Re: [ARSCLIST] Stereo records.

[steven c <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "phillip holmes" <insuranceman@xxxxxxxxxx>
> One other thing.  They could cut some radical stuff back then when they
> wanted.  George Piros cut stuff that was impossible for the average
consumer
> to play back on his/her Magnavox/RCA/Columbia changer.  Most turntables
had
> horrible tonearms with horrible bearings, no overhang adjustment, and
> cartridges with conical diamonds.  What's the first elliptical stylus?
The
> Shure M3D?  And they tracked at 3 grams.  So they had to cut big easy to
> negotiate grooves.  I've heard anecdotal stories that RCA and Mercury got
> complaints from customers who couldn't get their cartridges to play their
> records, even to the point that the cartridge was "knocked out of the
> groove".  The cannon fire on the Mercury 1812 could do that.
>
Interestingly enough, I used to have the same problem...I was using a
late-fifties RCA tabletop 3-speed "record player" and 3-mil diamond
needles...but when I played fifties rock'n'roll 78's, the heavy bass
notes would bounce the needle right out of the groove!

Steven C. Barr