Odd shaped needles maybe ?

[poodling around]

They look a bit like nails - but don't ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385284753601 ... R9aNiP6eYQ

[52089]

Those are sewing pins.

[pallophotophone]

Even if you were to cut their heads off, they'd sound awful because they are spring steel. At least last time I tried this- about 50 years ago- they were spring steel and sounded awful !

[Inigo]

yes, i also tried them and.... horrible!

[poodling around]

Thanks everyone.

I am now much wiser and I will leave my mothers sewing needles alone !

[Watanabehi]

Thanks everyone.

I am now much wiser and I will leave my mothers sewing needles alone !

I agree they are sewing needles and they are too thin and long to produce good sound. I have thorn(cactus) needles, some of which are too thin to produce good sound. As you know cutting machines have triangular tips to make record grooves, so bamboo needles fit into the records' grooves ideally. Check the attachment of the cutting needle.

Hideki

[gramophoneshane]

Just for the sake of accuracy, these are dressmakers PINS.
Sewing needles have a hole/slot in them to take a thread.

While on the subject of using pins or needles to play records, I remember when I was 13 yrs old, I bought my first Diamond Disc record.
I didn't have an Edison DD phonograph to play it, but my first gramophone that I'd bought a few months earlier had a Fletcher tonearm and soundbox that was capable of playing both lateral and vertical recording.

After finding an ordinary gramophone needle damaged the grooves, I experimented with various pins and needles.
I found that by cutting a ball point sewing machine needle (used to sew stretch fabric) to the appropriate length, it played the Diamond Disc without doing any damage to the record.

While I wouldn't recommend using a ball point needle to play DD records, it actually worked very well, although the volume was similar to playing a lateral record with a soft tone needle.

[Lah Ca]

Hmmm ... dunno ....

Maybe those needles are the special and extremely rare Gilbert and Sullivan endorsed sterling silver Argent-O-Phone Silver Throat needles manufactured especially for playing the HMS Pinafore on 78 RPM recordings.

2022-12-12 08.21.49 www.popsike.com 7388b35454e0.png (296.56 KiB) Viewed 548 times

Whatever, these needles are so rare that I expect that the vendor has the market all sewn up. £65 seems like an absolute steal.

[gramophoneshane]

I'm jealous you've got the Pinafore set.
I've got Pirates, Mikado, Iolanthe, Princess and a bunch of others, but Pinafore is one I haven't been lucky enough to find.
They're great sets IMO.
I have noticed though on some discs you'll hear someone cough or talk in the runoff groove.

[Lah Ca]

I'm jealous you've got the Pinafore set.

No need. It, for me at present, is a wish list item only.

I've got Pirates, Mikado, Iolanthe, Princess and a bunch of others, but Pinafore is one I haven't been lucky enough to find.
They're great sets IMO.

How quickly the jealousy tables turn!!!