[78-L] Runaway run off

[David Lennick]

That needle run is common on many acoustics, although it shouldn't show up as 
often on Columbias which usually had a locked groove. You find it on Victors 
pre-1923 and other labels that didn't have a lock or an extra inner groove to 
catch the soundbox.

As for groove space, record companies frequently used a wider pitch to hide the 
fact that a record ran for a short time. It also enabled them to cut the disc 
at a higher volume, especially in the rock 'n' roll era.

"Isn't that a kinda short song?" "Yeah, it gets more plays that way."
--Stan Freberg

dl

Stephen Davies wrote:
> Curious minds want to know....
> 
>         On Jubilee 5152 (The Four Tunes), the two sides appear to be 
> recorded roughly consecutively (matrices: JB-1-308=3 & JB-1-309=2).  With 
> running times of 2:11 and 2:15, there is the same amount of run off at the 
> end of each side. 
>         However, on the later side there are three times the grooves used 
> to cover the same distance.  Why?  Does this reflect a change of engineers 
> or a change of equipment?
>         Could it possibly relate to the tempo of the tune?  A longer run 
> off would equal a longer pause after a slow song, for example.
>         See the runs off here: 
>                 http://bigband-smallband.blogspot.com/#7664406687850702266
> 
>         On one side of my copy of Columbia A-3390 (Mary Stafford & her 
> Jazz Band), there is a heavy scoring on the label, spiralling right to the 
> spindle hole.  Is this a runaway run off?  Does anyone else have it on 
> their copy?  The scoring is raised, but it's hard to tell if it goes thru 
> the label from the surface, or if it is under the label, as in a 
> production error.
>         For pictures use the link above.
> 
> - Stephen D
> in Calgary
> 
>