78s

[paulfromcamden]

I've occasionally scored interesting 78s in charity shops. The big problem seems to be that either the staff or the punters don't understand how brittle they are - it's pretty much standard to find a good number of them in bits. Even if it's nothing I'm interested in it's sad to see something that's survived 70 years only to get spannered last Thursday.

 

[Colonel_Mad]

US Cartoonist Robert Crumb is famously a collector and curator of 78rpm records. There are a few articles around the web where he talks passionately about them and explains how he got into it. One such example here http://matsgus.com/discaholic_corner/?p=2048

Frank Fairfield the US folk musician also collects I believe and has issued at least one compliation of his favourite 78rpm recordings. Wonderfully titled "Unheard Ofs & Forgotten Abouts".

 

[wer]

I have quite a few 78's (as well as some with different speeds), a dedicated Lenco set to around 70 rpm and a speed controller, so i can reach speeds ftom 68 yo 100 rpm. A DIY phono stage with 5 EQ's, Stereo, Mono. Left and Right makes it quite universal for lateral recordings. Have not yet had the time to try hill and dale recordings like Pathe's, which i may not be able to play back directly but should at least be able to record with the help of audio restauration software.
V-discs are my particular interest, but they are not easy to find reasonably priced and in playable condition.