Starter of this subject: Janet
Last post in this subject: 2/1/2002
Messages in this subject: 1
| Janet | 2/1/2002 1 replies |
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I'm hoping someone can suggest resources for information on some vintage audiodiscs. Recently, in cleaning out my grandmother's closet for an estate sale, I came across a small collection of audiodiscs which, judging by the labels, were used by a local radio station in the 1940's and 50's to record and/or broadcast news events and musical pieces. They are 16 inches in diameter and the labels state that they should be played at 33-1/3 rpm, "starting from the inside." Recordings include "Mussolini declares war - English translation" and "Eisenhower speech in Des Moines." They appear to be made from the same material as the old 78 rpm records. The labels were pre-printed with the radio station's name and address, but the names of the actual recordings are all either hand-written or typed. Might someone here point me to any resources for information on what type of equipment was used to play them, a specific time period when they were used, etc.? Were they solely for broadcast purposes? Could regular phonographs play them? Thank you in advance for any suggestions you can make.
regards, Janet Green Des Moines, Iowa janetgia@earthlink.net |
| Ted Hering | 2/1/2002 0 replies |
| Hi, Janet, those are called "radio transcriptions." They were used by radio stations in the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s, before tape. Each side gives you 15 minutes playing time, so two sides make a half-hour program. Although they are the same speed as an LP, they used the wider needle to play them. Most record players do not have an arm that's long enough, but you can try. I'll also mention that they were not pressed like ordinary records, but were "cut" with a needle that scratched a groove onto the surface. And as such, each record is considered ONE OF A KIND! Most of them have aluminum centers, but during WWII, when |