[78-L] San Francisco Records, wuz (I forget)

[David Lennick]

And now, because I don't have anything better to do, I'm going to post the entire "Technical Gibberish" note from San Francisco M-33009, "Hi-Fi Sounds for Hounds", a grab bag of "scraps taken from other albums that we didn't think were really necessary" and "sounds or music that we didn't think would have general commercial appeal..not that we want you to get the wrong idea about this album, but anyway...".

 

Ahem.

 

TECHNICAL GIBBERISH

 

The assembled recordings were produced over a period of approximately two years at various studios and halls and basements and gutters. No effort was spared to find suitable locations which would faithfully reproduce the sonic characteristics of the individual instruments or sounds. For example, it was discovered that the hall which best captured the dynamics of (Fred) Hage's one-man band was the hall between the bedroom and the bathroom in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Laertes "Groove" Joost. Unfortunately, the Joost home was demolished by the California State Highway Commission (J. D. Smith, Director) to make room for a freeway before the recordings could be finished. We are happy to report that Mr. Hage suffered only minor abrasions and a small scalp lesion. Texcel 36-B masking tape was used exclusively and an AJAX Corporation "Steno" wire recorder with a built-in telephone tap was employed for the master recording. Seventeen Brush crystal multi-directional microphones model number 37-U23, set wherever a wall met a floor or ceiling were used for the major pick-up of the studio recordings. Field recordings were made on the newly developed ACME (ruggedly constructed) carbon microphone, which incidentally employ magnificent new low-hiss circuitry. All mixing was done separately on another channel using a Hamilton Beach duo-beater system. (Great for chocolate malts, by the way.)

 

San Francisco Records exclusive process F.E.-F.I.E. (Fidelity Eh? Fidelity Isn't Everything) specifies that absolutely no limiting of the signal be employed. This means that you have to purchase a complete new sound system utilizing a 70-watt power amplifier, two pre-amps and a special stroboscopic turntable with a viscous damped pickup and a variable reluctance arm using a supra-balanced head housing a thorium needle,  and a four-channel speaker system with two fifteen-inch low end drivers, 21 ten-inch mid-range pushers, including seven multi-cellular pressure tweeters connected by a dual exhaust cross-over network hooked to your power amplifier.

 

In order to hear the recording satisfactorily, the greater dynamic range will be evidenced by the cracked plaster and the starboard list your house assumes as it resettles on its foundation.

 

Transfer from wire to disc was made on a Mergenthaler lino-type with heated ultra-dynamic feedback employing a Yankee cold chisel type lathe.

 

Pressings are pure custom reconditioned wax taken from old Edison cylinders. Frequency reponse from 1 to 1 million cycles. Use the new T.A.G.I.T.S.R. curve (Try and Get It To Sound Right).

 

Technical Data written on the typewriter at Feibush and Sons Hat Factory, 219 Kearny Street, next to the studios of San Francisco Records by Bob Ross.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
> From: dlennick at sympatico.ca
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:18:49 -0400
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Guckenheimer question, mein herr
> 
> 
> Both are Capitol pressings. Same master (FB 2926-D1) on side one, both copies, but TM-5 Side 2 is FB 2927-D2 and has TM-5 in the land as well.
> 
> 
> 
> dl
> 
> > From: mbiel at mbiel.com
> > To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> > Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:11:37 -0700
> > Subject: Re: [78-L] Guckenheimer question, mein herr
> > 
> > I believe that other, perhaps all, San Francisco records also appeared
> > on the Talking Machine label. I'm not sure if I have any examples like
> > this on both labels, but I think I have several TM records that had
> > earlier been on SF. Are both of your copies Capitol pressings using the
> > same masters?
> > 
> > Mike Biel mbiel at mbiel.com
> > 
> > 
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Date: Wed, June 30, 2010 11:56 am
> > > Repeating the question.
> > >> Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:48:06 -0400
> > >> How come I have the Guckenheimer Sour Kraut Band's "Oom-Pah-Pah In Hi-Fi"
> > >> on two different labels? Identical artwork and liner notes, but one is
> > >> San Francisco M 33005 and the other is Talking Machine TM 5. Did any
> > >> other of San Francisco's albums appear on this other label? (1900 in
> > >> Hi Fi would have been a natural.) Different addresses shown as well..
> > >> 562 Kearny Street and 217 Kearny Street. The TM release shows
> > >> "Copyright 1957 San Francisco Record Corporation". dl
> > 
> >