The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just when you think nothing will surprise you, up comes a United Record disk from the boxes. I will have to make an adaptor to play this. The hole is slightly smaller than that for a 45, so I should be able to mill a 45 adaptor down to size.

Really? What were they thinking? How could this proprietary approach ever be successful when there were already fairly common standards?

http://78records.cdbpdx.com/UR/

Simple marketing ploy. They sold the phonograph first, at a discount price, or used it as a premium; then the user would have to buy their records to fit it. A 'captive market', so to speak.

The 'Aretino' was probably the most extreme example, with a huge 3 inch 'spindle'.

- Bill

I have a United record with Irving Berlin singing on it.edisonplayer.

Lucius1958 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:17 pm
The 'Aretino' was probably the most extreme example, with a huge 3 inch 'spindle'.

- Bill

Wow! No kidding!

https://youtu.be/pBpF2O_7hqU

edisonplayer wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 10:35 am I have a United record with Irving Berlin singing on it.edisonplayer.

Lucius1958 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:17 pm Simple marketing ploy. They sold the phonograph first, at a discount price, or used it as a premium; then the user would have to buy their records to fit it. A 'captive market', so to speak.

- Bill

Probably true.

Another site argued that the large proprietary spindle size was also a means of getting around patents. Probably also true.

The two explanations are not incompatible.