[78-L] Questions: 78 RPM production in the 1950's

[Don Cox]

On 05/04/2011, Kristjan Saag wrote:

> David and Steven already mentioned it: music that was of main interest
> for populations in rural areas clung longer to the 78 rpm format than
> other genres. The main reason being: poverty, many consumers in these
> areas couldn't easily afford a new record player. The same goes for
> certain urban areas: Latino music in the US was released on 78 's
> years after main record companies had stopped producing them. 78's in
> India, China, South America, the Philippines, South Africa, Russia
> etc. were all produced longer than in North America and Western
> Europe. Technology, although advanced in certain areas (Russian space
> technology, for instance) still lingered behind for large parts of the
> population.

Many areas did not have electricity. LP players were all electric.

> Production of music cassettes is still big business in Africa.
> Kristjan
> 
Cassettes can be kept in loose heaps without being scratched. 
> 
> 
> rt M. Bratcher Jr. wrote 2011-04-05 06:12:
>> I wonder why they still kept making 78's of popular, rock& country
>> music beyond the early 50's after the 45 came out around 1949 or so?
>> 78 sales must have dropped to fairly low levels after the 45 caught
>> on with teenagers& the folks in their 20's& 30's. Reason I'm asking
>> these questions is most popular, rock& country 78's I find from the
>> 50's are often in much better shape than their 45 rpm counterparts.
>> For example I've got 45's in fair to good condition where the same
>> records on 78's are in very good to near mint condition. So with 78's
>> not selling as well then why did they keep making them in the US
>> until about 1957 or 1958 instead of stopping production of them in
>> 1953 or perhaps 1954? Yes there was somewhat of a dwindling market
>> for them over time but it seemed to take several years for that to
>> happen. Or was it because the older folks took better care of the
>> 78's they bough& the teenagers played their 45's to death?
>> 
>> I was born in 1959 so I really don't have any experience in this
>> area beyond
>> what I've picked up over the years as a used record collector.....
>> 

Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox at enterprise.net