity is just out of this world and put simply it plays 'as new'.  Mint and then some!

I shall say no more other than to say 'Sexy Sadie' is of the same standard with no 'background' anywhere. 

You could not wish to hear a more complete version of 'Helter Skelter' than the one on offer here.  Once more there is no distortion and it just 'rocks out' from the very first groove.  A sensational Mint version with incredibly strong bass.  It has lost none of its quality in the intervening years and again plays 'as new' no exaggeration.   

'Long Long Long' ends S3 in sublime fashion with just the one light tick.  That's the first sign of any 'background' for a long long time!  What is impressive though is that this relatively quiet track has no static or crackle at all and the clarity can hardly be faulted.  It plays with great precision right to the end and grades as Near Mint+ in my opinion.    

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Not long to go now!  'Revolution 1' on S4 has a perfect intro and from then on plays with wonderful clarity.  There is no interference, only a small number of mega quiet dust ticks, and Mint- is a honest grade.  It is a further example of a vinyl so well preserved.

The quiet intro on 'Honey Pie' plays with incredible clarity and continues in the same precise way with no interference.  Another perfect Mint track.

The classic 'Savoy Truffle' has such powerful deep audio and again there is nothing to fault.  Mint in every way.

'Cry Baby Cry' is stunning from start to finish...with no 'background' not even on the 'take me back' end section including the fade out.

The rather strange 'Revolution 9' has a perfect intro and then 'plays' as you would want it to.  Yes I played every second so as to provide a true grading!  The audio is equal to that gone before and there is not one iota of interference.  Mint

'Good Night' ends this stunning album with superb audio.  So often this track has a fair amount of static etc but the playback here is very impressive indeed.  It is one of the finest versions I have ever heard and there is not one single tick or click.  I am happy to grade it as Mint- which I don't think I have ever done before for this closing track.  A superb way to finish.   

In summary this FINAL UPGRDAE double album will impress any Beatles' collector.  Yes there may be some hairlines but it's the quality of the audio that we're after and in all my years of selling I have never heard this classic album play with such outstanding clarity and definition.  All the more rare when you consider that 0069976 is a relatively low number.  There is not one single click or pop and in essence there is no interference at all.  I cannot praise it highly enough and to further enhance its credentials the iconic cover is also in lovely overall condition as are the four photos and large lyric poster.  A stunning 'package' for certain.

The 'Top Loader' Gatefold

This famous G&L laminated cover is in lovely condition for its age and has only minimal wear.  The 'top loading' edges have hardly any handling wear and the bottom two edges have no rubbing/marking either.  The wide spine is in superb order with no wear as such just the usual 'crease' type line running down the centre of it caused by opening it.  It remains 100% legible and rarely has no lamintate splitting.  The corners of the spine have no obvious wear and the right hand corners are in great shape also with just a minimal hint of rubbing on the bottom two.  The front cover is so much cleaner than the majority you see and has very little marking - just a handful of faint 'spots' and light 'greying' in a couple of places.  The back cover if anything is even better with no real marking and the inside is in superb order with a lovely inner spine and no marking again.  Only the left flipback has a little staining on the edge, the right one is super clean, and they both remain firmly attached to the cover.

There cannot be many that are as impressive as this and of course it has quite a low number :-)

The Labels

The 'Apple' labels are in superb condition with no marking and very little spindle wear.  As this is an early first pressing the two green labels are of a darker hue.

The Photos & Poster

The four John Kelly portraits are practically 'as new' with no marking and only a couple of tiny corner creases.  The large collage/lyric poster is similarly in great shape with no marking either.  I suspect it has hardly ever been opened it is stunning!

The Inner Sleeves

The original black inners rarely have no side splits and there are no tears or marking either.  They have a little creasing and overall they are fine examples.

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

The records have been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
PMC 7067/8 // XEX 709 - 1 / XEX 710 - 1 / YEX 750 - 1 / XEX 711 - 1 / XEX 712 - 1 // OM 5 / OL 7 / PH 2 / RM 1

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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Postage & Packaging

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