Tompkins Square label is bringing back the 78 rpm

[blacknwhite]

"San Francisco-based record label Tompkins Square is bringing back the 78 rpm."

DANG, THESE GUYS HAVE THE SAME IDEA which I had back in 2002 when I started my home-based business, but never actually got beyond just restoring & reselling old 78 rpm record players to actually licensing recordings for the commissioning of the manufacture of 78 records

Good for them... maybe I'll still get in the game some day who knows...

- Bob

------ ARTICLE TEXT, from The Examiner, http://www.examiner.com/music-news-in-san-francisco/sf-label-tompkins-square-gets-you-into-the-groove-w-78-rpm-for-record-store-day :

Jack White’s not the only one releasing the funky vinyl these days. Although the Third Man Records founder is the only one producing 3 rpm plastic, San Francisco-based record label Tompkins Square is bringing back the 78 rpm. Now that’s sexy.

“A lot of new turntables play 78s, and many 78 collectors listen to their records on modern equipment. Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe have all recently released 78s. So I thought it would be fun to start a line of them,” Tompkins Square owner Josh Rosenthal writes on his website.

In honor of Record Store Day, April 21, the label will release a series of recordings, the first two will feature previously unreleased recordings from Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes), and Ralph Stanley.

Luther Dickinson’s record features songs of Southern melodies including “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah/Beautiful Dreamer” on the A side and “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen/Peace in the Valley” on the B side. Ralph Stanley’s record features “Single Girl” with “Little Birdie” on the flip side.

Both 78s will be released as a limited edition of 500 copies and will not be sold on the label site – they will only be available via independent record stores participating in Record Store Day. (click here for a list of participating stores)

Fans can also find a white label 45 of Hiss Golden Messenger’s “Jesus Shot Me in The Head” b/w the currently unavailable “Jesus Dub,” set for release on April 21.

Have a listen and enjoy as Dickinson takes on the timeless and spiritual piece, "Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen."

[Steve E.]

awesome. another fantastic label design, too.

[Steve E.]

See also:

Our own Curley Ann's "Essency Records":
https://lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=3141&mforum=lathetrolls

Our own Kris D's 78 sub-label "Electric":

http://groove-o-matic.com/

[Aussie0zborn]

So these are 10" 78rpm Microgroove Vinyl Records I take it? playable with a regualr stylus?

[Steve E.]

I'm guessing so.

[Curley-Ann]

Hey guys--
nope--Essency Records will be 12"...but most definitely beautiful vinyl and MICROGROOVED (playing time of roughly 10-minutes per side!)
"Essency No. 1" -- "Great Gospel Melodies" by the Riverview Terrace Orchestra will be ready for distribution by July!

[Curley-Ann]

.....but yes--78 RPM, and playable with 1-mil LP stylus

[audadvnc]

Yeah, but ... it seems to me the main reason for making 78 records nowadays would be providing source material for Victrolas and similar non-electric phono playback machines, for those future days that have no AC power to run the machines.

If you're making 78's that are unplayable on Victrolas, the project appears to be a study in pointlessness.

[Curley-Ann]

Not really...
These days (thankfully) NEW phonographs are being made!
Most have the 78 speed on them.
We're providing these folks the wonderful opportunity to not only UTILIZE that speed...but have BRAND NEW recorded material on beautiful, vinyl records to play on those machines!

[Curley-Ann]

I love my hand-wound phonographs...don't get me wrong.
HOWEVER...I don't play mine that often. The reason..?
The steel needles--on the heavy reproducers--dig into the playing surface of the record, degrading the groove more with each play!
Eventually, the record will be rendered unplayable.
With each passing year, the old shellac records will become harder and harder to find...and thus more expensive to find replacements of once a favorite recording is ruined!
SO...I would MUCH RATHER utilize a MODERN phonograph...with a 78 speed on it...and a lighter tone-arm with a diamond stylus that will be GENTLE to even the OLDEST records I have--thus PRESERVING what playing surface there IS for as many years as I can!

[Steve E.]

I think the obvious solution is to buy TWO copies of any modern "standard groove" record. One for playing electrically, one for wrecking on a victrola. :p

That said, I think the 10 minute 78 is cool!

[Curley-Ann]

Thanks, Steve...
I'm sure there will be quite a few who will agree that the FIRST and foremost purpose for the phonograph record is:
"PRESERVATION"!
You are recording a time-capsule of audio history, my friends!
I have 78 RPM records in my library that, because they were TREATED PROPERLY, sound just as good today as they did when new!
Records will OUTLAST any and all other forms of media storage out today!
CD's will, eventually, lose their data until they become nothing more than the clear plastic protectors that you see in packages of blank CD-R's.
"Digital" is NOT permanent!
ONLY the phonograph record--if cared for properly--will be able to be played and enjoyed a hundred years from today!
Besides--you should NEVER NEVER NEVER play a vinyl record on a hand-wound phonograph! One play, and the delicate surface will be stripped and destroyed!

[Curley-Ann]

...I'm sorry for getting on my soapbox.
it's just that record collecting has been a big part of my life for so many years, and the CARE of them is very important.
I was always instructed that hand-wound phonographs were for PRE-ELECTRIC RECORDINGS ONLY! (prior to 1925).
After that time, the first electrical phonographs came out, and the fate of record history was forever altered. People either trashed their old victrolas, or put them up in the attic.
I was schooled in this early-on, and it's a valuable lesson I have never forgotten: proper record care is important if you want to keep your valuable records sounding good for years!

[Techie]

Curley-Ann, I agree. One bad scratch on a new CD can turn it into a coaster or paper weight. As long as I have needle and a way to make a record spin, I can hear Fanny Brice, Al Jolson, or Caruso after a trip to a flea market or record convention. Many people think digital is archival. I guess it could be if care is taken to transfer periodically to new media, but that's not likely most of the time.

[Curley-Ann]

Well...I DO have some very good news:
In this morning's mail has come the first PAID request for our initial Essency recording!
A sweet lady in Sea Cliff, NY sent in a payment of $14!
(...and people say Friday the 13th is unlucky!)

[Angus McCarthy]

Congratulations!

This discussion reaffirms the need for modern "fibre" type needles for acoustic gramophones. The NOS supply will not last forever, and not everybody has access to a cactus!

[Curley-Ann]

Congratulations!

This discussion reaffirms the need for modern "fibre" type needles for acoustic gramophones. The NOS supply will not last forever, and not everybody has access to a cactus!

Ah...yes!
A fibre needle would work beautifully. I had forgotten about that.
(however...for OUR records, you may have to crank the phono halfway thru the side! LOL)
But yeah--give it a shot. Remember--one play per needle.

[W.B.]

I'm curious as to what center label size is on these records - 3" or 3.625" diameter? (I'm thinking the post-1930 standard for center labels for 78's.)

[EmAtChapterV]

I've seen one of these in a local record store, and the label is either 3" or very close, maybe 3.25" at most.