[78-L] Why Do You Care About 78's?

[Malcolm]

Both good questions, Dave.
I was born in the mid 1940s and my father was in the music promotion 
business, so there were always 78s, and those pesky musicians, around 
the house. Turns out I had a bent for electronics and began assembling 
all sorts of audio gear in the 50s from surplus war electronics. I had 
built my first passive equalizers by the time I was 10. My father bought 
me a 1/2-track Webcor tape machine right around the same time so I was 
off and running.
I still have some of the promo 78s my dad got back then and, over the 
years, my interest blossomed into discography.
I was also a piano whiz and, so, a musician.
Put them all together and each interest supported the other. I still 
collect 78s and happily toil away at discography but I quit performing 
about 20 years ago. Too old to keep toting amps, pianos and speaker 
cabinets around. Plus somewhere along the line I lost my sense of pitch 
and so my singing voice. It's a physical problem and hasn't gotten 
better over the years. But that's life and it's okay.
As to why I still prefer 78s, one reason is they support my discographic 
work, and vice versa. With audio technology being what it is today 
keeping 78s is the safest and longest lasting method of archiving 
material that would otherwise be lost, mis-mastered, badly stored, and 
so forth. If you doubt this listen to just about any old tune that 
originally appeared in, say, the 1920s from any one of today's audio 
formats - MP3s come to mind. Now find the original 78 and play that. The 
difference can be noticeable, if not astounding. If you've ever heard an 
E condition Robert Johnson 78 against even the best intentioned audio 
manipulator's commercial product (I have) you'll know exactly what I'm 
talking about.
There's more but I'll hold off until more folks on the list have replied.
Mahalos for the topic!
Malcolm R

*******

On 3/3/2020 4:27 PM, DKing wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Kristjan’s note about lack of messages in this forum
> gave me an idea.  And I really would like to hear your answers.
>
> If you have time, please tell the group:
>
> —>  How did you first get interested in 78’s?
>
> —>  What is it about 78’s that makes you continue to care about them?
>
>
> - Dave King
>
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l