Thanks for posting … Thanks for posting this great video. It really show what goes into making a record! Looking today at the process, I always think it’s a miracle that the record even played. The background music was too funny – as one person already commented a real ‘american industrial film!’
The thicker 78’s … The thicker 78’s were the Edison discs. They’re different from the Victrola ones. The Edison discs sound better, see for yourself. Some have uploaded clips to Youtube.
The off center … The off center groove is called the ‘eccentric groove’ and was detected by automatic record players to trigger the reject mechanism. This was done so that no friction was required that would cause wear to the playable part of the record. Where normally, the grooves move toward the center, it is when the eccentric groove moves away from center that the reject mechanism was triggered. It’s rather simple, yet brilliant.
I actually own a 78 … I actually own a 78 album now, from 1945. 4 records, 12″ double sided.
I know about the single side original pressings: gotta wonder how long it was before someone really did try to put sound on both sides (thus giving the disc record a leg up over the cylinder).
They feel so.. unique. Too bad 2 of my 4 are broken, but thye sill play. Then again, its not really good to play them on a turntable setup that is not made for them.
some of the really … some of the really old 78’s were only single sided and almost 1cm thick! I remember back in school one of our teachers brought his old gramophone and some 78s in to show us and I’ve been facinated with the old records ever since.
It looks as if … It looks as if making records was just as complicated back then as it is today, if not more. I have some old 78’s, but I cant play them as I don’t have the right stylus and my turntable is only for the 33 and 45 rpm records. Can anybody tell me why the center groove on a 78 is off center? It’s puzzled me years.
That’s why they … That’s why they only had “listening jobs”, “polishing jobs” or “packing jobs”. Nothing Too strenuous haha.. (just kidding before anyone one gets offended)
It’s a shame the 78 … It’s a shame the 78’s are so brittle and fragile to preserve. God only knows how many of them broke and how many are lost to landfills of history.
This is really neat … This is really neat! Thanks for posting the video! My generation does not seem to appreciate the old records, the amazing sound preservation on one beats any cd
Notice at the end, … Notice at the end, the young girl flips thru a series of disks to find the song she wants to listen to.
That is where we get the term “Album” from: since 78’s pretty much always had one song per side, music collections (lets say, an opera, for instance) were put disk after disk into photo-album like books. Thus, they were called record albums, or just album. The concept grew into including ALL the songs on one disk on the 33, and then into the cassette and CD.
People should also … People should also keep in mind that records, by logic, store the sound “perfectly.” the cruddy sound most people think of from old records is due to severe limitations in the recording devices themselves.
Trust me, listen to a record pressed nowadays and it sounds so… perfect…
That’s RCA’s “Magic … That’s RCA’s “Magic Brain” – the machine was only made for about a year just before the war. It had a tiny turntable about hte size of the label becuase the tonearm is u-shaped so that it can play the underside as well. When complete,the record is dropped into the padded case to the left. The next record from the knife changer shelf then falls and the turntable slides back up from beneath at an angle so the spindle can find the hole. It was rough on shellac but a great part of this ‘42 film.
Vaya! Trabajaste … Vaya! Trabajaste tambien en la planta de prensado o ..acaso con el torno de corte?? Me hubiera gustado ser tecnico de sonido solo por manejar el torno.
I worked in the … I worked in the recording studios of RCA Victor in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 1985 and 1987 and my grandfather worked on the record manufacturing plant (same location) between 1950 and 1967. RCA is the biggest symbol of the recorded sound of earth. Nipper, we will never forget you !
I don’t like the … I don’t like the look of that player at the end of the video. The way it tips discs off the turntable like that looks as though it could do them some serious damage, especially with them being shellac records.
Wow–now clasical … Wow–now clasical music isn’t my favorite–I would’ve been happy to work the shift that produced all the cool BLUEBIRD 78s by Tampa Red, Washboard Sam, Montana Slim, Monroe Brothers etc…
1942 “Command Performance” video about records manufacturing process.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Thanks for posting …
Thanks for posting this great video. It really show what goes into making a record! Looking today at the process, I always think it’s a miracle that the record even played. The background music was too funny – as one person already commented a real ‘american industrial film!’
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Good question!!! I …
Good question!!! I can see this type of thing in a jukebox of its day, perhaps, but a home record player?
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Wow! this is great. …
Wow! this is great. Reminds me of those “industial films” we used to watch in school w/ the old bell and howell projector..
