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First, I want to thank each and every person who
took time to respond to my query about Vinegar Syndrome-- it was extremely
helpful to hear the explanation presented by different people based on their
experiences and knowledge of molecular processes. This was a great example
of how beneficial the Listserve can be.
So on the heels of that question, let me throw out
another:
I've been very interested in the Speak-O-Phone
Company that made personal disc cutting machines and aluminum alloy discs back
in the 30s. My interest stems partly from the fact that many field
recordings of American folk music were recorded on these aluminum blanks and
survive today in archives around the country. I've not researched the
company at all, but perhaps some ARSCers have. I know they were based in
New York.
Because of the soft aluminum used in the discs,
steel needles are not appropriate for playing back the records. Instead
needles made of cactus thorns, bamboo, or other fiber material are needed in
order to avoid damaging the record. At least, that is what the company
stated on some of its packaging and I assume that audio archivists today do in
fact use some sort of soft needle-- my question is:
What kind of stylus are people using to play back
aluminum discs, and where are such stylii obtained? I have a package of
1930s Speak-O-Phone fiber needles and they have a triangular profile. The
package says "Keep Point Sharp." How would a triangular needle be kept
sharp by a home recordist in the 30s?
Is there anyone out there that specializes in
working with these aluminum discs? I don't have any myself but have been
interested in issues pertaining to them. For one thing, since they don't
have any coating, there is no coating to peel off. I've seen problems with
oxidation but by and large they seem to have held up very well (if not
abused by playing with the wrong type stylus) and since I tend to encounter
these fairly often with folk music recordings, I'm interested to hear some
dicussion about how others handle such discs in their collections. What
kind of set-ups are people using today to play back the discs?
Okay, that's more than one question isn't
it?
Steve Green
Western Folklife Center
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