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The Beatles : Abbey Road 2/1 1st Press 1969 with Misaligned Apple

This first pressing plays with stunning quality and there is hardly any background to be heard.  The clarity is so impressive and there are no clicks or pops and barely any static.  There is just one light static / crackle type sound that lasts for a half second only if that and just a minor touch of inner groove distortion which is only very minimal and does not detract from the overall 'sound'.  The sonic quality is up there with the best and the vinyl is also very clean with only some light hairlines.

The misaligned G & L cover is in excellent condition with not too much wear and the inner sleeve is in excellent shape also.

As this is a genuine first pressing it has the 2/1 matrix, the misaligned Apple on the back cover and 'Her Majesty' is not credited on either the S2 label or the back cover. 

PCS 7088 // YEX 749 - 2 / YEX 750 - 1 // GHL 5 / GLP 8

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T6 Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T8 Near Mint)

The cover is Ex-

The inner sleeve is Ex-

The labels are Near Mint

Visual description

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still has a strong glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  When you look under a bright light you can see some faint hairlines but there is nothing that stands out.  The grooves are very clean and there is certainly no groove wear or mottling.  The Apple labels are in great shape with only a little spindle wear on each side.

Play grading

The intro on 'Come Together' plays with that familiar deep rich sound you only get from a clean vinyl and has no background at all.  The opening vocal / chorus is perfect and again there is not so much as a dust tick, the playback is crystal clear.  It continues in the same way and the depth and warmth of the music is up there with the best I have ever heard.  It basically plays 'as new' with no intrusion - a brave statement I know but I am confident in my grading and clearly it helps by playing the track in full!  This is Mint from start to finish including the fade out, a stunning version.

The first two verses on 'Something' play with beautifully and again there is not even a solitary dust tick let alone anything more.  The chorus is faultless and Harrison's mid instrumental is equal to that.  The next verse / chorus has no interference either and the rest of this classic is just as clean - once again you just have to admire the sonic quality on offer here.  Another Mint track in every sense of the word.

'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' has no ticks, clicks, pops or static and plays with super clean audio throughout.  Mint

'Oh ! Darling' again shows how well this vinyl has been preserved.  The clarity and power of the audio is exceptional and there is no distortion on the top end, not even during McCartney's high octane vocal sections.  An incredible Mint version.

'Octopus's Garden' continues this fine form and plays with wonderful audio and no sign of any background.  A favourite phrase of mine - not even a dust tick!  Every vocal and instrumental section play perfectly and whilst it may be remiss of me I heard things here I haven't noticed before i.e. the bubbling water 'sound' during the mid guitar solo - I guess that's a measure of the clarity on offer.  It cannot be faulted and Mint is again deserved.

The intro on 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' plays very clearly with only a hint of inner groove distortion, so minor you might not even notice it and it's hardly worth a mention.  Lennon's opening vocal is close to perfect with just one static crackle sound right at the end but it is brief and by no means loud.  The following instrumental / vocal has no background and it continues to play with STUNNING audio - there is no distortion and then the classic 'progressive' section plays with genuine quality - the power and depth of the audio is very strong.  If there is any distortion it is so so minimal and certainly does not detract from the 'listen'.  In fact the further you progress the stronger the audio is and I cannot emphasise enough just how superb the playback is.  There is no 'muddiness' to the sound and of course no interference.  I will grade this classic as Near Mint but it's fair to say the majority grades higher than that.

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The intro on 'Here Comes The Sun' plays beautifully and Harrison's opening vocal has no background either.  This all time classic continues to play with a clarity, depth and warmth that is just spectacular!  I don't like to be over-enthusiastic but when you hear audio as clean and precise as this I can be excused!  I cannot praise it highly enough and Mint is 100% deserved.  Wow what a version!

'Because' keeps up the standard and plays with stunning precision.  The first triple-tracked harmonies play with incredible clarity and this high end standard is kept up throughout.  Mint

The piano intro on 'You Never Give Me Your Money' has no interference and the opening vocal is just as clean and 'fresh'.  The more powerful chorus is faultless and the rest of the track is equally as impressive.  The guitar solos perhaps have just a touch of distortion but I am just being 100% honest and it really is so so minor.  The final vocal is perfect as is the countdown 'outro' - overall a Mint- is fair.

The segue into 'Sun King' is perfect and the intro has only a couple of mega quiet statics, the clarity cannot be faulted basically.  The vocal harmonies are so clean and I only 'picked up' one very quiet tick near the end.  Mint-

'Mean Mr. Mustard' plays with outstanding quality with zero intrusion and 'Polythene Pam' is just as strong.  Great power and depth here and... no interference.  'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window' completes this trio of songs with sublime quality once more and Mint is deserved for all three.

The piano intro on 'Golden Slumbers' has only the lightest of background static and clearly it is not intrusive.  McCartney's opening vocal is very clean and as the volume increases the playback is superb.  The second and final verse has no interference and I will grade this classic as Near Mint

'Carry that Weight' plays with genuine quality from start to finish with no intrusion and 'The End' completes (nearly!) the album with stunning audio.  The power and depth of the audio is fantastic and Starr's solo could not play any better.  The guitar solos from the other three play with tremendous power and definition and again if there is any distortion it is so minimal.  The final vocal / instrumental has no interference and I will grade these two as Mint and Mint- respectively.

The few seconds of silence is exactly that, silent, and then 'Her Majesty' plays with perfect audio.  A Mint finish to a superb album.

In summary this first pressing plays with exceptional quality and barely any intrusion.  It is easily one of the finest 'misaligned' versions I have ever heard as there are no clicks or pops and hardly any static.  Just a minimal amount of inner groove distortion as stated and I only mention it to be 'complete' with my grading, it really does not detract from the overall sonic 'landscape'.  The clarity, depth and power of the audio is sensational and there cannot be many around today playing to this high end standard.

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The laminated G & L cover is in excellent condition with not too much shelf wear.  The edges have no marking / rubbing and the thin pinched spine is still 100% legible with only minimal marking.  The corners are in excellent shape with just a little more wear top right and the opening edge has some handling wear but not an excessive amount.  cover is in lovely condition also with just 3/4 small creases next to the spine and one barely visible corner crease top right.  The front cover is very clean with a couple of laminate creases creases top left and a small number next to the spine also.  There are 3/4 on the right side also but they certainly don't stand out.  The back cover just has some faint creases around the edges and a couple of minor ones on the actual surface.  I think Ex- is a fair assessment of this iconic cover.

The plain white die cut inner is very clean and has no side splits or tears.  It just has some light creasing and one very faint mark near a top edge.

Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

PCS 7088 // YEX 749 - 2 / YEX 750 - 1 // GHL 5 / GLP 8

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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