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I ordered a pack of BCN's from Andy (Orchorsol) last month mostly because he offered a heavy, XL size needle that I just had to try. My stock of Duotone and Peter Grey cactus needles are all roughly the same diameter and the BCN's I got are visibly thicker. They fit into the No.2 and Orthophonic needle chuck easily but a really fat one had to be whittled a bit to fit the chuck of my rotary sharpener ("from the House of Peter Grey" ).
I am really pleased with what these needles have done for playback with the Credenza! I'm in love with it again.
The volume and fidelity is much improved over the other cactus needles. Lots of punch in the bass and mid-range. It compares favorably with a soft to medium steel needle (which I never use on an un-worn record).
I see that some of the BCN's are thicker than others in the pack but the playback volume is only slightly affected. This and the fact that I am getting a lot more use out of a sharpening than with my other cactus needles
makes me think that the thorn used for the BCN's is much more dense. Less compliance = more volume.
I am counting more plays per sharpening on the older machine (No. 2 Reproducer) also but might need to get a pack of soft tone needles from Andy so that Caruso doesn't drive me outdoors.
-bill

Bill, my assessment is the same as yours. I have also Duotone cactus needles and a French brand of wooden needles, and Andy's needles are the best among the thorn needles I have tried. They are comparable to the original dark BCN needles that were sold in a top hat-shaped box.

Many thanks indeed for the compliments, guys!

Just to be precise Carlos, the black thorn needles in the top hat cartons were IMs (Imhofs brand) - they were black, pretty thin and most of the output had a glaze coating, shellac I think, but I have strong suspicions that (a) the coating didn't actually do very much sonically and might just have been a distinguishing feature in terms of the market at the time, and (b) they may well have been made by the same facility that made BCNs and possibly several other brands of thorn needles.

My research into the history of thorn needles continues (slowly and in fits and starts) but much is still unknown. If anyone has any information on BCNs or other thorns in the UK, in South Africa where they originated, or indeed Peter Grey/Kacti and whether there was a relationship, I'd be really grateful to hear. Meanwhile most of the research (up until last year) is on the BCN website, http://www.burmesecolourneedles.com.

Thanks for the clarification, Andy, I was not near the IM pack when typed, and was not sure of its brand. I have some packs of a French brand that claimed that their needles were made out of tropical wood. I will take a photo of it next week after returning from Malvern.

CarlosV wrote:Thanks for the clarification, Andy, I was not near the IM pack when typed, and was not sure of its brand. I have some packs of a French brand that claimed that their needles were made out of tropical wood. I will take a photo of it next week after returning from Malvern.

The French needles would be interesting to see when you have time Carlos, many thanks!

I agree. I love my BCNs. When I have a bit more time I want to test them out on my Pathé Actuelle. They sound amazing on my Credenza and 8-4! I too use House of Grey sharpener!

Orchorsol wrote: The French needles would be interesting to see when you have time Carlos, many thanks!

Here they are, Andy

CarlosV wrote:

Orchorsol wrote: The French needles would be interesting to see when you have time Carlos, many thanks!

Here they are, Andy

Fascinating Carlos, many thanks!
Is there any possibility of higher resolution photos please? It could be a problem my end, but they are small images and illegible when enlarged. Apologies if I'm being a nuisance!

I increased the resolution, let's see if it is legible. The hi res photos are too big to upload, I get an error message.

Many thanks indeed Carlos, nearly there! That's better but still not quite legible throughout. I wonder whether this is because of the problems others have been experiencing in the last day or two with images on the forum? I can't click on your photos to make them pop up in their own page, which is usually possible.

Again, sorry to be a nuisance, but it would be really interesting and useful to be able to read everything - even if most of it is heavy advertising hyperbole. For example, I think I see the year 1947 mentioned but I can't be certain.

What's especially interesting is that the "inventor" and original managing director of BCN, C.N.M. Ramsay, disappears off the scene around 1930/31 (having fled South Africa leaving his company more or less in financial ruin, and immediately setting up the short-lived Electrocolor thorn needles in the US and UK). The last trace we have of him is a fleeting reference in the south of France in 1932... Perhaps there's a connection with Super-Voxia.

Edit - thanks for your PM on this Carlos!