What is a 78 record?

Any flat disc record, made between about 1898 and the late 1950s and playing at a speed around 78 revolutions per minute is called a "78" by collectors. The materials of which discs were made and with which they were coated were also various; shellac eventually became the commonest material.

What is the difference between 33 45 and 78 records?

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. 78 RPM records are mono and are only heard through one channel.

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 vinyl 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.

Is an album 33 or 78?

Speed and Diameter

Vinyl records come in three speeds: 33 1/3 rpm (often just called a “33”), 45 rpm and 78 rpm. The “rpm” is an abbreviation for “revolutions per minute” — an indication of how fast the record is meant to spin on the turntable.

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.

What can I do with 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.

Does anyone buy 78 RPM records?

There's a thriving market for classical recordings on 78 – in fact some of the most expensive recent sales of 78s on eBay are of very early (pre-1910) classical works on obscure labels.

What are the rarest 78 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"

When did they stop making 78 records?

In just ten years, 78s plummeted to only 2% of music sales. And in 1959, the last US-made 78 record was produced. Not all sales went directly over to 33s, however. Although many did, there wasn't always a need to use up all 40 minutes of an LP.

Why was 78 RPM chosen for records?

As more and more audio manufacturers turned to producing record players, the idea of a 78 RPM turntable became the norm. This is because the 3600 RPM motor used within the turntable saw peak performance at 78.26 RPM. Eventually, this became the official record standard by 1925.

How much are my old 45 records worth?

Rock and roll and R&B 45s with picture sleeves that were pressed in the 1950's have a value of at least $10, with many being valued at more than $100. EPs were only made in the 50's and 60's. Rock and roll and R&B 45s with the cardboard sleeves are worth at least $20, with many being worth more than $200.

How do you tell if a record is a 33 or 45?

The 45 was smaller than the 33; it was a 7-inch record, while the 33 was 10 or 12. They also varied in speed – the 33 was slower than the 45. 45 records were more popular than the 33s because of LPs. They allowed for full album versions instead of more individual songs per side.

Can you play a 7-inch vinyl on any record player?

All record players will play the two most common sizes of vinyl record, those being 12-inch and 7-inch, but it is far less likely they will be able to play a 10-inch record.

How much are Elvis 45 records worth?

Elvis Presley's complete Sun Records 45s could be yours for $32,500.

Are any 45s valuable?

The Rolling Stones, “Street Fighting Man” This 1968 Rolling Stone 45 single could be worth as much as $18,000 dollars with the picture sleeve. The reason this 45 is more valuable than others is because of the picture on the original sleeve.

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.

Where do you sell old 78 records?

If you want to sell it yourself and you have a lot of high-quality stuff (>$5 per record), you could post them on Facebook's 78 RPM Sell & Trade group or list on Discogs.com or even Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.org. Sometimes even lesser-quality records can be listed.

How do you clean old 78 rpm 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").

Are old Victor records worth anything?

It is a fact that the vast majority of "old 78 RPM" records we come across are worth between 50 cents and $2.00 each (and often far less, depending on condition). Hundreds of thousands of early 78 RPM recordings survive today, and we often find them sold by the crates at swap meets and garage sales for a few bucks.

Should I throw away vinyl records?

Old record albums belong in the garbage. Paper sleeves can be recycled under the gray lid of a split recycling cart or in a larger cart or bin labeled “Paper Only.” Records that are still in good condition can often be sold or donated.

Do 78 records sound good?

78s have a largely undeserved bad reputation when it comes to sound quality, because many people try to play them using equipment not meant for them. When playing 78s, it is best to have equipment that can deal with these three issues: Speed: Obviously the turntable must spin at 78 rpm.

Are all 78s 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).

Do you need a different stylus to play 78s?

78 styli have a tip that is much broader than that used for LPs. All of these will track happily at 4/5 grams, the optimum weight given the groove-wall geometry/dynamics of the 78. Ideally you will need more than one stylus type.