[78-L] RCA Special purpose records

[David Lennick]

> From: stevenc at interlinks.net
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 23:20:18 -0400
> Subject: Re: [78-L] RCA Special purpose records
> 
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "David Lennick" <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> > Virtually all of mine have come out of radio station libraries. Most of 
> > them show the timing, which was not printed on commercial pressings till 
> > the mid or late 50s..some even show the time to where the vocal starts, 
> > and some have a descriptive paragraph for the disc jockey on the cover.
> >
> Apparently, RCA used the "Special Purpose" designation for any pressings not 
> part
> of regular issues? I have seen a few of the earlier "DJ promo" discs (they 
> often have
> the A side on both sides); however, the classical discs described in this 
> thread would
> seem to be low-noise vinyl versions of existing shellac Red Seal discs of 
> note?
> 
> Steven C. Barr 
> 

 

I've never seen an RCA promo vinyl with the same thing on both sides..seen jukebox pressings though, and those were shellac. I've also seen "special purpose" vinyls with the A side from different releases back to back. Decca did this as well. Drives you crazy figuring how to file the thing. The classical pressings were indeed low noise vinyls for radio stations. "Call Me Madam" was pressed this way as well. Wonderfully silent pressing..I used it for a CD transfer.

 

RCA also did special 78 pressings on thin vinyl of LP sets that weren't issued on 78s. I have an Artie Shaw set (complete with retro matrix numbers) and a Sauter-Finegan set, ironically the "Extended Play Suite" broken up.

 

dl