1964 Capitol Records Stereo "Beatles' 65" Acetate

$

1,025

Up for auction is a true rarity.  A 1964 stereo acetate of the Capitol Records LP, "Beatles' 65", made on December 23, 1964. 

Die-hard collectors know acetates are among the rarest of collectables, since they were never made in any appreciable numbers or meant to be distributed to the public.  They were among the final steps in the physical production of records.  They usually were made only for the artists or company executives for evaluation purposes, and occasionally as gifts to industry insiders such as DJ's to quickly get a song on the air as an exclusive. (This was way back in the day when phonograph records were the only viable high quality reproduction medium.)  They are fragile and cannot be played many times before heavy wear and damage start to set in.   (And back in 1964 when this disc was cut and heavy tracking forces were the norm, the number of "good" plays you could get from such a disc was limited indeed!)

Usually, acetates were cut for "in-house" quality checks before committing to pressing vinyl albums.  However, "Beatles '65" was released on December 15, 1964 and the date on this acetate is December 23, 1964 so it is unclear for what purpose it was created.  What I do know is that this acetate has been played extensively in its lifetime.  There's no getting around the fact that this item is strictly for bragging and displaying and not for listening.  It is noisy, worn in spots, skips in places, and exhibits extreme wear. If held at an angle, stress fractures can be seen.   But it IS genuine, in one piece, and truly one of a kind.  Here is your chance to own a one of a kind piece of Beatles history!

Study the pictures carefully.  The yellowing and glue lines on the label speak to the age of the disc.  THIS IS NO "NEWLY CUT" ACETATE!  One look at it (and smell...acetates, especially older ones, have a distinct scent that cannot be copied or faked) will show that.  Also note the typewritten label, calling the disc "Beatles 1965".  The "ml" initials are from the engineer who cut the disc and are common on many Capitol acetates from this period that have come to light.  The dust seen on the scans are from my scanner, and do not mean the disc is dusty.  Sharp-eyed collectors will see that the timing of side one is longer than the usual 13:35 the LP runs.  That is because there is about thirty seconds of silence before the first song starts and not because of any extra count-offs or studio chatter.  Obviously the timing was calculated using the time cut on the disc as opposed to the actual content of the songs.  I am unaware of the significance of the word/name "MODER" that is rubber stamped on both sides of the disc.  Perhaps this was the name of the original owner of the acetate.

I have not attempted to clean the disc using anything other than a carbon fiber brush.  It was played *once* by me to check for content using a high quality, audiophile phono playback system.

Due to the fragility of this item, I will only accept and honor bids from the USA or Canada.  NO INTERNATIONAL BIDS!! 

Shipping will be via FedEx overnight.  Insurance is mandatory, and will be calculated using the price of the winning bid. Shipping and Insurance charges will be the responsibility of the buyer, and calculated using the final bid and winner's exact address.  I will NOT estimate shipping, and will only charge the EXACT shipping rate to the winner.   I will NOT ship UPS, USPS, or any other carrier for this item!! 

It will be over packed in bubble wrap, in an oversized box loosely filled with foam packing peanuts to assure a safe trip through the system.  I accept PayPal and Money Orders/Postal Checks ONLY!   If you pay via PayPal, I will ship as soon as the funds have been transferred.  If you pay via Money order/Postal Check, there will be a seven-day wait before shipping to assure the check clears.  Please email me with any questions.