The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a Rek-O-Cut turntable that my friend Dan Nichols gave me.I had it worked on some time ago,but I've been having problems with the vertical/lateral.And,there's surface noise.Mine wouldn't sound as good on the verticals like those Diamond Discs.The volume raises when I use it,then lowers.Can anyone help?There doesn't seem to be anyone in my area who's savvy on my problem.edisonplayer

I have played electric DD records on a modern turntable. My favorite is a pipe organ solo by Henrietta Kamern. That pipe organ sound coming from 15" woofers is astonishing and sounds like it could have been recorded decades later. For me, that was Edison's supreme recording achievement.

The electrics are really quite astonishing for the period.

I recently stumbled upon, and luckily acquired, a diamond disc collection of about 460. To my surprise, around 25% of them were electrics. Any in particular I should be looking/hoping for?

Thanks.

John

gibsonj wrote:The electrics are really quite astonishing for the period.

I recently stumbled upon, and luckily acquired, a diamond disc collection of about 460. To my surprise, around 25% of them were electrics. Any in particular I should be looking/hoping for?

Thanks.

John

Congrats indeed! Electric DDs in good condition bring some pretty nice $$ compared to pre-electrics. You may have a couple thousand dollars worth. I just recently bought a small group of NOS ones and the average price was around $40. Some would bring a good deal more if rare.

What to look/hope for is pretty subjective in terms of acquiring them for your listening pleasure. Judged just on monetary value I suspect the more valuable ones would include recordings by Vaughn de Leath, Golden Gate Orchestra, The Rollickers, etc. I'm sure others better versed in market prices than I am will chime in.

Clay

Just an update. I made a video of the title I mentioned at the top of this thread and then discovered I couldn't get it onto my computer. I have an older, but very good, Sony HD camcorder. It uses Fire Wire for transfers and I found that neither of my current computers has a Fire Wire port. Bummer! (As you can tell, I don't do video very often.)

Have ordered a Fire Wire PCI card for my desktop machine and will see how that works when it arrives.

Clay

Thanks for the reply, Clay. Still cataloging, but so far I've found these in the electrics: 8 Vaughn De Leath titles, 15 Golden Gate titles, and 2 Rollickers titles. I've also run across titles by Dave Kaplan Methodists and MacAlpineers.

Haven't really begun cleaning them yet, but general condition looks pretty good. The collection had been stored in boxes in an attic for a lot of years, so I didn't know what to expect. Just took a chance on it, hoping that maybe half of them would be saved. So far, pretty pleased.

John

Congratulations John! It is the sort of thing that keeps us all on the hunt.

Clay

VintageTechnologies wrote:I have played electric DD records on a modern turntable. My favorite is a pipe organ solo by Henrietta Kamern. That pipe organ sound coming from 15" woofers is astonishing and sounds like it could have been recorded decades later. For me, that was Edison's supreme recording achievement.

Yep. For true low bass in the late 1920's, I doubt anyone had topped the vertical Edison disc.

edisonplayer wrote:I have a Rek-O-Cut turntable that my friend Dan Nichols gave me.I had it worked on some time ago,but I've been having problems with the vertical/lateral.And,there's surface noise.Mine wouldn't sound as good on the verticals like those Diamond Discs.The volume raises when I use it,then lowers.Can anyone help?There doesn't seem to be anyone in my area who's savvy on my problem.edisonplayer

The way you worded your post is vague. Perhaps your cartridge isn't wired correctly.

Yes,that is a possibility.I'll have to find someone who could look at my cartridge.edisonplayer

Just went thought 400 DD I bought a while back. Found a six electric recordings.

82536- Ave Maria / Explanatory Talk (2)

82532- Bedouin Love Song / Blank

83085- O For The Wings Of A Dove / It Is. Well With My Soul

82510- O That We two Were Maying / In The Evening By the Moonlight, Dear Louise (2)

And an odd one 8016o- I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen, ith has the same label on both sides.