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John Burke's
Records at 78 r.p.m. |
This page was produced following emails received in response to some photos of my record players being featured on the Miscellaneous Photos page. |
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These pages on 78s have generated an unbelievable number of emails. I try to answer every one and I love hearing your stories and memories of your own collections.
Most people write wanting to know how much their records are worth and I'm afraid there are no fortunes to be made from your 78s unless you have a collection of rare early rock and roll!
The vast majority of 78s are worth only around 50p ($0.65) apart from those bought when most people had changed to buying 45s. |
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Classical music on 78 is very hard to sell - most pieces are available on CD and arrangements don't vary that much!
In the UK the magazine "Record Collector" publishes a pricing guide every year that includes 78s. If your record is not in then it's only worth what someone will pay - which in the end is what anything is worth!
Above left and right is my Regentone Handy Gram portable record player. This was the first record player I bought after starting to collect 78s again in the 1990s. |
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I currently have three early record players though I mostly play my 78s on a Goldring Lenco 1970s turntable whose pickup arm doesn't weigh anywhere near as much.
To really torture a 78, play it on a gramaphone (right) with a steel needle that delivers several pounds weight onto the needle point. Dropping one of these arms onto a record causes permanent damage.
Reproduction machines are now available but their use wears out records just as efficiently as the original models! |
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Late 1950s and 1960s record players can be found cheaply at car boot sales and collectors' events. Expect to pay slightly more from a dealer, but you may find it easier to seek redress if it doesn't work!
I've paid anywhere between five and thirty five UK pounds for my record players, though I did pay out eighty for a superb and stylish Magnavox, whose lid contained a second speaker and it had a stereo cartridge for playing 45s and albums. Although many of my players are autochangers, I tend not to use this with 78s to protect them as much as possible. |
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Longer pieces of music were released on 12 inch records - the same size as the later 33 1/3 albums. The packet bears the price 8/11 - almost 45p!
This is the dance music for the Mississippi Dip by Harold Davidson. I'm sure plenty of others will remember school days and being "forced" to dance with members of the opposite sex aged 9 or 10 to learn this dance and others like the Barn Dance, Veleta and Military Two Step. Heaven help anyone who wants to actually touch a partner whilst dancing these days...! |
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Please keep the emails coming in! I've been asked for pages on all the different covers and labels - well I may do some of the different covers and labels. I don't think I have them all!!!
I've also had several calls for a page on 45s and their covers in the 50s and 60s. These (when or if I get round to them) will feature British covers of course - that's where I live. But I must admit there are some brilliant memories to be found there!
Does anyone else remember the adverts for Morphy Richards hair dryers on the back of Columbia or Parlophone 45s covers in the 1960s featuring "Fran the fan"? My wife's called Fran - I must ask her! |
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