I agree. Could be very memorable in performance and I think the vinyl cactus rubber mat idea is a very good premise.

AA

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 3, 2014, at 7:53 PM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Hi Richard:
> 
> Tim's the man! He sold me a beautifully restored Edison player, which has a prominent place in my living room. Next time I get some pennies from heaven, he'll sell me a wood-horn Victor player.
> 
> See what Tim says about this issue. Maybe he's got some way to play VINYL 78's. You could get a 78 cut, for instance by Charles Bork, from your tape or digital file. Then get one of the small-run presses to make you 100 or so copies. Then, you'll long have extras for when they wear out. Tim might have a solution (maybe a cactus needle?) to play vinyl. I think 200-gram vinyl would be thick enough not to slip, but you could also craft a rubber platter mat to deal with that issue.
> 
> Thinking about how this could come across in performance, I don't consider it even semi-ridiculous anymore. I think it's kewl. More power to you and your band.
> 
> -- Tom Fine
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Grimes" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2014 5:04 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] shellac 78 problem
> 
> 
>> Thanks Tom; This is all very helpful.  There's a fellow out of  Minneapolis, Kim Gutzke of Custom Records, who talked of trying to do  the shellac, but years have gone by and nothing has come to pass, so  i've lost hope in that possibility.  When we first began this effort  to work with the Victor, it was under the assumption that this  possibility would eventually work out.  now we are stuck with the  very likely prospect of faking it, which I always hate.  It's hard to  believe that nobody out there does this.  I guess there's just no a  void to be filled anymore?
>> 
>> Thanks again for your input.
>> Richard
>> 
>> p.s. Tim sold us our Victor IV, as well as an Edison wax cylinder  player/recorder.  He has been very helpful with so many things.
>>> On Sep 3, 2014, at 4:21 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Richard:
>>> 
>>> This query comes across as semi-ridiculous, but you can fudge  things. No, you can't get shellac disks pressed today and no, you  can't play laquer disks, either wide-groove or not, on a Victor IV.  But, you could easily rig up a system onstage where an iPod plays  into a little speaker hidden in the throat of the horn. Buy some  terrible junk 78 record (because it will be destroyed). Get someone  like Tim Fabrizio to send you a junker Victor diaphram,  disconnected from the needle. This will then put no sound into the  horn to interfere with the speaker sound. Drop the needle on the  record and at the same time hit play on the iPod and the audience  will be none the wiser.
>>> 
>>> In case, for your recording, you want a real 78RPM wide-groove  record, there's a guy named Charles Bork out in Seattle who can cut  it for you. This can then be plated and pressed as a 10" vinyl  record, playable with a 78 stylus but not playable on an old Victor  turntable (it will be chewn to bits on its first play).
>>> 
>>> -- Tom Fine
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Grimes"  <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2014 3:57 PM
>>> Subject: [ARSCLIST] shellac 78 problem
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Greetings ARSC!
>>>> 
>>>> I am new to the list, so I hope I am corresponding with you all  in  the proper manner with this email.  If not, just let me know  and I  will redress accordingly.
>>>> 
>>>> I am the Artistic Director of an eclectic contemporary group  called  cordis - and I am in a pickle - hoping you or one of your  members  might be able to assist, or at least point me in a direction.  I very  recently aquired a Victor IV talking machine,  with the foolish  assumed there would some boutique sources out  there that would be  able to press shellac discs.  My research has  indicated otherwise,  and I am now in a bit of a panic as the  ensemble is knee deep in the recording of a new album that is  dependent upon the use of our trusty
>>>> Victor.  We can always fake it in the studio, but live, we cannot.
>>>> Do you know of any sources who might be able to assist us here? i  am  a neophyte when it comes to understanding this early  technology, so  please forgive me if my query comes across as ridiculous. any  direction you might be able to offer is greatly  appreciated.
>>