Re: [ARSCLIST] Comparable collections anywhere?

[Klara Foeller <klf@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Roger -
I have three large ET collections (16" Electrical Transcription Disks). 
I estimate a total of 2000+.  My observations are as follows:
1.   Stable, climate controlled environment and proper upright storage, 
matters more than materials.
2.   Lacquer on glass or aluminum is better than cardboard. Glass seems 
to have held up best.  (Cardboard was a wartime compromise.)
3.   Professional recording blanks are higher quality and are usually in 
better condition than home consumer blanks.  I just took in a small 
collection of home                   recordings on a variety of blanks 
and the same holds true, glass core disks are in the best condition, but 
there are very few in the collection, most are on cheap           (thin) 
cardboard.
4.   There were different formulations and combinations of core 
material, binder and surface lacquer that seem to be "label" or 
manufacturer specific, although I've            noticed 
labels/manufacturers changed formulations over time.
5.   My biggest problems are breakage, warpage, "crackle" and binder 
extrusion.  I haven't tried to reproduce badly damaged recordings - 
either broken or those           with crackle and warpage. 
6.   I have successfully cleaned disks with heavy binder extrusion and 
had them digitized by a vendor under a small private grant.  Results 
were fantastic.
7.   In all three of my collections, the ETs are the original format - 
not duped from tape.

Although I was very happy with the results of the digitization completed 
by an out sourced vendor, I will now be doing these transfers in-house.  
I am fortunate in having a couple of variable speed ET turntables, which 
have had a standard RCA plug installed so it can easily be connected to 
my digital break out box or my analog router.  These period, 
professional turntables can be fitted with specialized needles 
appropriate to each type of disk, and can play from the inside out, as 
well as outside in.  Mine were donated.   You might want to consider 
setting youself up with an in-house capability. Check around your local 
radio stations and recording studios and see if anyone has one to 
donate.   In the long run any transfer project will cost less and you'll 
have better control.  Not to mention the safety of the disks.  Saves 
wear and tear if you aren't shipping them all over the place.

I have other information and recommendations.  Feel free to contact me 
off list.

Klara Foeller, Curator
Moving Image & Sound Collections
Missouri Historical Society - St. Louis
314 746-4513


Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:

> Do all lacquer discs flake and peel over time ? I have some from RCA, Columbia,and EMI,from the late 30s,and 40s,that are still as good as the day they were made.OTOH,I have seen cheaper home-recorded jobs,where most of the surface has flaked off.So some are more archivally stable than others.Does this have something to do with better quality materials,or the fact they were made at commercial pressing plants ?
>   What is the oldest lacquer disc that anyone has come across that is still playable ?
>                Roger Kulp
>
> "Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: This sounds like an important collection.
>
> Karl made a very important point about these perhaps being the best 
> version of the collection. However, some portion of the last ten 
> years of these _may_ have been mastered to tape and then transcribed 
> to disc for distribution.
>
> While you can do a lot worse than pristine ET discs, it would be 
> interesting to know if the original master tapes survive in your 
> collection or in another collection. I wouldn't waste too much time 
> looking for that tapes as the ETs should be fairly close to the 
> tapes, but if a few hours cause the tapes to surface, then evaluating 
> the tape vs. the disc would be useful and transferring the one that 
> generally sounds better.
>
> Neither tape nor lacquer disc is really archival, so one of these 
> should be transferred soon. The lacquer discs are probably the 
> priority even if tape is found.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard 
>
>
> 		
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