[78-L] Average age

[Steven]

-----Original Message----- 
From: Don Chichester
> You are SO right, Cary!
> > I always maintain, that whatever kind of sound quality that you get from 
> > beautifully restored CDs or MP3s, there is still nothing like the 
> > aesthetic pleasure of hefting a 78, placing it on your turntable, and 
> > PLAYING IT - the exact object that was manufactured decades ago. This 
> > kind of experience is what makes us all collectors. It's what makes the 
> > magic happen. There is no replacing or duplicating it.
>
In my own case, I encountered a copy of ADBD in my university's 
library...and
quickly became fascinated with discography! I probably suffer from 
Asperger's
Syndrome (a form of autism); as a result I taught myself to read before I 
was
three, but totally lack "people skills!" This in turn leads me to a 
fascination
with accumulating and dealing with data...so I became fascinated with the
"science" of discography (and as well with amassing large numbers of 78's
just to verify the data therefrom...?!). I filled a notebook with 
record/matrix
numbers and the corresponding dates; other collectors often told me that
I should publish the stuff, so in 1976 I typed out these files and had the
results copied and bound. Much to my surprise, I was able to sell several
hundred copies (it's still in print and still sells; I'm hoping to so an
extensively updated version in the not too distant future...?!).

As well, I'm still buying 78 when I run across them at prices that suit
my now-much-reduced Income...!

Steven C. Barr