A Fisher and 78 RPM record albums join the family.

Gentle Reader,

I came across a record album at Salvation Army. First of all, let me tell the history of why music discs are referred to as "albums".

Because the rotating speed of 78 RPM was chosen by record companies and electronics companies, for a specific reason related to a common motor's rotating speed, songs and music had to be not much more than two minutes long to fit on one side. In the early years, ten inches was the diameter of records.

If one liked and could afford to buy lots of records, they needed someplace to keep them safe as they were/are fragile. Someone, I know not who, came up with the idea of creating books with record sleeves instead of pages to keep ten to twelve records in.
The result looked like a photo album of the time and thus were dubbed "record
albums".

The name stuck to this day. Making a CD is still called "cutting and album". CDs are often referred to as being "pressed". Even though no pressing or cutting of grooves is involved like in the making a vinyl record. Yes the CD discs are flat, but no music is cut into them. Ones and zeros are burned into the pits of the aluminum sheet sandwiched in between two clear plastic discs. MANY, MANY ones and zeros.

At one of my favorite thrift stores I came across a record album of Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra playing Brahms' Symphony #1.

What was odd to me was that the records are 12 inches not 10 inches like I thought all 78s are. No where was "long playing" or LP on the labels. So, out of curiosity, I bought them. Research proved they are 78s. So now, how to play them.............

"I know," I thought, "I'll buy an old turntable that plays 78s on eBay." So, the search began. While we have a "retro" stereo in the living room that has a record player that will run 78 RPM, it has an LP/45 RPM stylus which is way to narrow for the wide 78 grooves.

Note, when LP (long playing) records came about it was because they'd figured out a way to cut "microgrooves" and make records "unbreakable". Singles which is what all 78s are except ones that are made of some long music like the Brahms above, were then made on 7 inch records with a 1 inch hole in them at that spin at 45 RPM.

LPs were made in 10 and 12 inches in the beginning depending on the record label. Eventually 12 inches won out like VHS did over Betamax. For those younger readers,
like Blu-Ray won out over HD-DVD.

The cheapest record player that I found was to my surprise a Fisher console. AND it was located a few miles from me. Starting price was $10. So, I bid on it and won.

The owner is a retired gentleman that is even more obsessed with stereo and HiFi than I am. The difference is he has more money than I do to buy stuff and he is into TUBE
equipment. Which I would love to be. He has the largest collection of a Belgian companie's equipment in the world. He bought the Fisher with the intent to use it but never did. The original owner that bought it new in 1967 sold it to him. It was quite expensive when new.

It is officially called the "FISHER METROPOLITAN" and has the "Modern" cabinet which was made in Canada of black walnut solids and veneers. The Fisher receiver is stereo and is not tube but early "solid state" i.e., transistors. The turntable that came with it is a DUAL (made-in-Germany) 1014 four speed changer. That means it will rotate at 16, 33 1/3rd, 45 and 78 RPM. 16 was used for books on record. The speakers are 12 inch woofers, six inch squawkers, and 3 inch cone tweeters. The only part of the cabinet that is "particle board" in the speaker cabinets as it should be. Solid wood resonates at certain frequencies. The Fisher Console Website

So, getting my youngest, Daniel to help me, we went over on a Saturday to pick it up.
QUITE heavy it is.

Brought it home to the family room. It sits where the radio collection originally sat in the family room downstairs. I put on side one of the Brahms and it played fine. Put on side two and at first is was OK. The all of a sudden it was not making music but scratching the record! WTF?

Something failed in the 43-year-old record player as it was jerking back and forth. Vintage mechanical record changers are incredibly complex mechanisms. There was no way I could fix it. So, back to eBay.............Duals were going for a lot of money.

I found and bought another German turntable an Elac Miracord H50 which was a very expensive player and considered "professional". I got it for just over $23.

In the mean time waiting for it to arrive I'd replaced the 43 year old cheap RCA interconnecting cables from the record player to the receiver with much better modern ones. Also, I replaced the cheap, thin, old speaker wires with the twisted pair ones that bring music in here from the living room. Plus I added some fiberglass to the speaker cabinets. All in the interest of improving the sound.

