Initially, I had chosen to pass on this one, but couldn't. How does anyone know what's valuable about anything? There are two answers to it. If it is something that YOU treasure, it's valuable. The records you like are therefore, valuable to you. The second answer is: what records (or anything else) can be sold for the most money. > [Original Message] > From: Thatcher Graham <thatcher at mediaguide.com> > To: Antique Phonograph List <phono-l at oldcrank.org> > Date: 3/7/2008 2:15:10 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Shellac records and damage from steel needles > > That begets a question for me. How do I know what 78s in my collection > are valuable? > > > Noveltytrio at aol.com wrote: > > We all know that the Grand Canyon was made by water running over rock. > > Anytime two physical objects contact, there is wear, or damage. That said, the > > reason I collect antique phonographs is because I like the sound for whatever > > psychological reason. While I will not play my Nordskog of Spikes Seven Pods of > > Pepper Orchestra on a Victrola, I have no problem playing almost everything else > > on some kind of antique phonograph. To be sure I always use a fresh needle and > > sometimes a fibre needle. I once played a Paul Whiteman record on a VV-IV as > > many times as I could to see if I could detect wear. I got sick of the record > > before I could hear an increase in surface noise. Victor had a wear test that > > in order to pass, a record had to be played 200 times without audible wear > > (would that Paramount had the same kind of standard). 20 times is more than I > > care to hear most records. I think we can play our records and enjoy them without > > pangs of conscience. When we are through with them they will, at best, be > > absorbed into archives where they will be played once, put onto digital media, > > and (the originals) never heard again! The digital copies however, with help > > from new copyright laws, may live again on MP3 players. In the mean time, I will > > play my Carusos (if I had a Zonophone I might make an exception), McCormacks, > > Original Indiana Fives and Bessie Smiths the way God intended, on a taking > > machine. Pardon my ramblings, I found this to be an interesting string of > > comments. > > > > Phil Stewart > > > > > > > > **************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & > > Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001) > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > > > > -- > Thatcher Graham > Senior Field Engineer > ph. 610-578-0800 x214 > cell: 484-354-6918 > fx. 610-578-0804 > Mediaguide > 1000 Chesterbrook Blvd. STE 150 > Berwyn, PA 19312 > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org