[78-L] Pressed in WHAT material...

[Matthew Duncan]

sorry that should have read Decca/London 78 promos all shellac in UK.
I agree that non-UK ones were often vinyl.
Matthew .

--- On Tue, 17/11/09, David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca> wrote:


From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: [78-L] Pressed in WHAT material...
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Date: Tuesday, 17 November, 2009, 14:35


Vinyl WAS in use in Britain for music libraries and sound effects 
recordings..as late as 1968 but from the mid 50s on, as far as I can tell. 
Oddly enough, the blue label Chappells pressed by Philips in the mid 50s were 
still on shellac, and not even good quality stuff. Those always turn up chipped 
and flaked. And Decca/London sent out white label promos on high quality vinyl 
(to North America, at any rate..I don't know if the UK got them).

dl

Matthew Duncan wrote:
>>From a UK perspective....
>  
> We didn't get the vinyl/metrolite and other so called 'unbreakable' 78s that were issued in the USA and elsewhere until about 1956.
>  
> In 1956/7, the Pye/Nixa/Mercury group of labels issued some (not all) of their 78rpm singles as vinyl issues but all were still given shellac equivalents.
>  
> I don't know how this system was operated, but I think the vinyl issues came out after the shellac ones and it is also interesting to note that although this group of labels issued vinyl discs on the other speeds (33 and 45) as early as 1954, singles remained at 78rpm only until 1958 bar a few 45rpm juke box only issues in 1957.  Same goes for Philips and Fontana too but they didn't make vinyl 78s.
>  
> So, the hit records by The Platters like "The Great Pretender" issued by UK Mercury in 1956 never came out on 45 but came out on shellac 78rpm in 1956 and in 1957 or so came out on vinyl 78rpm.
>  
> It would appear that these labels thought the 78 would last for singles but there was definitely a growing market for LP and EP records (especially in their classical and jazz catalogue) and stuck with the 78 right to 1960 by which time vinyl 78s on the above labels were the norm before 78s were scrapped in 1960 for good.
>  
> It is interesting that the EMI labels and Decca didn't invest in the vinyl 78 technology but the Mercury/Pye/Nixa labels did.  These vinyl 78s sound excellent even in average shape and mint condition ones sound fantastic.
>  
> The only other 78rpm records I have come across pressed on vinyl or part plastic material are the early 30s Broadcast label 9" records (series started 1931) pressed by Vocalion.
> The material isn't vinyl but it is quite flexible and the discs are thinner than the earlier 8" issues of the late 20s by the company.  Perhaps they found a cheaper material to use for the later issues to cut costs (the last 9" Broadcast discs are late 1933)??
>  
> And if so what is the material used?? It is increasingly poor as the series went on and the higher catalogue numbers often turn up cracked and/or worn as they are so thin and soft despite appearing to have had little play.
>  
> So all other British 78s are shellac as far as I know of...
>  
> Matthew.
> 

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