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Durium did also sell their own needles, which are really hard to come by. While searching this topic, I stumbled over this blog, which shows some HOTW needles.

They are indeed just ordinary steel needles:

http://hitoftheweek.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... edles.html

Hit Of the Week had their own phonograph also. I've seen pictures of a portable style machine with that brand name.

These were intended to be played with a acoustic reproducer, as HOW did market their own needles and a portable phonograph (suitcase model with acoustic reproducer). I find that between the reproducers with mica diaphragm and the Orthophonic, they actually sound better with the medium tone and mica reproducer, as mentioned by our forum members previous post.

I play them with my VV 1-70, which has the Victrola No. 4 reproducer, and they sound fantastic.

The only issues I have had is that they are sometimes found stuck together from years of heat and storage, and sometimes flaking of the surface by mishandling (bending etc.).

Other than these problems, they are actually great sounding records. They have some great artists and hits which are harder to find on shellac from the depression era.

As usual this forum and it's great members are a super
wealth of information. Thanks to you all for all the info
and feedback I have received about these paper records.
I have tried them on my VV-50, VV-2-60 and my VV-8-4
orthophonic. I like the sound from the VV-50 the best.
Gene

Although they were designed to be played with acoustic reproducers, it is not doing them any favor by doing so. They were designed as cheap, disposable commodities and sold at a price to match, however a large number of them have survived in good condition. I have a nearly complete collection of them and will not play them on anything but an electric turntable and don't recommend it regardless of how they were intended to be played originally. If you have some in V- condition or worse, or with creases/lamination cracks, that's a different matter but keep the steel needles away from good ones.

Jim

To really preserve your Hit-Of-The-Week records, try these excellent CDs from Archeophone (I have no affiliation).

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=0075990061 ... gsc.page=1

I received a couple of these volumes for Christmas (they're both 2-CD sets) and I'm enjoying them very much!

George P.

Yes, the Archeophone CD sets are beautifully done, and the liner notes for each set are excellent!
I have all four volumes. Highly recommended!
Bob

Nice find,i play my hit of the week records. there some excellent music,i always use light needles on these.but now i know there pretty tough from posts here thanks guys.

phonojim wrote:Although they were designed to be played with acoustic reproducers, it is not doing them any favor by doing so. They were designed as cheap, disposable commodities and sold at a price to match, however a large number of them have survived in good condition. I have a nearly complete collection of them and will not play them on anything but an electric turntable and don't recommend it regardless of how they were intended to be played originally. If you have some in V- condition or worse, or with creases/lamination cracks, that's a different matter but keep the steel needles away from good ones.

Jim

Good advice Jim.

Decades ago, I had a copy of the HTW promo record. I was probably about twelve years old at the time. I can still remember the sales pitch almost verbatim: "This is the new Hit-of-the-Week Record. It is made of Durium, the amazing invention of a Columbia University professor. Its tone is as rich and clear as the costliest record made. It won't break if you drop it..."

Wish my memory was still as capable and retentive as it was then! Wha'happen?