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I just picked up a little lot of the reddish-brown Vocalion records. I know they started out as vertical cuts and then switched to lateral cuts, I think around 1920. Most of the ones in this lot have a 1921 patent date on the label, but there is one with a 1918 patent date and a little differenct label and I don't want to risk playing it with a lateral reproducer if it is a vertical cut. Is there an easy way to distinguish the verticals from the laterals and can the verticals be played on Pathé or Edison machines?



Clay

I could be wrong, but...

I believe all of the red ones are standard lateral discs. I have 2 vertical cut discs and they are both black and say "Aeolian Vocalion" instead of just "Vocalion".

I have a few A-V verticals and they are black. The label must say Aeolian Vocalian 1916 and be near the center of the label instead of the edges. Catlog numbers would also provide some indication, but I don't know the ranges.

I think those particular records were meant to be played with a steel needle, rather than a permanent stylus. I suspect they did not wear well. The Pathé ball is too large to satisfactorily track the finer grooves, if at all.

My Aeolian Vocallion verticals hsave a 1916 date, the label is also a little different: gold and brown scrolls on a black background with the titles in a brown box. They are played with a steel needle, and my examples sound very good.

estott wrote:My Aeolian Vocallion verticals have a 1916 date, the label is also a little different: gold and brown scrolls on a black background with the titles in a brown box. They are played with a steel needle, and my examples sound very good.

As I look at it more carefully, the odd one I have does have a 1916 date rather than a 1918 date and you describe the label to a T. What kind of machine/reproducer do you use to play them?

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:

estott wrote:My Aeolian Vocallion verticals have a 1916 date, the label is also a little different: gold and brown scrolls on a black background with the titles in a brown box. They are played with a steel needle, and my examples sound very good.

As I look at it more carefully, the odd one I have does have a 1916 date rather than a 1918 date and you describe the label to a T. What kind of machine/reproducer do you use to play them?

Clay

They will play on any machine that has a universal tone arm where the reproducer can be turned or replaced- these were very common. I've played it on a Cheney and on a cheap Swiss machine with a Pathé adapter. Just use a steel needle.

Thanks. I have been toying with the notion of adding a Brunswick Ultona to my mess (err, collection) for awhile. Maybe this will give me just the excuse.

Clay

Kimball plays these vertical steel needle recordings. Cheney Brunswick, Silvertone. There were some Gennette vertical cuts too, and some are 150tpi, they will play on the DD but i do not recommend it, the shellac is a little soft for the weight, and you could damage both the reproducer and record. I am not sure if the Voc. vertical is microgroove or not.