Pete H Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 During a site visit with a client yesterday, she started talking about an album collection that a former renter had skipped town and left and I told her I would like to take a look, and in her home and in a garage are thousands of albums from picture albums, to crates full of albums to these strange cases loaded with albums. I didn't have time to do anything but glance and take a couple of shots, but there's cases marked WW1 and WW2 and many names that I'm not familiar with along with some older country, but again, this was at a glance. I said I had no clue who most of them were and this could just be a truck load of junk, but something tells me to make her an offer, I just don't have a clue what it should be. Any input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Another pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 One more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Not sure what you mean by "vinyl." Those are vintage 78's. Pix aren't high enough res to read, but I see "Dixie," which might be a trove of fine Dixieland Jazz, and Caruso, which might be originals (valuable) or at least 30's re-issues of the great one. Many here know that I listen to 78's regularly as you can't get better than the real thing. However, if it's stereo and dead silence your after rather than music it isn't for you. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsweb Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I concur what you are looking at are 78 "albums". This is where the term originated for what people refer to as 33 1/2 albums today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Likely as not it's certainly worth the "missing last months' rent". She might be happy with that and you'd be happy for months LOLOL!!! You never know, there may be some very valuable 78's in that collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 If there is any blues or country I would want it immediately. Some of the early blues are priceless imo. The albums labeled personal could be transcribed by an individual or music by an individual which I would also get. The one labeled ***** type is making me salivate and depending on the content could be great. This is the kind of 78 stash I would like to go through myself. I've been through thousands of 78s just to find a few titles I like. How much do they want for it? I wish I were closer!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The fabled long lost recordings of Robert Johnson...... Who knows!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The best thing about that collection is probably the condition of those records. You may have a treasure trove of Excellent condition Bing Crosby as well as Caruso. You could have still shiny Glenn Miller recordings as well as Benny Goodman. Much better condition than what one usually finds in thrifts. You could even find the Andrew Sisters and even some Paul Whiteman if they go back to the 20s.. I mean you need to check them out, contact the Smithsonian if you have to, and see if you can get a home equity loan, but grab those things. Artie Shaw to Beethoven, you'll have your weight in gold with that horde. Seriously, you could have just one record that would make the effort worthwhile. Maybe even Spike Jones and his City Slickers. Keep your eyes peeled for any Harry James, Kay Kyser, Xavier Cugat, Woody Herman, Guy Lombardo, etc. .....now you even got me drooling. 78 rpm materials Early disc records were made of various materials including hard rubber. From 1897 onwards, earlier materials were largely replaced by a rather brittle formula of 25% shellac, a filler of a cotton compound similar to manila paper, powdered slate, and a small amount of a wax lubricant. The mass production of shellac records began in 1898 in Hanover, Germany, and continued until the end of the 78-rpm format in the late 1950s. "Unbreakable" records, usually of celluloid on a pasteboardbase, were made from 1904 onwards, but they suffered from anexceptionally high level of surface noise. "Unbreakable" records couldbe bent, broken, or otherwise damaged; but not nearly as easily asshellac records. Vinyl was first tried out as a 78 rpm record materialin 1940 due to material restrictions. Decca introduced vinyl"Deccalite" 78s after the Second World War, and Victor made some vinyl78s, but other labels would restrict vinyl production to the newer 33and 45 formats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtnfoley Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 At the very lease, Victor Borge is usually good for a laugh! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 and something "recorded live in Las Vegas", seen in the background. That too is promising. c7s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The fabled long lost recordings of Robert Johnson...... Who knows!! That's me! The thrill of the hunt. Plus, hearing so many great recordings not available in any other medium even better than the engineers that made them heard them. For any new to this idea, you can get about 98% of all there is to hear (which can be a LOT more than you expect) from a 78rpm record for an investment of around 60-80 for a 78 preamp and about the same for a 78 cartridge. Then, you need a decent TT...and by decent I mean an old Dual, Garrard, or similar you can pick up for next to nothing that is in reasonable condition. Then, it's time tripping time! I've a few 78's from the last days that are incredibly quiet and have even more presence than most modern LP's. Actually, I'd love to hear what a 78 stereo record made with modern methods...or direct to disc...would sound like. Stands to reason having twice the speed of an LP would have the same benefits as higher speed does in any analog format. Might even have been some business there in the heydey of the 331/3 rpm single. Do they still make those? Dave PS - Love Robert Johnson, of course, but I'd equally like to get my hands on some original Bix Biederbecke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 and something "recorded live in Las Vegas", seen in the background. That too is promising. c7s I was curious about the one marked "Personal." That could be interesting!Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I concur what you are looking at are 78 "albums". This is where the term originated for what people refer to as 33 1/2 albums today. That is an interesting piece or trivia for us audiogeeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 One of the advantages to the Technics TT is the ability to play 33 1/2 rpm recordings. A simple tweak and they sound just like 33 1/3 rpm. Also, I have the 78 conversion which allows one to play all the old speeds + or - from 78 which was not totally a standard in the early days. "Personal" could be home type recordings, many people made them, even going to special outfits which would record you if you thought you had a promising voice or a potential career. I have found these over the years in thrift stores. c7s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 One of the advantages to the Technics TT is the ability to play 33 1/2 rpm recordings. A simple tweak and they sound just like 33 1/3 rpm. Also, I have the 78 conversion which allows one to play all the old speeds + or - from 78 which was not totally a standard in the early days. "Personal" could be home type recordings, many people made them, even going to special outfits which would record you if you thought you had a promising voice or a potential career. I have found these over the years in thrift stores. c7s A speed adjustment is a definite nicety...especially for those blessed/cursed with perfect pitch. "78" was nominal and ranged generally from 75 to 80 until the 30's. For most of us it isn't that big a deal...but for some, it is. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The fabled long lost recordings of Robert Johnson...... Who knows!! Or even better a blues gem by an unkown artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 There are some very real reasons those obscure blues 78s are scarce and thus valuable. Cannot recall offhand how many of those my grannie had in her collection, but the number zero seems to come to mind. How about your grannie you all? If its the excitement of the hunt and the thrill of finding treasure you are after set your sites on those Decca 78s of Bing Crosby and you surely will be a happy camper. Whoa!.....early one sided red label RCA Caruso......holy grail...... c7s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I have a big collection of these old 78's that I have been caring for for the last 40+ years... I never have listened to them as I dont have the mechanism to do so Form what I gather they were my great grand fathers, because there are some old edison Cylinders with some fairly Racist titles in there to. but most of them ate Duke, arte and blues/country based artists. I need a websited with more researchable info. does anyone have a source they would like to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'm going to make her an offer and see where it goes. The pictures were only a small portion of what's there in 78's and a thousand or so albums. I'm going to have to break down and get a heavy duty cleaning machine, which brings up a question about cleaning the 78's, since I've never owned one, is there anything special I need to know about handling them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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