[78-L] Historic Masters.

[Michael Biel]

Tom Fine (son of Bob Fine and Wilma Cozart Fine of Mercury Living
Presence Stereo) did some research and posted on the ARSCList earler
this year a listing of all of the record pressing plants still in
operation.  A vinyl record is a vinyl record, speed doesn't matter.  But
as Steve mentions, the 78s, like your Historic Masters pressings, will
be vinyl, not shellac.  He has said in the past that it bothers him (he
didn't consider any record that was not shellac a "78" no matter what
the speed) but vinyl 78s bothers nobody else.   

Perhaps the most recent newly pressed (and recorded!) acoustical
widegroove 78 commercially sold record by a major label was the disc in
the EMI 100th anniversary set by Roberto Alagna in 1997, 7243 5 72399 2
9 .  The disc's number was 7243 5 72396 6 3 with matrix numbers OEA
20136-10 and 37-10.  "No Pagliaccio Non Son" b/w "Musica Proibita".  It
came in a box with a CD and a VHS videocassette of the recording
session.  

Like the Historic Masters, there are a couple of hobbyist companies
selling newly moulded cylinders, and there is a dealer working on a
process of moulding acrillic reproductions of Diamond Discs moulded from
original discs.  He's been successful in making experimental single
sided pressings that are playable on Edison machines.     
 
Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com  

 ----- Original Message ----- 
 From: "Spats" <spats47 at ntlworld.com>
 > I just bought the newest issue of Historic Masters.
 > They're STILL pressing re-issues of old operatic 78s on vinyl from 
 > original metal parts.
 > 
 > I wonder if anyone else is still pressing up 78s...what, 50 years 
 > before 78s went out of industrial production...
 > 
 The difference is that "modern" 78's are vinyl...pressed as though they
 were 10" vinyl LP's! There have been a number of "78's" pressed this
 way since the sixties demise of shellac-based records. The most recent
 commercial 78rpm records I have seen are in the UK series used for
 radio production and the like; I have seen these with dates as late as
 1966 (and don't know when their issue on 78rpm ceased?!)
 
 Steven C. Barr