SAVING THE 78s - Internet Archive

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SAVING THE 78s



Two dimensions are better than three, at least when it comes to audio recordings. At least that’s what empirical evidence would suggest: 78 RPM recorders replaced wax phonograph cylinders over a century ago and they were still commercially distributed through the 1950s. But 78 records haven’t disappeared entirely; the Internet Archive has almost 200,000 in our physical possession.


The most recent addition: 48,000 78s from Barrie H. Thorp Collection, via the Batavia Public Library in Illinois. The worth of a collection isn’t measured in numbers but in quality, and the Thorp Collection is filled with amazing artists most people have never heard of, including Koen Kobblers, Bill Mooney and his Cactus Twisters, Ozie Waters and the Colorado Hillbillies, and many more rare recordings that would excite any audiophile.

 

I used to belong to a 78rpm collectors club that met once a month, one of the members died and I was asked to go through his collection with another person who was a dealer, to gleen a salvageable lot.

This guy was a real hoarder, so much so it broke up his family, he had a rancher that, I kid you not, had piles of records stacked flat floor to ceiling, in every room, taking up every available inch of space with just a narrow path to bathroom and kitchen. I heard he was sleeping in his tub at the end, as the bedroom was too overloaded. Same with the basement. It took weeks and weeks of hard work sifting through it all, there were even a couple holes in the roof which couldn't be repaired from the inside because it would take weeks just to get to it....and it rained on a lot of stuff. We found some good records but I still question whether it was worth the effort of sifting thorough thousands of Guy Lombardo just to find that one decent record...it did, however, make me determined never to get anywhere near that obsessive with the hobby, and I haven't.

 

When I think of 78s ... though on truth so many lost artists that survive only on 78s that I am thrilled when I see things like this.

 

I've come across some quite unusual 78's that I doubt have had CD reissue (not implying that most CD reissues are all that good).
There is some fantastic music on 78's that needs preserving before these disks just get broken or thrown out (and broken) and history is lost.
Good to see that preservation is starting in the US, similar initiatives are needed in other countries for their cultural heritage.

 

I have a few 78s and for most of them I have no idea if the artists are famous or if the songs have been digitized and/or released. But I love them because I found them all myself, at thrift stores and flea markets, judged them by their labels, and took chances. One of my favorites is "Little White-Washed Cabin" by Jimmy Hinchee, who last time I tried I could find virtually nothing about. Certainly not a household name, but part of my own private music world!

Save the 78s. They were great and still are.

 

Like a big thrift store record section times 100,000! What decent records did you manage to find in this guy's stash?

 

some Buddy Holly, a rare 'psych' band from the area called Orange Wedge, some early rock and roll 78s (which I love), Mary Wells, all in all about 1000 worthwhile records. Most of the other 150,000 or so records were donated.

The most interesting thing about the guy was that he recorded country artists like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline while they were around, circa 1962. Not sure whatever came of those reels....

 

Rare psych band 78??

 

haha it was a combo of lps and 78s not just 78s.

 

If I could I would collect the very early through to Chicago Chess 78's of all my Blues heroes!
Only one I have is Muddy Waters Hoochie Cootchie Manon Chess.
Also wish I had some Robert Johnson early treasuresand The Beatles Indian 78's..

 

1951

 

I collect what was at the time avant garde music. I have 78s of John Cage, Charles Ives, Alan Hovhaness etc.

 

Old 78s can be breathtakingly awesome. I still buy them occasionally, but I do need a better set-up for playing them.

I got this set as a gift several years ago, and the label, Dust To Digital, has many other collections of vintage shellac available.
Dust-to-Digital » Victrola Favorites: Artifacts from Bygone Days »

 

And I have some of Desmond Leslie's Musique Concrete on 78.

 

You know, I have one 78, and I can play it on my Clearaudio Concept TT.

Duke Ellington "East St. Louis Toodle-oo". I'm happy to have it.

BTW, did you all know that it's pronounced. "toad-low"?

I like to show that off when talking Duke...or Steely Dan!

 

Very cool.

 

I do a podcast with (mainly UK) 78s, available on Soundcloud 78Man » and itunes 78Man Presents by 78Man on iTunes »

 

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