The blahblah of the forum

[johnh]

Decided to treat myself to a turntable the other day as haven't had one for years.

So my collection of Vinyl albums from the 70's are seeing the light of day once again

Can't beat a bit of Showaddywaddy

Come on then !
What did you get ?
Where did you get it ?
What's the rest of the hifi system ??

I've got some old 78's but no turntable! My oldest is a Django Reinhardt, still in its original cardboard sleeve. Dates about 1948/49.

SW, Can't see a handle on your turntable, how do you wind it up?

[Selby White]

Decided to treat myself to a turntable the other day as haven't had one for years.

So my collection of Vinyl albums from the 70's are seeing the light of day once again

Can't beat a bit of Showaddywaddy

Come on then !
What did you get ?
Where did you get it ?
What's the rest of the hifi system ??

I've got some old 78's but no turntable! My oldest is a Django Reinhardt, still in its original cardboard sleeve. Dates about 1948/49.

Got my parents old collection John, suspect there is a few in there you would remember.

Currently listening a album of Burt Bacharach songs, perfect easy listening music

[Deleted User 728]

On another note Mrs SW who isn't really into music managed to acquire her ex's vinyl collection when they divorced. He collected them looks like some interesting stuff I need to work my way through.

SW : go to a site called Discogs then pick three or four random records and type the serial numbers in and see how much they're worth.
You might be surprised, both ways. I was round a friend's place last night because he had a load of classical vinyl and wanted me to go through it with him as his dad died a few months ago and he got it when he cleared out his belongings.
It's amazing what you can find on there. Some things I really wanted - Mahler and some latin stuff - were peanuts, while a couple of double disc sets were £40-70 and one box set was £300.
I advised him to download their app - we were using his iPad but you can do it with a smartphone - and then scan the barcodes to create your own library on the site. If the records predate barcoding, just type in the serial number and you should be able to find 99% of things.
Then make piles of stuff you want to keep because you like it, stuff you can sell on the site because you don't think you'll ever play it or the price is too good to turn down and then a third pile for charity shops.

[Deleted User 728]

I've got some old 78's but no turntable! My oldest is a Django Reinhardt, still in its original cardboard sleeve. Dates about 1948/49.

That may well be worth good money, John.
If you read the post above, the friend had one 78 and it was of bird song. We looked it up and it was worth a tenner so something from Django could be in to three figures I wouldn't wonder.
Have a look : https://www.discogs.com

[Selby White]

On another note Mrs SW who isn't really into music managed to acquire her ex's vinyl collection when they divorced. He collected them looks like some interesting stuff I need to work my way through.

SW : go to a site called Discogs then pick three or four random records and type the serial numbers in and see how much they're worth.
You might be surprised, both ways. I was round a friend's place last night because he had a load of classical vinyl and wanted me to go through it with him as his dad died a few months ago and he got it when he cleared out his belongings.
It's amazing what you can find on there. Some things I really wanted - Mahler and some latin stuff - were peanuts, while a couple of double disc sets were £40-70 and one box set was £300.
I advised him to download their app - we were using his iPad but you can do it with a smartphone - and then scan the barcodes to create your own library on the site. If the records predate barcoding, just type in the serial number and you should be able to find 99% of things.
Then make piles of stuff you want to keep because you like it, stuff you can sell on the site because you don't think you'll ever play it or the price is too good to turn down and then a third pile for charity shops.

Something I'll do through the winter, nice rainy day job

[johnh]

I've got some old 78's but no turntable! My oldest is a Django Reinhardt, still in its original cardboard sleeve. Dates about 1948/49.

That may well be worth good money, John.
If you read the post above, the friend had one 78 and it was of bird song. We looked it up and it was worth a tenner so something from Django could be in to three figures I wouldn't wonder.
Have a look : https://www.discogs.com

Thanks for that Rigger, will look into it. My memory failed me on the 78. It wasn't Django Reinhardt (but there is one somewhere) it was the Art van Damme quintette. Its called Cocktail Capers and has six numbers. Can't see a date on this but I know we had it before we moved to Leeds (1951) .It is 33.3. I have another, also in its cardboard sleeve. 'Jazz at the college of the pacific'. Dave Brubeck quartet. This is on blue vinyl and is (I think) also 33,3. This is 1953. Most of the others I have are late 1960's/early 1970's. Like SW must get a turntable, talk about 'all our yesterday's!'

[Deleted User 728]

If you want to play 78s you'll need to really think about what you're after from a turntable.

Most serious hifi nuts who play shellac records use a specific cartridge (the bit that holds the stylus on the tonearm) which is designed purely for 78rpm 10" discs. Obviously you'll need a deck with the correct speed changes too - my own, a Linn Sondek, only plays 33.3rpm unless I fit an adaptor to it to play 45s, but I rarely need to do that so it doesn't bother me.
It's not just the turntable either : you'll need an amp and speakers too.

I would recommend you go down the vintage used route.
There's plenty of well maintained bits on eBay and quite a few specific dealers, including one based in Bordon not far from where we met up for lunch that day. They're only on eBay now - hifihangar is the seller name - but they often have really good gear.
If you do decide to go down that route, let me help you as there are some bargains to be had out there, especially on GumTree.
I bought a Pioneer PL-12D for a tenner about three years ago.
It was the best selling deck in the world during the 70s and is a brilliant piece of kit and most people would stop there and never need to get anything better .. not unless they're anoraks about it all, like me

[Deleted User 728]

Funnily enough, even that deck only has 33/45 as speeds.

There's some more info here on how to play 78s today : https://www.projectaudio.com.au/blogs/v ... o-play-78s

[johnh]

Rigger, thanks for all that info. This has got me really interested and I will certainly be following this up. Thanks also for your offer of help, much appreciated. There is a chance, that left to my own devices, I would be looking for one with a wind-up handle. Will also talk to 'techie' son-in-law who seems to know everything about everything if its electric/electronic.

[Deleted User 728]

I've set a few people up with entire systems on a budget so it all depends how much you want to spend really.
That and the WAF as it's known in the hifi community - it (cringingly) stands for Wife Appeal Factor.
These days, you can pick up a solid Japanese amp for about £30, a good pair of speakers for not much more and these come up literally all the time.
It's really a question of the deck and getting the right one for the right price.