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Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 7:55 am
by S610
The Grafonola is going off to Vollema's shop for a tune-up and repair right after New Years so I bought my first 78 album. Went with a 1947 Glen Miller set that includes In the Mood, Stardust and some other good songs.
What type of needles would be best? Medium steel or the bamboo? This album was a bit pricey so I don't want to damage the records. Any good articles or tips on cleaning these without spending a fortune on devices? My impulse-buy phonograph is costing more than enough as it is.
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Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 8:30 am
by epigramophone
Perhaps more important than the choice of needle is to take great care when turning the record pockets of the album. If a record slides too close to the spine there is a risk of nipping off the edge when the pocket is turned. The manufacturers were aware of this potential problem, and to prevent it some of the better quality albums had pockets with reinforced corners.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 8:44 am
by Inigo
These records, if they are from 1947, are likely made from vinylite mixture, certainly not designed to be played with such a heavy tonearm. Steel will scratch the grooves, and bamboo will burn them.
My advice is, if you appreciate these records, don't play them except with a modern record player. The Grafonola is intended to play the harder records from 1900-1925, made of hard shellac mixture and with soft modulation in their grooves. Later records have to be played with care, probably better using fibre needles and a counterweight to leave away some of the heavy weight of tonearm and soundbox.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:14 am
by S610
Inigo wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2024 8:44 am
These records, if they are from 1947, are likely made from vinylite mixture, certainly not designed to be played with such a heavy tonearm. Steel will scratch the grooves, and bamboo will burn them.
My advice is, if you appreciate these records, don't play them except with a modern record player. The Grafonola is intended to play the harder records from 1900-1925, made of hard shellac mixture and with soft modulation in their grooves. Later records have to be played with care, probably better using fibre needles and a counterweight to leave away some of the heavy weight of tonearm and soundbox.
Oh $%^! The ebay description says it is shellac. I am very disappointed, I don't have a modern record player and don't plan to buy one. Guess I just wasted $65.
Thank you for telling me. I knew modern records couldn't be played but didn't realize these couldn't even play records 10-20 years newer than the machine.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:31 am
by Orchorsol
Collectors have different opinions/preferences about this. Not meaning to contradict Inigo's viewpoint at all, but personally, with a nicely rebuilt soundbox and a freely moving tonearm, I wouldn't worry. The records may degrade very slowly over time if you play them a lot, but they aren't rare.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:40 am
by S610
Orchorsol wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:31 am
Collectors have different opinions/preferences about this. Not meaning to contradict Inigo's viewpoint at all, but personally, with a nicely rebuilt soundbox and a freely moving tonearm, I wouldn't worry. The records may degrade very slowly over time if you play them a lot, but they aren't rare.
Good to hear. I messaged the seller, he is throwing in a couple of more Glen Miller records and if I can play them occasionally it is a fair deal. Realistically this machine will be a conversation piece for the guest room/parlor and only played on the rare occasion that I have house guests.
I am also looking at 1920's dance tunes (fortunately there are uploads of every song on youtube!). They are rated "good" not "very good" but when records are over 100 years old I would think that is pretty typical?
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 12:25 pm
by Orchorsol
V (= VG) is supposed to be a typical condition 78 with wear from playing and/or handling. G+ and G are on the rough side of that - despite the linguistic meaning of "very" and "good"!
Different sellers grade variably. It's a good idea to look through some of their feedback where you might see something like "fairly graded" or better or worse.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 6:59 pm
by S610
Orchorsol wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2024 12:25 pm
V (= VG) is supposed to be a typical condition 78 with wear from playing and/or handling. G+ and G are on the rough side of that - despite the linguistic meaning of "very" and "good"!
Different sellers grade variably. It's a good idea to look through some of their feedback where you might see something like "fairly graded" or better or worse.
Thanks! His reviews are all good and he does sell quite a few old records so they will probably be fine.
I just watched your video on Ibota wax. Very interesting!
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 7:59 pm
by gramophone-georg
Those Millers will play fine on your Grafonola with a serviced reproducer and soft tone needles.
I have a ton of duplicates- 1920s-30s stuff- that is very clean that I am going to be listing soon, so if you want to, PM me with a want list. I have been selling records internationally off and on since the days of mail order and "6-8 weeks for delivery"!
Sorry for the shameless plug, but as a longtime pusher of this drug, I don't mind making you a deal to get you hooked.
Re: Bought my first 78 album...
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2024 7:10 am
by S610
gramophone-georg wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2024 7:59 pm
Those Millers will play fine on your Grafonola with a serviced reproducer and soft tone needles.
I have a ton of duplicates- 1920s-30s stuff- that is very clean that I am going to be listing soon, so if you want to, PM me with a want list. I have been selling records internationally off and on since the days of mail order and "6-8 weeks for delivery"!
Sorry for the shameless plug, but as a longtime pusher of this drug, I don't mind making you a deal to get you hooked.
Thanks I may take you up on that! Right now I have a few records on their way but won't have a machine to play them for several weeks.
Any advice on what brand needles to buy? I don't want to order some and then find out they are knockoffs from China or India and cause problems. Thinking I will get soft and med tone and later maybe some bamboo as backups.