[78-L] New needles each time?

[Ted Kneebone]

I was in grade school during my early collecting time (1942-1952), and my 
weekly allowance was 10c.  So I did not change my needles each time.  I 
spent my 10c a week on used 78s.  At a local "white elephant" store, 10" 
discs cost 5c each, and 12" ones cost 10c.  But they were gems. 
"Collegiate" "So long, oolong", "Tim Rooney's at the fightin'", and many 
Gems from... by Prince's orchestra and chorus.

I still have some of these "gems."  Maybe someday soon I will transfer more 
them to cassette and enjoy hearing them -- without having to change records 
every 3 mins. or so -- or bothering about a new needle!

But some of my Victor Red Seals and Columbias, Musicrafts, Deccas, Capitols, 
etc. do bear the marks of worn needles, and very heavy tone arms.  I didn't 
really notice those defects until I got my first all-electric phonograph. 
It was an RCA Victor unit that attached to our radio.

Someone once gave me a 12" gem, a demonstration disc.  Milton Cross extolled 
the wonders of an RCA Victor phonograph that connected to one's radio. 
"Press the Victrola button, and hear glorious music like this recording of 
Dvorak's Carneval Overture, performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra, directed 
by Arthur Fiedler."

The real fun began when I was allowed to borrow the school's Wilcox-Gay 
Recordio.  Good radio and a record head that recorded from the mike or the 
built-in radio.  Oh, yes, those were the days...

Ted Kneebone. 1528 S. Grant St., Aberdeen, SD 57401. Phone: 605-226-3344.