Are all 78 records shellac?

The materials of which discs were made and with which they were coated were also various; shellac eventually became the commonest material. Generally 78s are made of a brittle material which uses a shellac resin (thus their other name is shellac records).

Is my record shellac?

The quickest way to test is tapping; vinyl will sound a bit dull and plasticky, shellac is harder and the tapping will make a sound that's a bit brighter and sharper.

When did records change from shellac to vinyl?

Despite this one fatal flaw, shellac was the main material source until vinyl came around in the 1940s. A lot happened over that time period, and it all began in 1901 with the first ten-inch shellac record, spun at 78 revolutions per minute.

What came first vinyl or shellac?

Calling records “vinyl” is much like calling a fence “wood” or a surfboard “fiberglass.” Vinyl is the material the record is made of. And before vinyl was shellac and before shellac were gigantic cylinders made of zinc and glass. But that was way back in '87… 18-87.

How can you tell if a record is a 78?

78s are usually made of shellac which is heavier and stiffer than vinyl. You can hold a record by the edges and tap in the deadwax with a fingernail. It's a "brighter" sound than vinyl which sounds like a dull frisbee. Most 78s are 10" or 12".

Are 78 records thick?

78 RPM records are made of thick and brittle shellac, which is highly breakable and causes edges to easily chip.

What are the rarest 78 RPM records?

Chasing The World's Rarest 78 RPM Records

• Hear a few notable recordings from the 78 RPM era, as picked by guests Amanda Petrusich & Chris King:
• Geeshie Wiley, "Last Kind Word Blues"
• Willie Brown, "Future Blues"
• Skip James, "Devil Got My Woman"
• Blind Uncle Gaspard, "Sur Le Borde de L'eau"
• Sylvester Weaver, "Guitar Rag"

Can you play 78 records on a modern turntable?

Answer: Yes, Audio-Technica's popular AT-LP120-USB and AT-LP1240-USB turntables will allow the platter to play at the 78 RPM speed. But the correct speed is only part of the solution – a proper 78 RPM stylus should also be used when playing 78 RPM records on your turntable.

Why is vinyl better than shellac?

Shellac records have a rather high noise floor, much higher than vinyl. Most people regard vinyl as by far superior in sound quality; in fact, the only exception I know to this rule is a Dutch DJ who is fond of early 20th century music. Shellac records are usually 78 rpm records.

Are old 78 records worth anything?

He said that on average a rare jazz 78 might sell for $1,500 to $5,000, whereas sales for a comparable blues record would start at $5,000.

What do I do with old 78 records?

How do you dispose of 78 rpm records?

1. Sell old vinyl records on eBay.
2. Sell records at a garage sale or flea market.
3. Place a classified ad in your local paper or in your local area of Craigslist.
4. Call your local library and see if they accept donations of vinyl records.

What is the difference between an LP and a 78?

Shellac Records vs Vinyl Records Performance

78s hold about five minutes of music, while 33s hold up to approximately 20 minutes. 78 RPM records have a faster RPM speed than both 33 and 45 RPM records. 78s have wider grooves than vinyl records, which means that the stylus also needs to be wider.

What can I do with broken 78 records?

• Working on a hard flat surface, press the record down on both sides of the crack, and apply electrical tape to the rim where the crack is. ...
• Mix a very small amount of Epoxy.
• Spread thin line of epoxy along crack with toothpick.
• Let this sit for just a minute or so.

How can I tell if my 78 is shellac?

Spotting the Differences: Shellac vs Vinyl

Shellac is know to be heavier, harder, colder and more rigid. Hold it up by an edge and knock on it. It should almost resonate in a kind of a way. Generally a lot thicker than regular vinyl, but sometimes it's hard to tell.

What is a shellac record?

Shellacs or 78s, also called coarse groove gramophone discs, were the main mass produced audio format of the first half of the 20th century. The shellac discs were pressed from a wax matrix that was made during a professional recording.

What are the old thick records called?

These are thick, black vinyl record albums commonly known as LPs. LP stands for Long Play or Long Playing. Most of the time, LP plays at 33 1/3 rpm. Some may even play at 45 rpm.

How do you play 78 RPM shellac records?

To play 78s you need the following equipment:

1. A turntable with variable speed adjustment, covering a range from about 60 to 90 rpm. ...
2. A good quality tone arm, containing a stereo cartridge, and styli that have been retipped for playing 78s.
3. An amplifier, preferably one capable of selecting mono as well as stereo.

What is the best way to clean old 78 records?

Both 78 and 33 discs can be washed by hand using a fine bristle brush or a "paint pad" (a pad with fine bristles) and diluted dish washing detergent (NOT dish WASHER detergent) or rug shampoo (make use the label says "safe for all synthetics").

Do you need a special stylus for 78 RPM records?

Please note that a 78 RPM stylus with a diameter of 3 mil is necessary for shellac records (pre-1958) and a stylus with a diameter of . 6 mil is designed for 78 RPM vinyl records.

What is the most valuable 78 record?

Tommy Johnson's 1930 cut 'Alcohol and Jake Blues' goes for $37,100 on eBay. An original Paramount Records blues release has become the most expensive 78rpm record ever sold after a buyer forked out $37,100 in an online auction.

How much are Elvis Presley 78 records worth?

The 78 rpm record, with its tattered yellow label, was once valued at $500,000 by Record Collector magazine, but in reality sold for $240,000 dollars (£160,000) in the Graceland auction. With a 25% auction house premium of $60,000 dollars (£40,000), the total buyer price came to $300,000.

Does anyone buy old 78 records?

Our 78 buyer has 30 years of experience buying and selling 78s. He has purchased major 78 collections in the US and abroad, run worldwide mail order auctions and fixed price sales over this period, and will share his knowledge of the 78 market in an honest straightforward appraisal of your collection.

What format would eventually replace the 78 in jukeboxes?

45s became popular in jukeboxes, which had previously used 78s, because 45s took up less space and you could fit more songs in the box.

Why were records 45 rpm?

In order to make the disc smaller than the 10-inch, 78-rpm discs used since the 1890s, they reduced the speed to 45-rpm and used a much finer groove. This meant that they could pack in more grooves in a smaller space.

Are 78 records still made?

No, 78 RPM records are not still made. 78 RPM records were, for the most part, discontinued in 1959 in the USA, with the exception of some small gospel labels and kids records. Other countries continued production for this speed in children's records until the late 70's to mid 80's.