Cylinder Collecting

[Victrolacollector]

Over the years, I have bought cylinders in one, pairs, boxes and even those outrages prices on the online auction. I had got to a point, that you can only listen to so many cylinders, and many of the genres especially bands are almost the same.

I have decided to keep my collection to about 100 2 minute and around 100 four minute cylinders. I decided to start buying those cylinders that I really want and like, opposed to having a "bunch" of cylinders.

I prefer a few brown wax for examples, a mix of different genres and some popular titles, and about 25 each of the nice new resin cylinders from Edisonia, Vulcan and Berlin Phonograph Works. I am a big believer that I prefer the plastic records over the wax cylinder records, not only for their durability, but that it makes sought after titles a little easier to get.

Any thoughts on whats a good number of cylinders to have in a collection, or brands that they own.

Jerry

[FloridaClay]

Humm. The problem is that it is something of an addiction. Every now and then I've just got to have my "fix" with one or two more.

Lately for me it has been Diamond Discs. I thought I'd get just a few to have to demonstrate my machines. Now it is up to over 300, all cleaned, tested, and re-sleeved even though as a practical matter there are many of them I may never play again. But going through the exercise has been a real education. It has given me a very good sense of the times and helped me discover artists and types of music I really like--thus narrowing what I now acquire considerably. Same is true of regular lateral 78s, probably more than 1,000. Cylinders, maybe 75.

My own practical limit is based on storage. How many can I really have where I can store them under good climate-controlled conditions where they are readily accessible without creating undue clutter or taking up space for things I value more. I have seen far too many recordings that were stuffed away in some shed or damp basement in boxes ruined and I just won't do that.

Clay

[Phonofreak]

I'm always after 2 min indestructible cylinders. I have several of the Columbia B series with the lyric reproducers. These cylinders sound great on them.
Harvey Kravitz

[flashpanblue]

Hello Jerry,
You may have a good point in limiting the collection. I have about 150 nice 2-minute wax, 60 Columbia 2-minute Indestructibles, and 500 plus Edison Blue Amberols. What I find is that I have 25 Blue Amberols that I really like and play all the time. The rest just sit in the cabinets. My 2-minute wax cylinders hardly ever see the light of day as I prefer to play some of my favorite 2-minute indestuctibe Columbias. Recently I bought 20 of the resin cylinders offered by the Vulcan Company and most all of those tunes are just great. Sometimes I wonder what is the point of having all those other cylinders just sitting there! Although they do look great in my glass front china cabinet.
Pete

[Valecnik]

Another way to look at it is that 1,000 two minute cylinders are roughy the equivalent of about 45 LPs of 40 minutes in length. Another thousand 4 minute cylinders are only the equivalent of another 90 LPs so a collection of 2000 2&4 minute cylinders, about half of each is only equivalent to a collection of 130-140 LPs or CDs. That's not a lot of music.

[edisonplayer]

I recently got several Blue Amberols,an ICS Spanish lesson record was among them.The nicest were several in the 5000 series with 3 dance band selections,all for $3 each!Can't beat that price,especially for those 5000's!edisonplayer :

[VintageTechnologies]

There is no "right" number of records to own. I find that individuals have different saturation levels. A friend of mine has quite a few machines and jokes that he needs only a few records to demo each machine, because after a few marches or foxtrots, they all start to sound the same to him. I couldn't disagree more; I am the other extreme - I am musically oriented and soak up different tunes like a sponge. My friend jokes that I am a walking Edison record catalog; I know what he likes, so when we go record hunting, I will sort through a bunch and he'll say, "okay, which ones do I want?".