[78-L] Old Geezers

[David Lennick]

Didn't they advise using an OLD needle to play flexible discs like Filmophone 
and the like? And by the way, those are extremely difficult to play on modern 
equipment.

dl

On 3/23/2012 9:37 PM, Ron L'Herault wrote:
> Records contained abrasives that were there to wear steel needles into the
> best shape to follow the groove on that record.  That is why one should
> change the needle after each play.  Whether you use loud tone, medium or
> soft tone on an acoustical record is more a matter of personal taste.  If
> you are playing an electrically recorded record on an acoustical
> (non-Orthophonic/Vivatonal/Panatrope), a practice you should avoid, at least
> use a soft tone needle to minimize wear to the grooves.   Your playback
> machine should have a rebuilt reproducer with the right gaskets so that
> compliance will be at its best.  The arm should move freely both laterally
> and up and down.  A friend of mine is adamant that one should only use
> medium tone needles to play back Orthophonic era records.
>
> I believe that as pick-ups became lighter and needles became
> "semi-permanent" the abrasive content was lowered so later records would
> best be played with lighter pick-ups such as the early crystals or the GE
> RPX and VR.   Since even a very light cartridge will produce some wear,
> extremely rare/valuable and/or well loved/often played records will last
> longer when played with a modern pick up and the proper sized stylus.   The
> grit in an old record will affect a modern stylus, but more so the sapphires
> than the diamonds.
>
> Ron L  (a phonograph collector who amasses records.)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
> [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Matthew Balcerak
> Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2012 10:48 PM
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Old Geezers
>
> I'm 25, and definitely a lurker.  I am full of "stupid questions" but I
> usually try to get them answered elsewhere before I bother this esteemed
> body.
>
> On that note, I have one for you all.  I have not discovered a definitive
> answer about steel needles.  I have a variety of different gramophone, and
> of course a modern turntable.  I've read: acoustic recordings sound better
> with medium tone needles, electric recordings with soft tone, and if you
> want you can mix and match for loudness however you want.  Using that as a
> rule of thumb has been great for all my early records.  However, when do I
> have to stop using steel needles and only use an electric pickup?  Thus far,
> if the record hasn't been orthophonic (or one of their breed) or before,
> I've kept it off a gramophone.  Everything afterword, I've used a modern
> turntable.  I know they produced gramophones well into the forties, and in
> some countries into the sixties.  Does this mean I can throw my later
> Chinese records onto a gramophone and be OK?
>
> Also, is it different for different labels?  Do bluebirds handle better on
> gramophones than okehs?  I have read that records have a grinding agent in
> the opening grooves to make the steel needles ideal for the individual
> record.  When did they stop doing this?  Will this grinding agent effect a
> modern turntable stylus?
>
> Essentially, with at least fifty years of play time ahead of me, I don't
> want to leave my grand kids with a bunch of old coasters.
> ______________________________________________