Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs lathe

[Deke Dickerson]

I don't think anyone has posted this here--pretty great!!!

http://televisions.reviewed.com/features/peek-inside-frank-sinatras-home-recording-studio?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories#

[markrob]

Hi Deke,

You have been finding some amazing pictures. Keep it coming. But I don't see a Rek-o-Kut lathe. I see a turntable. Looks to me like it handled transcription discs. Maybe the system was playback only so he could listen to air checks, studio dubs, and commercial releases. Could the lathe be elsewhere?

Mark

[Deke Dickerson]

Good point! They referenced a Rek O Kut lathe in the article, and I thought that perhaps the turntable in question was just missing it's overhead carriage. But you're right, it might just be a Rek O Kut transcription turntable, not sure....

Deke

[Stevie342000]

Good point! They referenced a Rek O Kut lathe in the article, and I thought that perhaps the turntable in question was just missing it's overhead carriage. But you're right, it might just be a Rek O Kut transcription turntable, not sure....

Deke

I think the turntable is a Rek-O-Kut 743 ( I may be out on the model number) but not 100% sure. If it is only 2 speed that would date its design to circa 1948 pre-dating RCA's 45 rpm disc format.

If you check out vinyl exchange (I think it is called) there are lots of period flyers for Rek-O-Kut.

That deck was available as a turntable and the cutter carriage was a separate item, it served two purposes. It may have come with an M5-S - there were two versions of that one with crank handle for lead in and lead out groove and the other obviously not.

Sinatra's set up is interesting, it is not a regular domestic high end system (other than the tuner) but more high end studio based equipment in a domestic set up. It would not have been cheap but interesting to see that they did not treat the room to make it more acceptable for recording and replay.

[Stevie342000]

Good point! They referenced a Rek O Kut lathe in the article, and I thought that perhaps the turntable in question was just missing it's overhead carriage. But you're right, it might just be a Rek O Kut transcription turntable, not sure....

Deke

If you check out vinyl exchange (I think it is called) there are lots of period flyers for Rek-O-Kut.

It's not Vinyl Exchange that is a record store here in Manchester that has been around for decades, it's vinyl engine.

[concretecowboy71]

Wow. That is cool!

[basplin]

Good point! They referenced a Rek O Kut lathe in the article, and I thought that perhaps the turntable in question was just missing it's overhead carriage. But you're right, it might just be a Rek O Kut transcription turntable, not sure....

Deke

I think the turntable is a Rek-O-Kut 743 ( I may be out on the model number) but not 100% sure. If it is only 2 speed that would date its design to circa 1948 pre-dating RCA's 45 rpm disc format.

If you check out vinyl exchange (I think it is called) there are lots of period flyers for Rek-O-Kut.

That deck was available as a turntable and the cutter carriage was a separate item, it served two purposes. It may have come with an M5-S - there were two versions of that one with crank handle for lead in and lead out groove and the other obviously not.

Sinatra's set up is interesting, it is not a regular domestic high end system (other than the tuner) but more high end studio based equipment in a domestic set up. It would not have been cheap but interesting to see that they did not treat the room to make it more acceptable for recording and replay.

Rek-O-Kut yes, but that's not a 743. That looks like either a G2 or a Model V, one of their 16" turntables, which pairs with the M5.