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
The thicker 78’s …
The thicker 78’s were the Edison discs. They’re different from the Victrola ones. The Edison discs sound better, see for yourself. Some have uploaded clips to Youtube.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
what kind of crazy …
what kind of crazy auto change was THAT at the end !? obviously it didn’t catch on, probably smashed your records up.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
The off center …
The off center groove is called the ‘eccentric groove’ and was detected by automatic record players to trigger the reject mechanism. This was done so that no friction was required that would cause wear to the playable part of the record. Where normally, the grooves move toward the center, it is when the eccentric groove moves away from center that the reject mechanism was triggered. It’s rather simple, yet brilliant.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I actually own a 78 …
I actually own a 78 album now, from 1945. 4 records, 12″ double sided.
I know about the single side original pressings: gotta wonder how long it was before someone really did try to put sound on both sides (thus giving the disc record a leg up over the cylinder).
They feel so.. unique. Too bad 2 of my 4 are broken, but thye sill play. Then again, its not really good to play them on a turntable setup that is not made for them.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
some of the really …
some of the really old 78’s were only single sided and almost 1cm thick! I remember back in school one of our teachers brought his old gramophone and some 78s in to show us and I’ve been facinated with the old records ever since.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
It looks as if …
It looks as if making records was just as complicated back then as it is today, if not more. I have some old 78’s, but I cant play them as I don’t have the right stylus and my turntable is only for the 33 and 45 rpm records. Can anybody tell me why the center groove on a 78 is off center? It’s puzzled me years.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
That’s why they …
That’s why they only had “listening jobs”, “polishing jobs” or “packing jobs”. Nothing Too strenuous haha.. (just kidding before anyone one gets offended)
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
WOW!I WISHI HAD …
WOW!I WISHI HAD THAT JOB!!!!!
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
It’s a shame the 78 …
It’s a shame the 78’s are so brittle and fragile to preserve. God only knows how many of them broke and how many are lost to landfills of history.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I just bought my …
I just bought my first 78 a few days ago, they are definately something to appreciate!
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
This is really neat …
This is really neat! Thanks for posting the video! My generation does not seem to appreciate the old records, the amazing sound preservation on one beats any cd
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Notice at the end, …
Notice at the end, the young girl flips thru a series of disks to find the song she wants to listen to.
That is where we get the term “Album” from: since 78’s pretty much always had one song per side, music collections (lets say, an opera, for instance) were put disk after disk into photo-album like books. Thus, they were called record albums, or just album. The concept grew into including ALL the songs on one disk on the 33, and then into the cassette and CD.
One of those crazy things, eh?
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
You are lucky to …
You are lucky to own them.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
People should also …
People should also keep in mind that records, by logic, store the sound “perfectly.” the cruddy sound most people think of from old records is due to severe limitations in the recording devices themselves.
Trust me, listen to a record pressed nowadays and it sounds so… perfect…
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
That’s RCA’s “Magic …
That’s RCA’s “Magic Brain” – the machine was only made for about a year just before the war. It had a tiny turntable about hte size of the label becuase the tonearm is u-shaped so that it can play the underside as well. When complete,the record is dropped into the padded case to the left. The next record from the knife changer shelf then falls and the turntable slides back up from beneath at an angle so the spindle can find the hole. It was rough on shellac but a great part of this ‘42 film.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Vaya! Trabajaste …
Vaya! Trabajaste tambien en la planta de prensado o ..acaso con el torno de corte?? Me hubiera gustado ser tecnico de sonido solo por manejar el torno.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I worked in the …
I worked in the recording studios of RCA Victor in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 1985 and 1987 and my grandfather worked on the record manufacturing plant (same location) between 1950 and 1967. RCA is the biggest symbol of the recorded sound of earth. Nipper, we will never forget you !
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Regardless of how …
Regardless of how comparitively archaic the process was, the sound still rivals that of YouTube videos.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I don’t like the …
I don’t like the look of that player at the end of the video. The way it tips discs off the turntable like that looks as though it could do them some serious damage, especially with them being shellac records.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
WOW!! As a 27 year …
WOW!! As a 27 year old audiofile it makes me apreciate my 78’s more.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Awesome Danbury …
Awesome Danbury Mixer at 2:52 – anyone have more info on this type mixer, basic mechanics of how it works, basic diagram?
January 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Wow–now clasical …
Wow–now clasical music isn’t my favorite–I would’ve been happy to work the shift that produced all the cool BLUEBIRD 78s by Tampa Red, Washboard Sam, Montana Slim, Monroe Brothers etc…