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Hey Music lovers,
On occasion I run across 78s. Alot of them I find are dirty and in rough shape .
But recently, I ran across alot of them. Many in pretty decent shape.
I really hated to leave them but I had no use for them. It was about a 3 foot long amount.
What do people do with their old 78s that are not trashed.
Thanks for ideas and opinions.
MikeDW
Follow Ups:
Many are absolutely wonderful. The sonic quality of some is startling, if you have the proper setup to hear them..
There is a 1948 album called "The Jazz Scene" that Normal Granz produced, sort of the last gasp of 78s. Cost $25 which was a giant sum for any album then, let alone one comprising 78s.Among the discs is one featuring a solo Coleman Hawkins in an original he wrote, called "Picasso." I've taken to playing this for audiobuddies simply to establish that there was great musical sound being recorded long before the likes of hi rez downloads, SACDs, and whatever the next latest-and-greatest might be. It always does the trick :-)
EDIT: Forgot to mention that although Granz absolutely promised that "The Jazz Scene" would never be reissued in any form, there was a CD that came out in the 1980s that sounds absolutely excruciating. Yeah, I bought it.
Edits: 07/28/14
Tompkins Square released a few 78 Microgroove records for Record Day in recent years. They pretty much define hi rez to me. I know that they are modern examples of 78 RPM, but some of those old ones will indeed blow your mind, too.
Hi Mosin,
It turns out that there were microgroove 78s issued in the early 50s as well. This example while mono is in the league with some of the audiophile records at the end of the vinyl era. Note the label on the record jacket. It is no exaggeration.
Do click on the link.
Phil
I have almost all of those. :-)
I commend you for saving those records from a possible trip to the landfill.
I have over 8,000 78s in my collection and I listen to them frequently. I also produce a weekly two-hour "Old Time Radio" show, drawing from my library. I'm about the same age (57) and agree with your comment, this was our father's and grandfather's music. But, I've come to love and appreciate all of the great music to be heard on 78s. Everything from 100 year old Caruso recordings to Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers hits of the '50s.
I'd suggest giving those records a spin. If you don't have a 78 RPM capable turntable, an older Dual, Elac, Garrard, BSR, etc... could be found for little money and fitted with the appropriate cartridge & stylus.
I got into 78s years ago, through buying a collection that included about 200 78s in beautiful condition. I found an old BSR and gave them a spin. The sound quality of those old discs far exceeded my expectations. Indeed, I have some 78s from the '50s that are most definitely "high fidelity."
If you want to pass on those 78s to someone who'll appreciate them, you'll probably want to find a local buyer. Shellac discs are extremely brittle and must be packed with utmost care.
Let me rephrase.
While I love and appreciate music and collect/play 33.33 records, I do not want to start collecting and finding space to store 78 RPM records. I do not have a 78 RPM player either, so I am looking for an alternative to throwing them away. I am 58 years young and I am seeing pieces of music I have never heard of before. And I am seeing musician's names unfamiliar to me as well. I would have thought more of them I would have heard of, but I realize they are from my father's or grandfather's generation. If they are not known to me, are they worth knowing at all in 2014 and beyond?
When I see records in as good a shape as these, it just makes me wonder if disposal is the only choice or the best choice I have.
Thanks,
Mike
nt
It wouldn't be that much to get a 78 rig with proper cart/stylus. Proper phono EQ is another thing. Link is to one for $75
ET
Hi Awe-d-o-file (M),
I agree with what you are saying but I will rank the steps.
1. Turntable which will turn at the proper speed. If you are going back to the acoustic recording era variable speed is very desirable.
2. Pretty much equal with the fast spinning turntable is a cartridge with the proper stylus for 78s.
3. If the cartridge is stereo, the ability to sum the channels to mono can make a big difference.
4. Proper EQ is nice but I place that after the other things. True, EQ has evolved over the years until we came to RIAA EQ, but the curves while different basically boost the bass and cut the treble. Having the points of inflection a bit different will make a difference which you will notice if you switch from RIAA EQ to the correct EQ while listening however 78s will sound fine with RIAA EQ. Even acoustic records which are said to be recorded with no EQ sound fine with RIAA playback EQ. When we say no EQ what exactly do we mean? Constant amplitude or constant velocity. I believe acoustic recordings are pretty much within their useful bandwidth constant amplitude. A magnetic cartridge played through an RIAA phono stage will be closer to constant amplitude than to constant velocity.
Phil
There were multiple EQs utilized during the 78 era so a single one could hardly be considered professional.
But then with 78s there are several considerations if one wants to optimize performance, EQ being only one. The other two main things are appropriate stylus tip size and playback speed. No, not everything was recorded at 78. See my link for guidelines to optimize playback.
On the other hand, one could find any turntable with the 78 speed (cactus suggested a few) and play the records with a modern stereo cartridge and not worry about it. ;^)
"You can’t know what the “best” is unless you have heard everything, and keep in mind that given individual tastes, there really isn’t any such thing." HP
I listen to mine. While classical 78s are not very sale-able I listen to those as well. Unless they are set up for changers and you have a changer most extended works are a bit of a pain to play. I do have a 78 12" album of short works for organ by Mozart each of which fit on side of a 12" 78. It is almost as if Mozart anticipated the the development of the 12" 78.
Phil
Play 'em....
OK, maybe this is nit-picky, but for USA (60Hz) records after record lathes were driven by synchronous motors those digits should read 78.261.Nice looking machine!
Phil
Edits: 07/26/14
We can do that. In 78 RPM mode the PSU can change the running speed (tempo control) ±6.0 RPM in 0.1 RPM steps. In calibration mode, you can change that base speed (ie 78.2 RPM) ±1.0 RPM in 0.01 RPM steps, so you could select 78.26 RPM if you wanted.
Jazz and rock are keepers. Classical are landfill.
-Wendell
....go to eBay, select Records, Classical, 78 RPM, Sold Listings. Sort by price, highest first. There are things out there that collectors are looking for.
The vast majority of classical 78s have zero monetary value.
-Wendell
Edits: 07/26/14
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