With the prevalence of compact disc technology and MP3 players, many young people have never even seen phonograph needles. For many, the old record players are unnecessary. However, collectors still love their vinyl records and the old-fashioned record players that play them.
Few people are aware that the first disc music players were in use as early as the mid eighteenth century. They were essentially music boxes that used a disc with raised grooves striking against strings inside the box. They had no needle, and generally played operatic type of music. It was not uncommon for people to own several discs with different songs on them.
Those original music players had to be cranked just like the first vinyl record-playing turntables did later. This design performed much the way a wind-up toy does. With the popularity of electricity, the electric record player came into being. Some of these first electric players were encased within a piece of furniture which was a center piece of many living rooms.
The fact is, these record players were widely popular long before television was even invented. People had their radios to sit around and listen to shows like The Shadow. The ability to play their favorite music at will resulted in the vinyl record becoming a favorite among housewives who enjoyed listening to music while they did their household chores.
For record collectors who wish to refurbish an old record player, there are many parts and accessories available online. The needle hooks into a turntable cartridge, which then connects to an arm. This arm is brought out and rested onto the record as it spins, making the music play.
The average needle purchased today is a plastic piece with a diamond tip. In the past other hard materials such as ivory, bone, or gem stone were used. Because this needle is made from such a hard material, it has to be set very carefully upon the delicate vinyl record.
In fact, the biggest drawbacks of these vinyl records were their vulnerability to damage. The phonograph needles were very hard, solid pieces. Any disturbance to the player, be it something heavy being dropped or a child running through the room, could cause the arm to skip across the face of the vinyl, scratching it. A badly scratched record is basically ruined. Heat and humidity also damage these records by warping them. Once a record has been warped, it will no longer play the music properly.
Few people are aware that the first disc music players were in use as early as the mid eighteenth century. They were essentially music boxes that used a disc with raised grooves striking against strings inside the box. They had no needle, and generally played operatic type of music. It was not uncommon for people to own several discs with different songs on them.
Those original music players had to be cranked just like the first vinyl record-playing turntables did later. This design performed much the way a wind-up toy does. With the popularity of electricity, the electric record player came into being. Some of these first electric players were encased within a piece of furniture which was a center piece of many living rooms.
The fact is, these record players were widely popular long before television was even invented. People had their radios to sit around and listen to shows like The Shadow. The ability to play their favorite music at will resulted in the vinyl record becoming a favorite among housewives who enjoyed listening to music while they did their household chores.
For record collectors who wish to refurbish an old record player, there are many parts and accessories available online. The needle hooks into a turntable cartridge, which then connects to an arm. This arm is brought out and rested onto the record as it spins, making the music play.
The average needle purchased today is a plastic piece with a diamond tip. In the past other hard materials such as ivory, bone, or gem stone were used. Because this needle is made from such a hard material, it has to be set very carefully upon the delicate vinyl record.
In fact, the biggest drawbacks of these vinyl records were their vulnerability to damage. The phonograph needles were very hard, solid pieces. Any disturbance to the player, be it something heavy being dropped or a child running through the room, could cause the arm to skip across the face of the vinyl, scratching it. A badly scratched record is basically ruined. Heat and humidity also damage these records by warping them. Once a record has been warped, it will no longer play the music properly.
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Needlefinder.net specializes in Turntable Cartridges. Visit them online for details! (http://www.needlefinder.net)
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