Re: arsclist Wilcox-Gay Recordio disks

[Patrick Feaster <pfeaster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I have turned up a little information on the WWW about these, and there was
> one posting to Nostalgia Air that says the disks can be played back on any
> turntable at 78 rpm.

That's basically correct, presuming we're talking about modern turntables
with lightweight tone-arms and not vintage acoustic machines with
steel needles (which would instantly obliterate the recordings).  They're
not microgroove recordings, so optimal playback would also require a 78
rpm stylus (although a microgroove stylus shouldn't damage the records).

Wilcox-Gay Recordio discs were the most popular brand of amateur home
recording disc blanks in the 40's and 50's.  Some have metal cores, but
many (like the ones you're describing) have stiff paper cores -- I suspect
this was due to wartime restrictions on the use of aluminum.  The "little
cracks" in the surface might be cause for alarm if the coating is in
danger of pulling loose from the core, but most of the time with
paper-core Recordio discs that's not the case: the effect is more like
"crazing" and won't cause serious problems.  The most common problem with
transfering these discs is skipping due to irregularities in the groove:
with the cheap machines used by most families it was easy for the thread
cut away from the disc (some people called this "noodles") to get tangled
in the cutter, and most amateur recordings have at least one skip or
repeat in them even if they're in pristine condition.  

----------------------<pfeaster@xxxxxxxxxxx>--------------------------------
Patrick Feaster			 |         + Phonozoic Records +
2627 E. 2nd St. Apt. 11	 	 |       http://phonozoic.cjb.net/
Bloomington IN  47401	(USA)	 |        + The Phonograph Ring +
(812)-339-8243			 |       http://phonoring.cjb.net/
---------------------------------+------------------------------------------