[78-L] Did The English Take Better Care Of Their Records?

[Steven C. Barr]

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From: "Robert M. Bratcher Jr." <bratcher at pdq.net>
>>A lot of them were probably imported to North America because the 
>>originals were long out of print. I turn up nice HMVs and 
>>Parlophones in radio station collection and at jazz conventions. Of 
>>course the ones you really want to get are the Australian laminated 
>>pressings, which are extraordinary..even of run-of-the-mill 12" 
>>Deccas like the Paul Whitemans.
>>dl
> I've noticed that the big band, pop, & rock 78's (of US artists) that 
> I buy in English pressings on Ebay  are often in better shape than 
> the US pressing of the same records. Either they weren't played as 
> much or they were better taken care of by a past owner or owners. 
> Where I find both US & English pressings in the same great shape is 
> mid to late 50's pop & rock 78's as here in the states the 45's were 
> played much more than the 78's (of the same record) were. Often I've 
> found a near mint to very good condition 78 rpm of a record where the 
> 45' is often in poorer shape but still playable until a better one 
> comes along. At least thats how I've found many 50's era US issues to 
> be. The English 45's might be in better shape but I honestly don't 
> know if they are or not as I really don't look for English 45 rpm 
> issues of American records although I do own a few from the 60's & 70's.
> 
No...45's were primarily owned by teen-agers...who took them to friends'
houses as well as "record hops"...but who DIDN'T take a lot of care of
them, especially the songs on them were no longer "hits!" As well, the
needles on 45 players were rarely changed; most of the players came
with "permanent" (in theory only...!) needles, and there were never
changed until they were so worn that the sound was noticeably affected?!

As a teen myself, I amassed about a thousand 45's (I bought these
cheaply from "jukebox operators" who sold the records they had
removed from their machines for a quarter or sometimes less...!)
When I left home in 1966 to serve in the USAF (alternate to being
drafted and sent on a one-way trip to "Nam"...?!) my younger
brother took over my 45's...and proceeded to destroy them via
his carelessness...?!).

The few (usually poor) people who bought r'n'r (more usually
c&w) 78's apparently took better care of their records, if only
because the $1 for their replacement was harder to come by?!

Further, a shellac-based 78 was harder to "wear out" or otherwise
destroy (breakage excepted) than a vinyl 45!

Steven C. Barr