LTR prefixes are Los Angeles Brunswick recordings.  The ledger sheets
for the early numbers, where the Amos 'n' Andy programs were, do not
exist, so we have to extrapolate from what discs are found.  However,
the earlier and later post-Marsh programs were all XC Chicago Brunswick
masters and we have all the recording dates and air dates for these. 
I'd like the list of all the discs you know of (as well as recordings of
them when you have a chance).  The missing half episode might exist as
there are about 25 episodes from the Brunswick era that are in
circulation.


Mike Biel  [log in to unmask]

  -------- Original Message --------
 Subject: [ARSCLIST] Early Amos 'n' Andy ETs: comparing Marsh with the
 successor recording company
 From: Art Shifrin <[log in to unmask]>
 Date: Sat, November 17, 2012 12:48 pm
 To: [log in to unmask]
 
 I'm digitizing tapes that I hadn't run since the early 1980s. They
include
 15 ips transfers of the early 12" shellac pressings from two batches.
 There are some redundancies, so I have the luxury of choosing
significantly
 superior ones. The inferior ones were in poor condition and so warped
that
 they had to be run @ 33.33. Those sub-masters were then run
 (theoretically) at 35.22 ips. Dolby-A 15 ips masters. EQ. was not
 adversely affected because the transfers were done FLAT. Fortunately, I
 did voice slates for each episode, citing the episode #, master #s &
air
 dates. FYI the way that I set that speed was to feed the closest
possible
 frequency (ideally 11.269 KHz) that I could set on my Leader oscillator
 into the reference input of the Ampex servo circuit (4.8K for 15 ips).
 Those DC capstan motors run up to just under 45 ips, so doing this did
not
 'stress' the system.
 
 I've posted a 2 minute comparision of a Marsh recording with a later
one.
 Both samples are FLAT. It clearly demonstrates the quality differences.
 That of course could be done with any of the Gosden/ Correll Victors,
but
 this is a more historically and technically accurate indication of what
 radio listeners might have perceived when the change in vendors
occurred in
 '29. Lacking in each of the slates for the post-Marsh recordings is the
 identify of the successor recording company. I recall someone years ago
 telling me or surmising that it was Brunswick. Perhaps the "LTR" master
 prefixes are the critical evidence. If any of you can with certainty,
cite
 the identity or identities of the successor recordists, then I'd
appreciate
 learning that info. Also, the quality differences also due to the Marsh
 pressings being very inferior to the later ones.
 
 FYI episode 339 for 04-25-29 mx 5808 & 5809 is the 'most recent' of the
 Marsh-recorded sessions that I have. The earliest post-Marsh episode
that
 I have is #383 Saturday, 6-15-29 , mx LTR 116. This was a single sided
 disk, part 2 only. Side 1 was missing from that batch. I assume that
pt1 1
 was LTR 115. So if it's not known when he vendor change occurred, then
at
 least we have a window.
 
 I assume that opening & closing scripts accompanies the disks that were
 sent to radio stations. IF that's correct, then are any known to still
 exist?
 
 The sample's graciously posted by Mark Durenburger. So those maddening
 access issues with "PlopBox" will not inconvenience anyone who wants to
 hear this comparitive sample. It contains the episode & master #s &
 airdates
 (spoken in my relatively youthful pearly tones in the early 80s.)
 
 http://www.durenberger.com/AAMarshComp.mp3
 
 Best,
 Shiffy