Date:         Fri, 5 Jan 2007 18:06:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Libraries disposing of records
Comments: To: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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At the risk of offending some on list, I have to offer a reality check, in line with Bob's posting. 
Guys, 78's are a real FRINGE/NICHE. Anything with any remote chance of "mass market" is out on CD or 
iTunes. Most people -- myself included -- just don't like bad quality sound. Yes, there are some 78 
reissues where they went back to metal parts and used tasteful, effective and sound-improving 
digital restoration, and it's great that modern life offers that wonderful music in a 
better-than-original mass-market format. But those shellac disks, they're just a novelty nowadays, 
in most but not all cases. Now, that said, of course I'll grab a pile from the curbside if the music 
is anything I'm remotely interested in because I like to play the Victrola for my nieces and nephews 
to show them "ye olde sound equipment". But I limit my 78 "collection" to one milk crate and I'd 
heave it first if I got in a space crunch. Edison cylinders -- I'm really glad UCSB has that archive 
online but I can't see how anyone would listen to that stuff for enjoyment. It sounds worse than a 
phone call over the Internet from Europe! But, back to my main point, if there's a profitable market 
for something, it finds its value and there apparently is no market for most 78's.

-- Tom Fine

PS -- regarding that comment about sending 78's to Germany, with that country's draconian 
disposal/recycling laws, are you sure you really want to take the dumpings of the attics and moldy 
basements of America? If the comment was serious, is there some sort of shellac recycling market 
developed over there?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Hodge" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Libraries disposing of records


> Well, if it's ANY indicator....
>
> How many Victor Red seals, green and orange label Columbia's , et al.
> get listed on Epay and never garner a single bid- not even for 1 cent.
>
> How could one expect to " make a fortune" from these record labels when
> those are the conditions which prevail ?
> !
>
> BH
>
>
>
>
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 1/5/2007 4:48 PM >>>
> ...why don't you ship all the 78rpms to Europe (and I speak for
> Germany) and
> you can make a fortune- instead of discarding them ! ! !
>