Is it acoustic, or electric?

[eighteenbelow]

Owning both acoustic and early electric phonographs, I try my best to sort my 78's accordingly, but some labels, like Cameo, Lincoln, Diva, Grey Gull, Van Dyke, Bell, Oriole, Brunswick, Harmony, Romeo, Madison, Gennett, Paramount, etc., etc. didn't alter their labels to mark the changeover, and of course different labels made the switch at different times. If anyone can provide numbers (or other indices) for some record companies to help determine at a glance whether a specific disc is acoustic or electric, you'd be doing collectors a great service. It's not always possible (or practical) to tell by playing them.

Also: Are all caramel-colored discs acoustic?

Thanks in advance!

[Rastus10]

Brunswick's earliest electric is 2881--Brunswick Hour Orchestra.
The next is 2900, I believe--Vernon Dalhart. There are still acoustics between 2900-2950 or so.
Unfortunately, the "Light Ray" system makes one long for the clarity of the acoustic recordings. They sound half-acoustic/half-electric. Not quite sure when that was ironed out. Heard some Isham Jones recorded towards the end of 1925 that were far better than those recorded in the spring of that year. Al Jolson's recordings from that end of that year sound good, too.

Oriole: I have a copy of Oriole 543. Matrix number for Keep Your Skirts Down, Mary Ann (Jones and Hare) is 121. Sounds electric to me. Sounds reasonable to start with 100 or 101 for electric recordings. Someone on here probably knows better than I.

Looking at 78discography.com, Matrix 101 belongs to Oriole 533.

Thus, Brunswick: 2881; 2900 onward

Oriole: 533

[gramophone-georg]

All reddish VOCALION records are acoustic. However, Perfect and Domino made red records into the electrical era.
Most of the labels you mention have an E in a circle somewhere on the label to show electric. Columbia will show a "W" in a circle in the runout for Western Electric and Victor will have VE in an oval in the runout. From around 19600 Victors are electric, and from around 360-D or so for Columbia. Late Victor Batwings and Columbia "Flag" labels can be electric.
Gennett went electric twice- the 1925- early 26 ones are red labels with "GE" in a circle at the top of the label. The shellac on these early ones was too soft and wore quickly on these early electrics, so Gennett pulled out of electric recording for awhile and came up with the "New Electrobeam" in late 1926 with a harder shellac compound.
Some other labels, like Emerson, labeled their discs with a cute name like "Electrosonic" to denote electrical records. Harmony, Diva, and Velvet Tone- these remained acoustical until about mid 1929. There were NML electrics towards the end. ALL Romeos are electric.

Of all the labels, Columbia alone seemed to get it right from the beginning. Even Victor had problems with feedback on some early electrics, and Brunswick "Light Ray" records often sound like the input was way too high and they blast and sound tinny.

I will try to post up some label examples later.

[Inigo]

Get a copy of a very interesting book by Steven C Barr, the Almost Complete 78rpm Dating Guide. There you have the history and numerical listings for many American labels and the important European ones. It is a very good start for all this this information you're looking for.