Brown Wax Cylinder Records - YouTube Videos

[Edisonfan]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB9nu1rmfuc[/youtube]

[Wolfe]

That last one is some moldy brown wax, Bro.

[edisonphonoworks]

Yea but do not shave it even though it is in this condition, I can hear words so keep it. I know an unmentionable character who would shave it in a heart beat. This folks is still a keeper.

[Edisonfan]

Yea, well it happens. I guess, I was just, excited to be able to play any of them. This is the only video, to receive a dislike. Go figure?


Nah, I wasn't going to shave it. In fact, that never even crossed my mind. Also, I don't have a shaving attachment anyways.

[NEFaurora]

The amount of distortion is unreal. but given the age, You expect it. The Brown wax and Black wax recordings both mold up like yesterday's news. Still great to hear though. I have some early Edison Black wax cylinders in mint condition, and they play as good as one of the 2 minute celluloid indestructibles. It's a shame that Edison did not adopt celluloid much earlier than 1912. It's not like he did not know about it. He was stubborn, and cheap, and he didn't want to pay Lambert's Patents on the Celluloid cylinder which Albany Indestructibles had been selling since 1907 with their 2-minute Indestructible cylinders, In 1911, He finally broke down and wound up paying Lambert anyway...Hence the 4-minute Blue Amberol record.

Time has not been kind to Brown wax and Black wax cylinders. Thousands of recordings have been lost to history because of mold unfortunately. Edison should have realized (and probably did) that anything highly organic was not going to last. He made great Phonograph machines, but the materials that he used for his cylinders was crap. Again, He was cheap. I believe Lambert's first Celluloid Patent was in 1900, then again in 1902. It took Edison a full 12 years to realize/admit that he was wrong. Again, He was stubborn.

Taking into account all of this, New recordings on New Brown wax or Black wax blanks sound wonderful as time has not gotten to them yet, though, I have always hated the fragility of wax cylinders, though I own quite a few. For me, The early 2 minute celluloid, Blue Amberols, and repro resin cylinders are the way to go, but that's me...I like things that are strong and last.

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Tony K.

[edisonphonoworks]

Celluloid has the shrinkage drawback, I think I only have 1 Albany that does not skip, most have shrank to about 102.5 tip now. Celluloid surface is not as quiet as a good wax one. (Blue Amberols are an exception, but the celluloid was worked over to be smoother than the stock celluloid tubing when it came in the plant. I have some two minute Edison black wax that are in very nice shape and the sound is excellent, that I know I have played over a thousand times. Columbia had major quality issues though with one of the chemicals in the formula, Edison had much better quality components, although if you can find a low milage Columbia with no mold They are super loud. Don't get me wrong though I love the durability of the celluloid surface but they don't have the charm of a metalized soap record, not sure how to explain it.

[OrthoSean]

Celluloid has the shrinkage drawback, I think I only have 1 Albany that does not skip, most have shrank to about 102.5 tip now. Celluloid surface is not as quiet as a good wax one.

Yes, some Indestructibles do suffer from shrinkage, but I think storage conditions and temperatures are probably the biggest culprit. When I bought that humungous collection of cylinders two years ago there were hundreds of Indestructibles in the bunch. A few had shrinkage issues, but more than 95% of them are fine with no skips and they fit on the mandrel without issue. Two minute wax Edisons certainly sound great when they're in good condition, but any celluloid two minute cylinder will give a wax Edison a run for it's money. I agree it's a real shame Edison stuck with wax for so long, as much as I enjoy having them and playing them, I'd take celluloid Edisons if the choice had been there!

Sean

[Edisonfan]

Thanks for the information guys!

Yea, I like all of the cylinder records. Finding the brown wax ones was a real treat. Even if they suffer from mold and cracking. I still love them. Quality, is not the best sometimes, but hey. At least I have them.

[edisonplayer]

Number 5 could be a home recording.edisonplayer

[NEFaurora]

"Celluloid has the shrinkage drawback, I think I only have 1 Albany that does not skip, most have shrank to about 102.5 tip now. Celluloid surface is not as quiet as a good wax one."

Yeah, I don't agree with this statement above much either...

You must have a really bad batch of Indestructibles. I have around 200 Indestructibles, and only about 10-15% of them have some type of shrinkage. The majority of them are very loud, Most just as loud as Edison cylinders, but more are even louder, and even the packaging on the outside of their cylinder boxes in the day touted it! They knew even back in their day that they had beaten Edison at his own game.

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Tony K.
Melbourne, FL