Needle Tin Question

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gramophone78
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Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophone78 »

I bought a Berliner needle tin with the word "Victoria" on it.I'm just wondering if anyone has seen that before??.I'm thinking it might be a misprint for "Victrola".What do you think???.Also,here is a normal one that says "fine tone".
Early Berliner Needle Tin.jpg
Early Berliner Needle Tin.jpg (20.98 KiB) Viewed 1310 times
Early Berliner Needle Tin (4).JPG
Last edited by gramophone78 on Fri May 07, 2010 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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SonnyPhono
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by SonnyPhono »

Hmm...That's interesting. I don't have a clue. But I bet someone here will and it will be interesting to hear what they say.

gramophone78
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophone78 »

It is very strange to use the word "Victoria" even the red version's are normal.
Early Berliner Needle Tin (2).jpg
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Early Berliner Needle Tin (3).JPG
Last edited by gramophone78 on Fri May 07, 2010 11:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

gramophoneshane
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophoneshane »

Hmmm.. I wonder if Berliner in Canada was like HMV in UK, and gave some needles different names?
HMV had "Melba" needles back in the G&T days at least until the teens, and the other day I got a tin of "Pianissimo" needles that are nothing more than ordinary soft tones, and it's even printed in exactly the same colours as a soft tone tin.
Maybe at some stage "Victoria" was a fancy name used for soft tone needles too?

gramophone78
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophone78 »

Well,I guess it is not a misprint after all.I just saw another.Too bad the sun has bleached out the green.
berliner02.jpg
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gramophone78
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophone78 »

Now I know "Victoria" was the term Berliner used for the needle that was to be used when the record was brand new.I have a multi tin that shows it.You can read on the bottom of the lid,they recomend useing "Victoria" needles first.
needle1.jpg
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needle2.jpg
needle2.jpg (62.06 KiB) Viewed 1157 times

gramophoneshane
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Re: Needle Tin Question

Post by gramophoneshane »

Ah...mystery solved :)
I notice there are also "Pianissimo" (soft tone) needles included- the same as the UK HMV's I recently bought. I wonder if HMV also issued "Victoria", "Gramophone" & "Piano" needles as well??

I wonder what the idea was behind playing a new record the first couple times with a Victoria needle was? (extra loud tone?)
I have noticed on my one & only Canadian HMV/Berliner cover, it states "A new record should be played over at least 3 times with regular needles before it will give best results", which seems kind of odd, and I cant say I've ever noticed a similar statement made by any other company on their covers or in their catalogues.

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