The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here's a nice Blue Amberol cylinder, released in 1913. I was struck by the spaciousness of the sound, almost as though it was electrically-recorded. This was transferred using a John Petty handmade pickup:

http://www.christerhamp.se/phono/petty.html

BA 28156 The Flowers That We Love & Mariette (Vecsey's Orchestra, 1913)

https://app.box.com/s/kjlsik20v1g8w7ixfmspnv0iyafm96ik

Hope you enjoy it!
Bob

Bob, this post is great and deals with three topics dear to my heart: Blue Amberols, the Edison recording studio and Armand Vecsey. Your transfer is lovely. The Edison reproduction of the violin is very fine, and I never could understand why they didn't snag another first rank soloist besides Albert Spalding and Carl Flesch. I love the Vecsey recordings, but I only have them on Diamond Disc. Vecsey was an interesting character and about a year ago I discovered that he had written his memoirs in 1931. Here's the dust jacket from the book. The book is engaging but it has the earmarks of having been written with a film script in mind. He also disguises the identity of the characters in all the really juicy bits , which rather spoils the fun.

Jim

Thank you for sharing. The sound is excellent and the selection is very enjoyable also. This reinforces my personal feeling that the direct recorded Blue Amberol was the best acoustic recording process achieved by anyone, even surpassing a lot of early electrical recording. I'll have to keep an eye out for this title. It's one I would normally pass, but it goes to show that one should give everything that comes through your hands at least a quick audition because you don't really know what is on the record until you listen to it.
I found the John Petty reproducer especially intriguing and wonderful sounding although not an unfamiliar concept. 40 or so years ago I cobbled up something similar out of popsicle sticks, toothpicks, wire, tape and an Astatic 13t ceramic stereo cartridge. I used it a couple of times and was impressed with the results but never got around to building a permanent version. After listening to this I wish I had carried on with the project.

Jim

I regret not buying one of John's pickups when I met him a few times at the MAPS phono-conventions in Lansing during the late 1980s. He made them to fit Amberola 30/50 machines and sold them for $40, a bargain even then, but I was strapped for cash in those days.

John was a leading authority on custom brown wax Uncle Josh records and he had recorded some 5" concert records of Cal Stewart on tape for us to hear. I wonder what became of those records and also his tapes?

Those early direct cut Blue Amberols melt my heart. When you find one from a master mould numbered under 4.....THEN things get really interesting. Wear headphones, and it is as if you are in the studio listening live. Very eerie.