Once the H50 arrived, I made a template from the base it came on and hand cut the new shape to fit this larger player. ONE small problem. Being wider, there is NO room for the rear of the tone arm, with the big counterweight on it, to swing to the right as the records play! ARGGHH!

I sadly cut a rectangular hole in the side of the cabinet to allow it to move. I hated to do it, but it was needed. I was not giving up!

So, I put a record on and hit start.......Nothing! It played separately from the cabinet!
Under I went and poked around. Now it's running but only 45 RPM!!!!! Out it came, off came the platter. I played with the controls and got it going at 78. Whew!

Back in it went. Now it won't work on auto! No problem, since this is truly "old school" stuff, I can play it manually. Now it won't shut off!!!!!!

Back on eBay, I saw another one that had a rocker switch on the front. AH! I can put
a switch on mine too. Which I did. A toggle switch mounted on a bracket screwed to the back of the cabinet. Now I can turn the beast on and off.

All this because I wanted to play this one Symphony at 78 RPM!

Well, naturally, now I wanted more 78s. Saw a bunch when we went down to Old Town in Fredericksburg. Too expensive at $3.00 each. A week or so later at Salvation Army, I found SIX albums. All with 12 records in them. Proper 10 inch ones. I went through all of them picking out seventeen then had to whittle it down to 12: One album. I was delighted to find is my favorite song (i.e., music with singing) from the era: "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra. Long story as to why I like it. Some other time. Sadly, it had been in a juke box and was worn out. I've got a pristine one coming from an eBay seller.

Here's what's in the ALBUM:
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings ditto
On A Slow Boat To China ditto
In The Market Place of Old Monterey ditto
What are You Doing New Year's Eve? ditto
On The Old Spanish Trail ditto
Ole Buttermilk Sky ditto
On The Wrong Side of You ditto
The Old Lamp Lighter ditto
Huggin' and Chalkin' ditto
Close as Pages in a Book Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me ditto Oh! What it Seemed to Be Frank Sinatra with orchestra
Day By Day ditto
Just For Now ditto
Everybody Loves Somebody ditto
But None Like You ditto*
We Just Couldn't Say Good-Bye ditto
I'd Be lost Without You Frankie Carle and His Orchestra
Cynthia's In Love ditto
My Promise to You ditto
Tell Me A Story ditto
I'll Be There Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra
Kate ditto

All the records EXCEPT the last one are on Columbia with a red label. The Dorsey record is on RCA Victor with a black label. All are in amazing condition. I wanted "Big Band" music. I love the stuff. Even though it was from decades before I was born. Reincarnation?

The album itself, the best of the bunch was made by FREEMAN RADIO & ELECTRIC CO., INC. 1225 Main St. Springfield, Massachusetts and is H. R. S. Special Album Design D. Printed in the U.S.A. Just thought I'd throw that in.

At the top of the page is "The Fisher" as it sits now in the family room. Below it is open but off:
You can see the two albums in the built-in pocket on the left. Also, you can see the small window I had to cut to clear the tone arm and weight.

Below is the two albums closed:
And now, they are open and below that with a record of 12 inches and 10 inches.
Below is the 12" Toscannini open and below that is the 10" regular album. Note the lists of records that once were housed in it.

Below, at last, is side one of the Brahms playing. YAY! It sounds great.
WHOA! What is that? It is the modern version of "The Fisher". It too is a Fisher. It has all that one would want: CD player, AM/FM Stereo tuner, Aux. inputs for MP3 player or cassette if so inclined.
I found it, still sealed, at the same Salvation Army. Being it was Wednesday, which is 25% off day, it was $22.50. New. It is capable of being wall mounted like a flat screen TV and the speakers detach as well and can be wall mounted. A wall is a bad place for speakers to live. The ONLY thing is doesn't have is a HD radio tuner or satellite tuner.
Can't have it all for less than $25!

It sits next to me, here in the office. Thing is, I hardly listen to the living room system via the speakers in here anymore.

Thanks for looking!

Scott