The Beatles : Please Please Me 1N/1N 6th Stereo Press

This stereo pressing on the iconic yellow Parlophone label plays with near perfect audio on both sides I have never heard anything like it!  The clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is equal to that of an unplayed record and there is just one light click on S1 and no other interference.  The sonic quality is astounding and that is demonstrated on the final track of each side - 'Please Please Me' has barely any distortion and 'Twist And Shout' has zero!  This is a FINAL UPGRADE pressing for sure i.e. no need to purchase another as audio does not get any better than this!  Not surprisingly the vinyl is visually stunning and is the 'cleanest' stereo version I have seen in many years.

The iconic cover (is in superb condition with hardly any wear.  It remains very strong and robust because it has hardly been handled down the years and the 'white' back cover is still extremely clean.  The original Emitex inner is also in excellent condition.

This is known as the 6th stereo pressing as it has 'The Gramophone Co. Ltd...' around the perimeter edges.  STEREO is printed on the far right of PARLOPHONE and interestingly there is an extra dot in 'Sold In.U.K. Subject...' on the S1 label only.  According to the Beatles-collection site this edition was pressed in 1968.

I prefer not to use the term 'rare' but I do think this sixth pressing is rarely found as good as this today.  It is STUNNING!

PCS 3042 // YEX 94 - 1 / YEX 95 - 1 // MD 2 / AO 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T3 Near Mint- / T7 Near Mint) 

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint) 

The cover is Ex+

The labels are Mint-

The Emitex inner is Ex

This vinyl is a work of art!  It is in beautiful condition and you would be forgiven it was 'as new'!  It still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and it is only on close inspection that you can see two small hairline marks on S1 and a couple of very faint hairlines on S2.  S1 is superb and S2 is even better!  There are no scratches and the grooves are so incredibly clean.  The run out grooves are pristine and the yellow Parlophone labels are near perfect with only a couple of faint spindle traces on S1 and just a little more on S2.  There is no KT tax code on this copy.  A stunning record, it 'gleams' beautifully!

Play grading  

'I Saw Her Standing There' plays with superb sonic quality from start to finish with no interference.  The clarity and power of the audio is equal to that of an unplayed record and that is no exaggeration.  As stated there is only very minimal spindle wear and already it is clear it has only been lightly played.  This track was recorded 'loud' and has no distortion on the top end and easily provides a Mint- start to the album.

'Misery' then plays to the same 'high end' standard with no intrusion.  The vocals are so high in the mix on this album and yet they still retain their original sonic quality with no static distortion etc.  Each note is so clean and precise and even the fade out plays to perfection.  Right at the end you can hear the very faint 'clatter' type sound as if an instrument is being put down.  That's how good the clarity is!  Mint- again.

With complete silence in the dead wax the intro on 'Anna (Go To Him)' has no 'background' and the first verse has just one light click.  From then on it plays so well with no ticks, clicks, pops or underlying static.  I will grade as Near Mint- because of that one minor click otherwise it plays with perfect clarity.

The 'harmonica' intro on 'Chains' is 'as new' and it continues in the same way with a clarity and definition that cannot be faulted.  This is another Mint- track I am pleased to say with another immaculate fade out.

'Boys' is stunning from the get go and this quality does not diminish as you progress further.  Even the stereo pressings are susceptible to distortion but that is certainly not the case here and the brief mid instrumental is a prime example of that.  It is a very powerful track and Mint- is deserved.

'Ask Me Why' once again shows how well this vinyl has been preserved and plays with sublime quality from start to finish with...no interference.  A couple of dust ticks at the end but that does qualify as interference!  Mint-

The classic 'Please Please Me' always plays with some inner groove distortion, that is the nature of vinyl where the grooves are more compressed towards the end of the side.  It is just a matter of how much and I am glad to say it is kept to a minimum here - the sonic quality remains very impressive and you can still play it 'loud' without having to turn it down immediately.  Perhaps I should not downgrade but I will grade as Near Mint just to be a little cautious.

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The iconic harmonica intro on 'Love Me Do' plays perfectly and the opening vocal is equally as good.  It continues to play with impeccable clarity with just one very light tick during the harmonica section near the end.  This deserves to be graded as Mint- such is the quality of the audio.

'P.S. I Love You' plays beautifully with no obvious intrusion.  There is also one very brief section section in the middle where the volume almost seems to decrease in a way with a slightly muffled sound.  You could easily miss it if not listening closely as it is so minor and lasts for only 5/6 seconds.  I suspect it is a recording/pressing issue and it doesn't detract from the overall 'sound'.  It is followed by a very light tick but the remainder is 'as new'.  Near Mint

'Baby It's You' plays with unbelievable clarity from the first note to the last with no 'background' of any kind.  Each note is so sharp and precise and this deserves a Mint grade no need for a minus!

Once again I cannot overstate just how STUNNING the clarity is on the next track 'Do You Want To Know A Secret'.  It plays with majestic quality throughout with not even a dust tick.  This is audio of the highest standard and I am pleased to say 'A Taste Of Honey' is just as good with no intrusion whatsoever.  I do not over-grade as my feedback confirms and I can confidently say both track are Mint from start to finish. 

'There's A Place' plays with great power and clarity considering it is the penultimate track.  There is no interference and I'm sure you know how it grades...

'Twist And Shout' ends the side with fantastic audio, I cannot describe it any other way!  This may well be the strongest version of this classic that I have ever heard.  There is no obvious distortion and that is just so rare!  There are no ticks, clicks or pops and it provides a fitting end to this incredible album.  Mint- is an honest appraisal of the audio.

In summary this very collectable stereo pressing may not be one of the earliest versions but it is without question a FINAL UPGRADE archive pressing with a sonic quality that is outstanding in every way.  It is patently obvious this record has hardly been played and whilst the 'rare' is often overused it certainly applies here.  It does indeed play with a rare quality - a clarity, depth and warmth that is hugely impressive on so many levels.  Yes one light click on S1 but that is the only 'obvious' intrusion and even then it is not loud!  A stunning album with a stunning cover as detailed below.

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The Patents pending G & L cover is in lovely condition with only minor shelf wear and there is certainly nothing that stands out.  For one that is approaching 54 years old it has been preserved incredibly well.  The edges and thin pinched spine are perfect and as can be seen there is only very minimal corner wear.  The opening edge has only a little handling wear and just one very tiny tear - this is so small I only noticed it just  now despite having owned the album for a while now.  The laminated front cover is unmarked and has just one small barely visible crease and one faint scratch line beneath the title.  What is impressive is how clean the laminate is around the edges, I can only see a couple of minor edge creases.  The back cover is is in superb condition and has none of the marking on the 'white' background that you so often see.  There is one tiny mark near the top edge and a minimal amount of marking on the edge of the bottom flipback but overall the flipbacks are so much cleaner that usual.  One thing I have just noticed is that PCS 3042 top right is printed at a slight angle!  This is a stunning example of this iconic cover and Ex+ is fair although not far from Near Mint- in my opinion.

The original poly-lined Emitex inner is in excellent condition with no side splits or tears and only some faint marking and a little creasing.

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

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

PCS 3042 // YEX 94 - 1 / YEX 95 - 1 // MD 2 / AO 1

International buyers may be subject to customs duty or tax - in the case of the E.U. all purchases will be subject to VAT which eBay will collect at point of sale.

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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