Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
Phonograph needles
Page 1 of 4 next> last>>
May 3, 2022 05:52:27   #
melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country
 
How many remember when phonographs had needles that needed to be replaced every few weeks?

Reply
May 3, 2022 06:06:31   #
Terkat
 
Good morning Melismus,

I still have (and use quite frequently) two turn tables. One is a fairly new Technics with the other being my beloved Dual 1019 - at over 50+ years of age (purchased in 1965) and continuing to function flawlessly. Yeah, I'm bragging a little bit. As I'm sure you are aware they both use styli (needles) with only occasional / infrequent replacement required.
You can probably guess I am a big fan of "vinyl" and honestly believe there IS a significant, noticeable and pleasant difference between vinyl and any other reproduction format. At 72 years of age I grew up with vinyl and still have > 500 "albums". Lots of 45's also.
So, yup, I am, indeed, familiar with needles.
Thanks for bringing back some great memories.

All the best to you and yours,

Terry

Reply
May 3, 2022 06:16:47   #
dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia
 
we use a turntable too....gifted by a friend... the new needle require cost just on $100 Aust.

Reply
 
 
May 3, 2022 06:20:19   #
melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country
 
I was mainly recalling 78's, made of shellac, not vinyl.

Reply
May 3, 2022 07:39:21   #
rustfarmer
 
I agree that vinyl sounds better than all other formats and also love tube amps.

Reply
May 3, 2022 08:08:56   #
rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines
 
melismus wrote:
I was mainly recalling 78's, made of shellac, not vinyl.



And the needles you're talking about were steel, eventually replaced by diamond styli.

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

Reply
May 3, 2022 08:14:39   #
BebuLamar
 
melismus wrote:
How many remember when phonographs had needles that needed to be replaced every few weeks?


The phonograph cartridges still have stylus and they have to be replaced too. Not every few weeks as they are almost as expensive as the entirely new cartridge.

Reply
 
 
May 3, 2022 08:59:13   #
Framerman Loc: North of Atlanta Ga
 
Yes I did use pins on shellac 78s, BUT I used to buy the needles by the 1000s, they were used to score 9x9 asphalt
tile, then just snap to fit along the walls . Used in what we called a pin vice you held in hand, size of a small pen. One job that comes to my mind is Ebbets Field housing project when Brooklyn Dodgers left. Bit of info if your interested, the amount of floor tile used on that job was 1 million 5 hundred square feet. {1,000,500}
How this subject got into Photo I don't know but I chimed in anyway. Sad part is I had hundreds of BW photos of
the job start to finish, all lost in my house fire.

Reply
May 3, 2022 09:27:10   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
melismus wrote:
How many remember when phonographs had needles that needed to be replaced every few weeks?

Was that before they came out with sapphire needles?

Reply
May 3, 2022 12:29:55   #
wrangler5 Loc: Missouri
 
I think I've read that some of the very early needles came from cactus.

Reply
May 3, 2022 15:21:06   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
Some early needles were bamboo. You could sharpen them when they got dull.

Reply
 
 
May 3, 2022 17:32:28   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
melismus wrote:
I was mainly recalling 78's, made of shellac, not vinyl.

DEtAILS

NOW we're all talking the same language.....
Maybe.


(Our 78 needles for the crank Victrola are steel of some sort.)

Reply
May 4, 2022 06:21:25   #
chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand
 
I still have a packet of needles (the old style). I use them in my old style scriber. A needle lasts about 10 years.
I made the scriber as a project about 55 years ago probably when I got the needles.

Reply
May 4, 2022 07:36:55   #
bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY
 

Reply
May 4, 2022 09:13:03   #
Canisdirus
 
I have tried to get back into vinyl...but the modern digital gear has simply gone past it all.
I can now hear...everything...no compression.

Vinyl is still wonderful...but...limited.

Reply
Page 1 of 4 next> last>>
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.