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Hello All,
I’m looking for information on the composition and pressing process of shellac records. I understand that the most common 78’s were pressed on one homogeneous material all the way through. Laminated 78’s had a hard core with higher quality shellac on the pressing surfaces.
I’m not sure if laminated 78’s were ever made in the USA. I know of ones made in Europe and Australia. I have also read that the British controlled the entire supply of shellac from the Far East and that is why British 78’s have a higher shellac content and that is why they are quieter with least amount of surface noise. My experience of British 78’s is of the opposite; especially the ones during the wars.
Here are a few pics of a broken laminated 78.

Columbia made laminated 78s here in the USA.

So when did Columbia start making laminated discs?.
I find the Australian made laminates offer the best sound quality. I know for HMV; after they had pressed enough records for the local market, the masters would be sent around the world to be pressed in various countries. So the Australian records would have been pressed from the original UK masters. The sound quality of the Australian laminated pressings is far superior.

see below

This is my take on laminates, Chunny:

US Columbia was making laminated discs since the early 20s, which included the subsidiary labels like Diva, Harmony, Velvet Tone etc. Their surfaces are very quiet (when in good shape evidently), to me the same quality as Australian HMVs.

France also produced laminated records, Gramophone/La Voix de Son Maitre, Pathé and Columbia, all of high quality as well.

Italian La Voce del Padrone were laminated, and high quality.

I never saw German laminated records, but the quality of their shellac records was high, I have German Brunswicks and Parlophons that have very quiet surfaces.

The English HMVs, as you mention, from the mid 30s on are very noisy in average. The earlier laminated Columbias were great, very quiet, and I can find later shellac records from the 30s and 40s that are also quiet, mostly Deccas and Parlophones. I don't buy the story of England saving the best shellac for themselves, based on the aural evidence if indeed they controlled the market they were selling all good shellac to other countries and keeping the dross for the domestic consumer.

American made Columbia records were made of laminated construction at least from the introduction of the Double Disc records in 1908. The quality of these early records is variable, to say the least, but surviving examples which have been exposed neither to excessive moisture nor to extreme heat can have remarkably quiet surfaces.

The famously quiet "new process" surfaces were introduced in America just before the discontinuation of the blue label in favor of the"flag" label. They seemed to improve gradually until their perfection in 1925. There has been considerable informed speculation which posits that the "New Process" records ised some content of synthetic resin in their surface laminates

Diamond Disks are laminated too, aren't they?

I don't know whether the British controlled the shellac market, but in the early 1900's the principal exporters were Angelo Brothers of Calcutta. It may be more than coincidental that their premises were only two blocks away from the HMV factory.

I have found that acoustic HMV Calcutta surfaces are generally smoother and quieter than those from Hayes. The shellac content of the mix varied between about 8% and 15%, with powdered slate and other ingredients including black colouring completing the mix. I have heard it said that in Britain HMV used more abrasive in the mix to make their records harder wearing, and that this is why those who seek the best pressings for CD transfers tend to avoid them.

bigshot wrote:Diamond Disks are laminated too, aren't they?

Well, Diamond Discs have a core and a varnish applied that takes the impression from the stamper. I don't think they could be called laminated because A. There is no barrier between the core and the varnish and B. The varnish is applied to the core before the blank is inserted in the press. The surface varnish bonds with the core without any intervening paper or other divider.

Some additional information:

1940 Gramophone Record patent -- Listing various materials used and percentages: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2619440

The Origin & Many Uses of Shellac by R.J. Wakeman -- provides some detailed information about the record making process -- https://www.antiquephono.org/the-origin ... j-wakeman/


OrthoFan