The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

1 ) In a brief statement, describe the first few *old* records you acquired that were 78s or cylinders. What type of music were they, how old were they, where did you get them? Many of us were old enough to have had 45s and 33s in your youth because the format was still being sold on the shelves. Vinyl records don't count for this discussion.

I acquired my first 78 rpm records when I was 14 from my Great-Grandmother, and they were maybe 50 country records from the 1940's and 1950's (Little Jimmy Dickens, Molly O'Day, Roy Acuff etc.). They were mostly red label Columbias. I would guess that these records were 30-40 years old when I received them.

2) When did you start acquiring more records and how did you go about it?

I got my next record a Purple label Brunswick, it was "Silver Threads Among the Gold" and 'In the Gloaming" by Elizabeth Lennox. The copy sounds great! That was in 1987, when my Dad and I purchased a Magnola Talking Machine and that record was on the machine. We later went to the local flea market and bought binders of records, at maybe 25 cents each. The fun was going through them, there was one of my favorites "Zonky" by the McKinneys Cotton Pickers, "Indiana" and "Firehouse Blues" by Mound City Blues Blowers on a Columbia Viva-Tonal.
Record. A few other good ones, and plenty of Benny Goodman etc.

I bought my first cylinder player in 1993, and it was harder to find cylinders and good ones at that back then. I ended up buying three cylinders from a dealer in the New Amberola. I also bought 4 of them from a antique store and only 3 were playable due to mold. Finally I started getting them on ebay. Now I prefer the new resin cylinders, they sound great and get good popular titles.

By 2005, my interest in phonographs and records came back, and I started buying on e-bay. I know better what I like now. I will say while you can usually find your records on e-bay, they are nowhere near the fun and price of a flea market. I started buying Diamond Discs in 2005.


3) How do you organize and store your records? Do you have them in good order and cleaned, or are they in random heaps and boxes?

For Now, they are sleeved, I have maybe 20 in the upright phonograph. I have them vertically stored in shelves.
Some are in random heaps and boxes. I need more cabinets.

4) How many records do you think you own?


I own maybe 250 78 rpm records, 125 Diamond Discs and 200 cylinder records (2 and 4 min.)


5) Where do you acquire most of your records lately?

I have not bought many lately. I buy from Yankee Trader or E-Bay, not very many 78's end up in flea markets and antique stores anymore where I live. It seems many are going out of business.

6) What do you play them on?

I play Diamond Discs on the Edison DD Chalet (B-19)
I play pre-1925 78's on Magnola Talking Machine, VV IV, VV-VI or VV-IX
I play post-1925 78's on the VV 1-90 or VV 1-80
I play 2 minute cylinders on my Edison Home B
I play 2 minute Indestructible's on my Columbia BK
I play 4 minute cylinders on my Edison Amberola 30

I play all 1935 and later records on the RCA 78 record player attachment from 1947, it has been rebuilt with new cartridge and stylus.

Fun thread, here's my bit:

1 ) In a brief statement, describe the first few *old* records you acquired that were 78s or cylinders. What type of music were they, how old were they, where did you get them? Many of us were old enough to have had 45s and 33s in your youth because the format was still being sold on the shelves. Vinyl records don't count for this discussion.
-My very first 78s came with my very first antique phonograph, a 1924 Player-Tone Type14. I bought this at an annual antique show, it is a cabinet style phonograph and had about 30 records in it. Though it was the first phonograph I actually owned I had been interested in antique phonographs for some time prior, I was just waiting for the right one to come along at the right price.

-All of the records were from the 1910s and 1920s era, mostly 'pop songs' of the decade. There were also a couple military march records and some nice classical pieces. I do remember the very first one I played after fixing the phonograph- Victor 10 inch #18371-B, "Girl I Left Behind Me -- Medley March", played by the Victor Military Band (recorded August 16, 1917). Here is a video of it, taken the day after acquiring the machine (March 19, 2012). It sure was LOUD!

[youtubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deqLBXIlTeU[/youtubehd]

2) When did you start acquiring more records and how did you go about it?

I started acquiring more records immediately after acquiring my phonograph. I find them in antique stores, goodwill, Half-Priced-Books, and 78rpm record shops (I live only 30 minutes from Willies 78 record store). I narrowed my collecting interest down to pre-depression 78s due to my fascination with that time period, though I make exceptions for Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman!


3) How do you organize and store your records? Do you have them in good order and cleaned, or are they in random heaps and boxes?
Most of them are cleaned and organized in record sleeves on a shelf or in the phonograph cabinet, though I do have a couple stacks in my basement that I just never got around to cleaning. All in good time.

4) How many records do you think you own?
Not enough!

5) Where do you acquire most of your records lately?
I don't really acquire from any one place more than the other, I'd say it's equally split between various places.

6) What do you play them on?
1924 Player-Tone Type14 when around the house
1922 VV-50 portable when enjoying my 78s outside.