Found some 78 rpm shellac records in inherited collection

[Brian Hall]

I inherited a fairly large vinyl collection from my father. Around 600, mostly classical with issue dates from 1953 to 1982 still in great condition except for most having brittle paper sleeves. I was going through them and found a large book that looks like an old photo album, but it contains a bunch of 78 rpm shellac records in individual sleeves with issue dates in the 1940s. These 78s were probably my grandfathers.

I have a Fluance turntable with an Ortofon Blue cartridge that doesn't have a setting for 78 rpm and I understand that a different type of cartridge is needed.

What would be a good option to listen to the 78 rpm records? I don't think I will like the music, but feel the need to give them a listen at least once.

 

[sergeauckland]

A great find! I have some 100 or so 78s, which I play occasionally. A few go back to the 1920s.
Yes, you will need a cartridge with a 78 stylus, purists will say (rightly) that there are several different 78 stylii, depending on what label and what age, but unless you're interested in archival retrieval, a generic 78 stylus is OK.

You'll obviously need a turntable that provides a 78 speed, but even then, it would be good to get one with variable speed, as some 78s are not, they can be anything from 70-90rpm, but those are mostly the very early ones rather than those from the 1940s-50s.

I use a Lenco L75 for my 78s, with a Goldring G800 cartridge and 78 stylus or an Ortofon OM series with a 78 stylus.

Bear in mind also that the now standard RIAA equalisation doesn't apply to 78s, pretty much every record company had their own, and if you look at preamps of the 1950s, you'll see lots of switchable settings depending on what record company you're playing. I find that using RIAA and adjusting the bass and treble controls is a perfectly acceptable way of listening.

One further thing, is that in those days, the needle on a record player should have been changed for every side, worse case, for every two sides, but very few people actually did that, so most 78s are now badly worn. Records can be cleaned, but the groove damage done can't be recovered. This manifests itself as greatly added noise and distortion. I'm surprised at just how good an unworn 78 can sound, but sadly I have very few of those.

Finally, if you're thinking of cleaning the records, do NOT use any form of alcohol cleaning fluid, as the records are made of shellac, which will be dissolved by alcohol. Only use water with a bit of washing-up liquid detergent.

I get quite a kick from playing a record older than I am!

S.

 

[Brian Hall]

All of these 78s are from RCA Victor. They look to be in good shape. There are about 15 in the "book". It sounds like it may be more trouble than it is worth to be able to play them and I won't be acquiring any more 78s.

I was surprised by how good the 33s from the 1950s sound.

 

[Robin L]

I've had the best luck using an old BSR turntable with a flipover ceramic cartridge, one stylus 33 & 1/3, the other 78. The output was high enough to play without using a phono preamp, tone controls enough to make tonal adjustments. Classical recordings from the 78 era are favorites of mine, but they really are better on recent transfers to CD. Only yesterday I got 16 CDs of Adolph Busch and the Busch Quartet, classic performances from the 1930s in remarkably good sound thanks to good engineering to start with and good remastering work.

A lot of the LPs from the 1950s were carefully manufactured. Sinatra's Gray label Capitol LPs are a good example, excellent engineering and manufacture. The same can be said for much of RCA Victor's product from that era.

 

[Dunring]

I'd really think about sending them to the Great 78 Project to keep them from being lost forever if some are really rare or old. They have 400k recordings for download. Sounds like an amazing find.

The Great 78 Project – Community Preservation, Research, Discovery of 78rpm Records

 

[Robin L]

I'd really think about sending them to the Great 78 Project to keep them from being lost forever if some are really rare or old. They have 400k recordings for download. Sounds like an amazing find.

The Great 78 Project – Community Preservation, Research, Discovery of 78rpm Records

On the one hand, this certainly sounds better than having the discs go to landfill. On the other, being as they are Rca Victor discs, there's a very good chance that they have already been transferred to LP or CD. Might be good to compare the titles to what's on Discogs.

 

[Brian Hall]

I'd really think about sending them to the Great 78 Project to keep them from being lost forever if some are really rare or old. They have 400k recordings for download. Sounds like an amazing find.

The Great 78 Project – Community Preservation, Research, Discovery of 78rpm Records

That sounds like a great idea. I had never heard of them.

 

[Brian Hall]

All of the 78s I have are already digitized on that preservation site.

I found a couple of recordable records. I had never heard of those.

Edited to add: According to the writing on the first image, that contains a recording of my mother's sister from 1948. Does anyone know about these and how to play them? It doesn't look like they have normal grooves.

 

[Robin L]

All of the 78s I have are already digitized on that preservation site.

I found a couple of recordable records. I had never heard of those.

Edited to add: According to the writing on the first image, that contains a recording of my mother's sister from 1948. Does anyone know about these and how to play them? It doesn't look like they have normal grooves.


View attachment 348578View attachment 348579View attachment 348580

Most of them play like normal 78s. They are amateur recordings, pre- recording tape. A few are recorded center to edge. I used to make digital transfers of all sorts of analog discs for folks who didn't have the wherewithal, often these discs were of family members. The discs that were recorded from what usually were the run-out grooves to the lead-in grooves were hard to transfer, as the turntable I had would usually trip if I attempted to start recording from the center. These sorts of discs usually weren't worth transferring to anyone but members of the family.

 

[Brian Hall]

Most of them play like normal 78s. They are amateur recordings, pre- recording tape. A few are recorded center to edge. I used to make digital transfers of all sorts of analog discs for folks who didn't have the wherewithal, often these discs were of family members. The discs that were recorded from what usually were the run-out grooves to the lead-in grooves were hard to transfer, as the turntable I had would usually trip if I attempted to start recording from the center. These sorts of discs usually weren't worth transferring to anyone but members of the family.

Thanks for the info. I'm curious to find out more about these. Doing some searches to see what I can find.

"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

 

[DVDdoug]

I found a couple of recordable records. I had never heard of those.

From what I've heard, there were "booths" like the old photo booths where you could make your own record. Usually a recorded voice message, not music. I think my grandfather made one (or had it made) in Europe during WWII and sent to my grandmother in the U.S. (We don't have it anymore.)

 

[Robin L]

From what I've heard, there were "booths" like the old photo booths where you could make your own record. Usually a recorded voice message, not music. I think my grandfather made one (or had it made) in Europe during WWII and sent to my grandmother in the U.S. (We don't have it anymore.)

I dubbed one of those, unquestionably the worst fidelity of any recording I have ever heard. It was from a booth of Pepsi Cola's in Europe for discs to send home during WWII. The family that got the copy I made was overjoyed to hear it. I don't know what they could hear.

 

[sergeauckland]

Just to add to this thread, here is my latest restoration/repair job from the museum I volunteer at. It's an Ultra radiogram dating at a guess from the 1930s, might be 1940s. I'll know a bit more when I get inside it.

EDIT:- Manufactured in 1948, so a year older than me! Inside, it's a mess, the turntable bearing is seized solid, as is the motor, and the internal rubber-covered wiring has perished, so will need a rewire.

The record on the turntable dates from 1910.