The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Paal1994 wrote:Sean,

It does indeed sound better! Although I only bought this because it's a Test Pressing, it's a very nice tune!

Maybe they used up all the good material on Test Pressings and used the crappy material on the ones that were released when the labels were etched?

Paal.

I think I read somewhere that they used the best material for test pressings, the excellent material for the standard records and sold off all the crappy material to Victor and Columbia. just kidding Vic & Columbia fans...

Valecnik wrote:
I think I read somewhere that they used the best material for test pressings, the excellent material for the standard records and sold off all the crappy material to Victor and Columbia. just kidding Vic & Columbia fans...

Bruce,

I heard Edison had a huge stock of shellack that he sold to Victor and Columbia. That could be the crappy material you are talking about (hehe)

Paal.

I have now posted YouTube videos of the Test Pressing. They are longer down on the page.
Anyone have any idea which of the three takes that was issued? Someone who have this on a released DD may be able to tell. The number is 52342.

As for Test Pressings during the etched era, I asked Ron Dethlefson. And he said "The very early test pressings on Edison Disc Records had no labels of any sort. The matrix number was engraved around the spindlehole with the mold number."
Hope that helped for the "fog"!

Here are the videos. Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6FMWWvu2QE[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slH4ldLJ8vM[/youtube]

Paal.

They do indeed sound excellent.
Are they electrical recordings, because they sure sound good enough to be.

gramophoneshane wrote:They do indeed sound excellent.
Are they electrical recordings, because they sure sound good enough to be.

Shane,

Yes they are. The disc was released well into the electric era (52342).

Paal.

They do sound great!

I checked the online Edison discography and there is no indication for this what what takes were issued. I'm not sure if the Mainspring Press Ray Wile books have that info or not, I haven't purchased them yet.

Sean