Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 2 (1927-11)

66 The Phonograph Monthly Review November, 1927 to make just such a decision, by accepting a position which necessitated my being on the road practically all the time. Imagine what it means to the owner of a library who has been accustomed to choosing whatever strikes his fancy to play, being forced to limit his repertory for weeks at a time to about a dozen disks. I carry a small portable around in my car and a few records, and play as best I can in hotel rooms in the evenings. When I think of what a wonderful companion my phonograph is, I guess perhaps I haven’t sac- rificed so much after all, except the pleasure of being able to choose any particular piece from among the thousands I have. Salesman. Editor, Sacrifice Contest: My sacrifice may be something a little out of the unusual. The particular record craze to which I am a victim is for rare old blues and other negro records, few of which can be pur- chased outright in shops today. The actual money sacrificed is not great, but I spend nearly all my free time in the cause. It could hardly be believed, by any one who has never tried it, how much time and energy can be spent searching through piles and piles of second-hand records in search of a real treasure, or writing to repertory managers, out-of-town dealers, and friends interested in the same sort of thing. There is one record I have been trying to get for years; I have even written the President of the Company pleading for a special pressing to be made, or if the master was lost begging that a Studio copy might be sold to me. The reply was very kind, but even the President was unable to get the work for me— not a single copy remained, to say nothing of a master. The singer herself no longer had a copy;—and at present she is trying to get one for me from her friends’ collections! People may say that to spend so much time in correspondence and second-hand stores is nonsensical, but these particular records are my joy in life, and so far I have stopped at anything short of crime to obtain them! Blues. Editor, Sacrifice Contest: This is not really an entry for your contest, for which prizes are being awarded for sacrifices which are a credit to those who made them. My sacrifice is a discredit, one of which I am ashamed, yet because it may be of help to some of your readers I will mention it here providing my identity is not revealed. I have sacrafi'ced my own love for music and all the pleasure I might have derived from good records by cowardly refusing to admit my tastes among my family which thinks about a waltz is “classical,” “high brow,” and a butt of all their scorn and jokes. Years ago I tried and tried in vain to bring even a light overture record into the house, and I have seldom dared to risk ridicule by attending a concert surreptitiously, for if I were discovered, I was invariably scoffed at for weeks—and I can’t bear discord of that sort in the home. Yet, recently, after reading your magazine and hearing some of the wonderful new records at dealers’ shops, I have ordered a phonograph and am going to buy and play some of these things for myself! I am a man who loves peace and quietness, but ridicule or no, I am no longer going to sacrifice one of the greatest pleasures in life, for the sake of ignorance that laughs at what it cannot, or will not, try to understand! “New Courage.” Editor, Sacrifice Contest: It seems like an old joke, but I actually “sold my shirt” to obtain good records! I was buying a new album set recently and had to choose one from among five, all of which I felt that I must have. The dealer is an old friend of mine, and had previously commented upon the imported broadcloth shirt I was wearing, part of a birthday gift dozen I had just received. I was paying for the one set I could afford and remarked unthinkingly, “Lord, I’d be willing to sell my shirt for those others,” when he took me up and offered to strike a bargain for the remainder of the dozen! And so I got my albums even at the sacrifice of wearing again the well-worn clothes the gift had been designed to succeed. This sounds pretty fishy, I know, but it really did happen, as the dealer can tell you, and he still points me out as the “nut” who actually was willing to “sell his shirts” for good music! C. L. M. Gramophone Tips : 1927 By CAPTAIN H. T. BARNETT, M.I.E.E. 30c Postpaid from The Phonograph Publishing Co. 47 Hampstead Rd., Jamaica Plain, Boston, Mass. A S announced in the Editor’s General Re- view of last month, a small number of Euphonic and Sympathetic fine gauge needles and grips were disposed of at cost price to the first enthusiasts who wished them for test, on the condition that reports would be furnished for the magazine on the results that could be ob- tained under actual trial and practical playing conditions. The first group of these reports follows below and the letters speak so well for themselves (and the needles) that comment is hardly necessary. Next month the remaining letters will be pub- lished and also a few words on the results ob- tained at the Studio where we too have been giv- ing both Euphonic and Sympathetic outfits a care- ful and thorough trial. Thanks are due to the writers of the reports for their evident thoroughness fin testing the needles and reporting upon them. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review" : Following is the report I submit concerning the “Edison Bell Sympathetic Chromic needle and grip” and the “Euphonic needle grip and needle”. I make this report after an even- ing’s tryout. In the first place I found that both of these makes of needles are a vast improvement over any needle that I have ever used. The needles that I have formerly used are as fol- lows: Victor, Tungs-Tone (soft, medium, loud); Steel needles (soft, medium, loud); Fibre; Columbia, steel (soft, medium, loud.) Brunswick—Panatrope, steel, medium; Sonora semi-permanent silvered needles; Tonofone, semi-permanent; Henderson’s Royal Blue steel needles (soft, medium, loud); Halls, fibre needles. Each one of the needles that I have mentioned has its own good qualities and faults. I find that the Edison Bell and Euphonic needles combine all the good qualities of all the other needles but have none of their faults. Before stating my opinion of the Edison Bell and Euphonic needles I will state what I think are the qualities and faults of the other needles. My tests have been on a Victor Orthophonic that sells for $125.00. I don’t know 7 what the results would be on any other phonograph. Victor Tungs-Tone I find cause w r ear on the records. Also the needle is the cause of an uneven vibrating tone. The only good thing that I can say about this needle is that it has volume (i.e., the loud needle) and brings a little color out of the records. But what good is this if this same needle also adds vibration, blast, noise and roughness to the record. However, they put out a good steel needle, although there are other makes just as good or better.. Columbia steel needles especially the loud tone, I find very good but no better than the Victor steel needle. Brunswick-Panatrope steel needles play about five record sides. I find this the best round steel needle. It is smoother than other steel needles, fairly clear but does not draw the color out of the records. Also it has hot the hard tone that other steel needles have. There is also less volume. Sonora-Semi-Permanent silvered needles. Here is one needle that the public has overlooked and for that reason the