78RPM, anyone's sweetspot?

[4tified]

I love the sound of vinyl records, don't get me wrong, but there's something about the simplicity of shellac (the medium) and the music that goes along with it that makes me happy when I hear it.

I definatley have a sweet spot for the 78RPM format.

Anyone here have any equipment and post pictures if you have them!

[Pentium100]

I have about 20 78RPM records (3 of them are actually vinyl, but still 78RPM). The oldest is over 90 years old :)

I have a radio, that can also play records (all 3 speeds), but really is useful only for 78rpm records, because the cartridge has a plastic (yes plastic) stylus and is also piezoelectric. Those two "features", I suppose, would make a good vinyl grinder :)

The picture was not taken by me, but is of the same model radio mine was made in 1964 (at least the motor was) too. http://langaitis.zenonas-old.radios.fotopic.net/p13619238.html

[Larry N]

Love to listen to the Old Time Big Bands and the great entertainers of the times. Wayne King, Bing Crosby, Ray Kinney and His Hawaiians, Dick McIntire and His Harmony Hawaiians. I really like hawaiian music for some reason, especially on 78's, The Mills Brothers and Benny Goodman. Still have memories of the old crank up victrolas of grammas and grampaws. Someday an old player such as Pentium100's is in order, that would be one nice piece to have around the house. I do have that old Philco player / radio I found in the middle of the field, haha, haven't found a arm for it yet, but still looking. I probably have close to 60 or more 78's.The sad thing is when we / I kick off, all of this will go to a thrift again, which is best case senario or worse the garbage. Most everyone just thinks I'm a old thing packrat, eccentric at that. In my book even if you just listen to a piece once a year its an enjoyment you just can't put a price on.

[Flick]

When you consider the fact that no one in my family would qualify as an early audiophile in their day, they have left me with a wealth of audio recordings which are now treasured possessions as they have almost all passed away. In the late 1940s one of my Uncles had a unit called the Recordette which was made by the Wilcox-Gay company. Besides being a 78 rpm phonograph and AM radio it also had the ability to cut home made records. (Blank 6 inch discs were 10 cents. I found the introduction record that came with the unit) I knew of three or four home made records which I have had since I was a kid but in 2004 I came across about a dozen more I had never seen. They were stashed in the storage bin of an old antique hand crank Sonora phonograph my dad picked up in the late 1960s from a neighbor who bought it and refinished the cabinet. I must have taken the records (along with other commercial 78s) and stashed them in the old phonograph when my grandparents sold their house in Brooklyn and moved to Florida in 1975 although I have no memory of doing so. The very last time my nuclear family (Mom, Dad, my older brother and myself) were together we decided to go antique hunting which was a favorite pastime of my late mother's. In one of the stores I found a phonograph from 1973 that had belonged to the Levi County school system. The price was $35. I could tell right away it was a cut above a stardard record player. It has a cartridge that contains both an "LP" stylus as well as one for 78s, the tone arm has a screw lock to hold it in place, the speaker grill is made of metal ("Student proof" it says on the nomenclature that points out its features) the case is wood with metal corner protectors, it has spring loaded feet to dampen vibrations, there's a rubber pad on the turntable platter, a built in pop up adapter for 45s, a "power on" pilot light, and the top cover is removable. It also has 1/4 inch jacks for both an extension speaker and a microphone input, a pause control, and four speeds, 78, 45, 33, and 16. It has a neutral position so when put in storage, the wheel which drives the turntable is held away from all pressure points thus preventing flat spots from forming. The line cord and plug are oversized and look like they could handle a clothes dryer. This is one industrial strength record player! Besides having an identification tag rivited with a number from the Levi County school system, a factory tag is rivited which says "Model number AV-25T" and then "Classroom Record Player" followed by the factory serial number. There is no mention of a manufacturer although the tone arm has a letter A on it and at the base of each leg of the A a small lightning bolt type design comes out horizontally. The instructions say to replace the cartridge with "type 89T". It is a round "stereo compatible" plug in cartridge held to the tone arm with two phillips screws. (anyone have any ideas who made it?)
Some of the records were in fair to bad shape but some were like brand new, not having been played since they were made. The one which got to me the most was a recording of my mother singing to my older brother (now age 60) as he made baby noises. I then remembered my mother singing to me the same song but I can guarantee you if I had not heard the recording I would never have remembered or thought about it for the rest of my life as I had never thought about it or remembered it before. That evening was the last time my original family sat at the kitchen table doing something together as a family, and the record of my Mom singing to my brother was the last record played. Within six months (March 2005) my old man died and in August 2009 Mom passed away.
Using the extension speaker jack and a "two-into-one" adapter cord I made cassette copies of all the old home made records. My Grandfather left a decent collection of cassette recordings containing his voice and piano playing but only the home made 78s have my mother and her two sisters as young women singing in three part harmony as my grandfather played the piano. There's also the voices of other relatives who passed away long before anyone in our family ever bought a tape recorder of any kind. I recently opened the record player, cleaned all vital metal parts and used some "rubber rejuvenator" as a protective measure on the drive wheel even though it showed no signs of wear or turning hard. While I do not intend to collect 78 rpm records as part of my audio hobby I may pick up an occasional record here and there if something looks interesting. I haven't yet looked into it but I would like to purchase a replacement cartridge so if one is ever needed in the future I will have it on hand. This record player was a key factor in making the last time my family was together a memorable and heart warming experience. All things considered, it was the best $35 I ever spent.

