Beatles LP box set from UK

Does anyone have comments on the quality of this set. I came in a dark blue box kind of a leather texture all the autographs were embossed in gold on the box as well as "The Beatles" inside was all the UK albums and a rarites lp.

I dont think it was rare at all, but I was just wondering if there was anything special outside of just being a great collection.
Thanks

 

Boy have you come to the right place for Beatles discussion

I have two UK editions of these Beatles Collection box sets, catalogue no. Parlophone BC13. The sets I own were both sourced in the mid-1980s (one set has barcoded sleeves, the other doesn't).

A few facts n figures: The set was originally released in 1978 (in some countries '79) and was eventually deleted circa 1988/89 when it was replaced with a black roller-lid box set containing the newly remastered LP's (from the same digital tapes as the CD's). The CD version of this black box set is still available although the vinyl version is long gone.

In some of the UK sets, a poster (basically a blow-up of the four photos included in the White Album) was included. Apparently EMI put these in at random - neither of my BC13's have a poster included.

The Beatles Collection was issued in many countries around the world with various local variations, although the majority of the European versions were the same as the UK edition. The US version mirrored the UK version with two differences: The US edition was a limited, numbered set (only 3,000 were made) and featured a slightly different version of the Rarities LP (the German She Loves You and I Wanna Hold Your Hand were replaced with English language versions). Arguably the most collectable set is the first edition from Japan, which was also a numbered, limited edition set featuring custom-pressed LP's with booklets, 2 posters and in some sets 4 Beatles mirrors!

The British version of this set is fairly common and can be had for reasonable money (£150-200 ~ $175-225). There are plenty around in mint or near-mint condition. The set is not what I would call collectable although APPARENTLY the early editions of the UK box included numbered White Albums although I've not been able to get this confirmed 100%.

If you're looking for a way of getting some good quality pressings of the Beatles on vinyl without paying a fortune for it, the BC13 box is a good way of achieving this. You could do far worse than buy one of these and it's also a good way of getting the first four albums in stereo.

 

Thanks Kipper,
Actually I have the set sitting at my mothers house in a closet along with hundreds of other lps and cd. I bought this new in maybe 81 and it has always sounded great but that was high school and since college and then I moved to Europe for most of the 90's I havent been able to get the collection over to this side of the US plus since Ive done so much traveling I have a great cd collection but my system is poor (I just bought some sennheiser hd600 though) eventually I'll get a turntable again though.

I'll have to check if my white album had the numbering I think it had the 4 photos but not as a poster blown up, I believe on card stock though not the thin paper that my US copy had

 

No problem floyd. Check to see if you have a US set (it will be numbered) or a UK one - these were imported into the US in large numbers. The poster EMI randomly included with the UK BC13 was the four photos from the White Album blown up into a large poster included as a separate item (not to be confused with the poster included with the White Album!)

I'd be really interested to know if your White Album in the box is numbered.

 

Now I'm curious myself. I'll have to look at my box set when I get home from work.

 

OK, I got home and checked. I had forgotten that mine was one of the Japnese sets. The box set itself is numbered as is the White Album also with embossed lettering. Two posters, the regular White Album one and the huge blowup of the White photos, didn't find any mirrors though (rats).

 

I bet that's a nice box set you've got there, mirrors or no mirrors! It's the EAS series LP's in there right? Put it this way, if you're not happy with it you could always 'donate' it to my collection

 

Yessir EAS series and I am very happy with it. But if I ever change my mind (right), you'll be the first to know.

 

Yes I will get that checked, Ill have to have someone else do it for me, as the albums are in Phoenix. Im am pretty sure it was UK as I dont remember any number on the box (where on the box was it) I do remember the rarities album had the two German versions though.

 

Thanks floyd. Sounds like you do have a UK set. The US version had the number on the front of the lid I believe.

See the "Numbered Beatles White Album - a real puzzler" thread as to why I'm so curious about the White Album in your box set. If you could get it checked that would be most appreciated!