Laubscher Melograph needles

[CarlosV]

No offense intended to anyone, but I'm still persuaded that this thread is based more on personal beliefs, habits and common sense than on facts or period information.

Durium / Hit Of The Week records, as far as I know, were mass produced, and even in respect to the technology deployed they have little or nothing to do with Melograph records, which are one-off instant recordings.

Despite being printed on a cardboard layer, Durium / Hit Of The Week records were robust and durable and, again as far as I know, were intended to be played with standard soundboxes and needles. Although I appreciate the fact that some listeners play them with "trailer"/Melograph needles, I've never seen written on any Durium / Hit Of The Week record, ad/or tech paper that they were intended to be played with curved needles. Contrarywise, Hit Of The Week also marketed a needle bag which contained standard straight needles, quite obviously to be used with their records.

On the other hand, third-parties like Herold report on their catalogues that their curved needles were to be used in conjunction with "self-recorded discs" (Herold Original square box, bottom line, text in German, English and Spanish), like the Melograph or similar products.

Yes, the surface of the Durium records is actually quite sturdy and that can be seen from the large number that survive today with little wear. They are prone however to stress cracks probably due to the effects of humidity combined to the mismatch between the plastic playing surface and the base cardboard. They were generally well recorded and are fun to listen to - with any needle. The discs made for domestic recording - acetates - were from a later period, the 40s, are much more fragile, usually laid on glass or metal base, and the ones that survive should actually be played on modern lightweight turntables - their playing surfaces are quite unstable and could be eaten away by a heavy needle.