[4tified]

When you consider the fact that no one in my family would qualify as an early audiophile in their day, they have left me with a wealth of audio recordings which are now treasured possessions as they have almost all passed away. In the late 1940s one of my Uncles had a unit called the Recordette which was made by the Wilcox-Gay company. Besides being a 78 rpm phonograph and AM radio it also had the ability to cut home made records. (Blank 6 inch discs were 10 cents. I found the introduction record that came with the unit) I knew of three or four home made records which I have had since I was a kid but in 2004 I came across about a dozen more I had never seen. They were stashed in the storage bin of an old antique hand crank Sonora phonograph my dad picked up in the late 1960s from a neighbor who bought it and refinished the cabinet. I must have taken the records (along with other commercial 78s) and stashed them in the old phonograph when my grandparents sold their house in Brooklyn and moved to Florida in 1975 although I have no memory of doing so. The very last time my nuclear family (Mom, Dad, my older brother and myself) were together we decided to go antique hunting which was a favorite pastime of my late mother's. In one of the stores I found a phonograph from 1973 that had belonged to the Levi County school system. The price was $35. I could tell right away it was a cut above a stardard record player. It has a cartridge that contains both an "LP" stylus as well as one for 78s, the tone arm has a screw lock to hold it in place, the speaker grill is made of metal (Student proof" it says on the nomenclature that points out its features) the case is wood with metal corner protectors, it has spring loaded feet to dampen vibrations, there's a rubber pad on the turntable platter, a built in pop up adapter for 45s, a "power on" pilot light, and the top cover is removable. It also has 1/4 inch jacks for both an extension speaker and a microphone input, a pause control, and four speeds, 78, 45, 33, and 16. It has a neutral position so when put in storage, the wheel which drives the turntable is held away from all pressure points thus preventing any flat spots from forming. The line cord and plug are oversized and look like they could handle a clothes dryer. This is one industrial strength record player! Besides having an identification tag rivited with a number from the Levi County school system, a factory tag is rivited which says "Model number AV-25T" and then "Classroom Record Player" followed by the factory serial number. There is no mention of a manufacturer although the tone arm has a letter A on it and at the base of each leg of the A a small lightning bolt type design comes out horizontally. The instructions say to replace the cartridge with "type 89T". It is a round "stereo compatible" plug in cartridge held to the tone arm with two phillips screws. (anyone have any ideas who made it?)
Some of the records were in fair to bad shape but some were like brand new, not having been played since they were made. The one which got to me the most was a recording of my mother singing to my older brother (now age 60) as he made baby noises. I then remembered my mother singing to me the same song but I can guarantee you if I had not heard the recording I would never have remembered or thought about it for the rest of my life as I had never thought about it or remembered it before. That evening was the last time my original family sat at the kitchen table doing something together as a family, and the record of my Mom singing to my brother was the last record played. Within six months (March 2005) my old man died and in August 2009 Mom passed away.
Using the extension speaker jack and a "two-into-one" adapter cord I made cassette copies of all the old home made records. My Grandfather left a decent collection of cassette recordings containing his voice and piano playing but only the home made 78s have my mother and her two sisters as young women singing in three part harmony as my grandfather played the piano. There's also the voices of other relatives who passed away long before anyone in our family ever bought a tape recorder of any kind. I recently opened the record player, cleaned all vital metal parts and used some "rubber rejuvenator" as a protective measure on the drive wheel even though it showed no signs of wear or turning hard. While I do not intend to collect 78 rpm records as part of my audio hobby I may pick up an occasional record here and there if something looks interesting. I haven't yet looked into it but I would like to purchase a replacement cartridge so if one is ever needed in the future I will have it on hand. This record player was a key factor in making the last time my family was together a memorable experience. All things considered, it was the best $35 I ever spent.

Wow, so you have some history there! I'm glad it played such an essential part. Thanks for that post!

[Beechwoods]

I must admit that I'd like to get into 78's as a route towards hearing some of the early Bluegrass and Mountain Music cuts that always sound NR'd to death on the 're-masters'.

[Naknut]

Very nice recollection Flick, just another reason music is such an important part of our lives. Certain songs or just a hint of an old tune can take you instantly back to a particular place and time. Good memories or bad, music can transport the mind.

As far a 78s are concerned I have just a few that I picked up along the years and only if they were in great condition. Don't see very many any more, ten years ago I could bring home as many as I could carry. I have a portable turntable that can play them, I'll have to pull it out of the shed and take some photos.