From: "Don Tait ([log in to unmask])" <[log in to unmask]>
> Very interesting. In the USSR, Melodiya issued some 7- and 8-inch 78 rpm
> microgroove records on their version of plastic of some kind.

Actually the early 78 Microgroove Soviet (NOT Melodiya -- that trademark
did not start until 1964) discs from around 1953 were 8 and 10-inch, not
7-inch. They were intermixed in the numerical series with the 10 and
12-inch 33 RPM microgrooves. I have about 25 or 30 of these 78
microgroove discs. The labels were usually the AZ torch label for the
Aprelvsky Zavod pressing plant. I haven't seem LPs this early from the
other pressing plants with their own labels.

> Not a shellac compound but with constant loud surface noise.
>(Does anyone know what the material was?)

It was vinyl, just not a very high grade. Ironically, the shellac
standard groove 78s the Soviets pressed at that time in the 50s and
later were VERY quiet and completely free from surface noise when new --
and wore very well. In the early 1980s the Soviets -- now using the
Melodiya trademark exclusively -- finally started to use very quiet
vinyl for their discs. During the final decade or so into the mid-90s
their LPs were very good.

From Tom Fine:
>> For the last two Record Store Days, there have been limited-edition 10" 78RPM
>> microgroove vinyl issues. In 2011, it was the Beach Boys, which was discussed
>> in detail on this list.
>> For this year, Tompkins Square Records in SF put out two 78's, one by Luther Dickson
>>(solo guitar with one half of a side including duet guitar) and Dr. Ralph Stanley.
>> Details in the middle of this page: http://www.tompkinssquare.com/

There have been other microgroove 78s recently, especially the Bix piano
pieces recorded by Bryan Wright on Rivermont Records
http://www.rivermontrecords.com/bsv2212.html , Andy Schumn on the same
label http://www.rivermontrecords.com/592.html , a series of singles and
actual book-albums by a retro-rock brother and sister duo(can't remember
their name), Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, and the Preservation Hall Jazz
Band among others. There have been dozens of other examples of
microgroove 78s during the past 20 or 30 years. It's nothing new. I
wrote about these types of issues in the ARSC Journal back in the late
1970s and early 80s.

Mike Biel [log in to unmask]