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View Full Version : Vinyl records are so 2010... I'm going even more retro



Sad, little man
July 7th, 2014, 02:30 AM
That's right folks, Edison cylinders...

Picked this up in an antiques store yesterday. It's functional, but I have to figure out how to properly mount the horn on it (there are some other parts not pictured to do that.)

Sadly, after I got it, I found out that they made cylinders in 2min. and 4min. play time variations, and this only plays 2min cylinders.

It's louder than you'd expect for something that requires no electricity to play.

Anyway, with this purchase, I think it's time to admit that everyones' accusations of hipsterdom probably have some merit. :o I'm considering a move to Portland just to make it official.

But, when the next massive solar flare hits and wipes out all modern technology, I'm going to be the only one still rocking out to music. :D

(Does anyone else think those big "morning glory" horns have a somewhat sinister appearance?)

http://gtxforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=695&d=1404728623

http://gtxforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=696&d=1404728628

695

696

MR2 Fan
July 7th, 2014, 06:01 AM
sorry, had to:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyMVJglJpM

Sad, little man
July 7th, 2014, 07:16 AM
Heh, yeah, that video is as much of a classic as the phonographs themselves.

The cylinders seem pretty durable... I think that guy just has a death grip on the thing. You can see his hands are shaking.

FaultyMario
July 7th, 2014, 09:38 AM
What's next, collecting tablets?

of the wax and clay varieties, I mean.

Random
July 7th, 2014, 09:47 AM
You should email the Postmodern Jukebox (http://www.postmodernjukebox.com/)guy and see if he can do cylinder presses of his tunes. :D

Sad, little man
July 7th, 2014, 04:45 PM
I've already been scheming how I could make a lathe to record new cylinders for it. It appears that there has been some stuff released on cylinders over the last few years. It seems to be a bigger thing in the UK than over here though. I do wish I had the capability to play 4min cylinders though. With only 2min of play time, it seriously limits the number of modern songs you could get on a cylinder. 4min would be a lot better though.

Anyway, I figured out how the support crane for the horn is supposed to work. I got a piece of flexible vinyl tubing at Lowes to connect the horn to the player. I'm sure that's not OE (you know, since vinyl didn't exist.) But, it works for the moment. Anyway, in conclusion, this thing is badass, and deserves a prominent spot in my house.

http://gtxforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=699&d=1404780275

699

GB
July 8th, 2014, 05:50 AM
I LOVE turn of the 20th Century machines. I have a typewriter and sewing machine from that era, along with some industrial drafting instruments.

Cool stuff.

Is it in bad taste to ask how much you were able to pick it up for?

I'm all about bad taste... what'd it set you back? :assclown:

novicius
July 8th, 2014, 06:51 AM
With only 2min of play time, it seriously limits the number of modern songs you could get on a cylinder. 4min would be a lot better though.
When you figure out how to mint new cylinders, just fade out the music in the last five seconds of the roll?

I mean you've already got the MOAVSS in the basement, this would only be for novelty's sake at a party to make the hipster girls swoon. How much time do you really need to close escrow? :D

George
July 8th, 2014, 07:30 AM
Very cool.

Sad, little man
July 8th, 2014, 07:13 PM
Thanks everyone. I think it ended up costing about $540 plus tax. It came with a second, smaller horn, and eight cylinders. I think it was a pretty good deal. It looks like just a morning glory horn like that can bring $100-$200 in good shape.

I do like it. I like having the very first device ever sold to reproduce music. It's amazing to listen to it and just think about how revolutionary it must have been when it came out. I mean, before this thing, you simply couldn't hear music without having a band right there playing it. That just blows my mind. The whole world was devoid of anything other than live music before this thing came along. It's incredible.

I also like how it is really more of a machine than almost any other music player. I mean, back then, everything was a machine. There was no such thing as electronics. If you wanted to do something, you had to do it mechanically. I would consider the modern turntable to be more of a musical instrument than a machine. It's precise, it's delicate. This thing is totally different. It has a belt, a tensioner, springs, gears... It smells like old grease. It's crude. But it's the best that the late 1800s had to offer. And really it's not too bad, all things considered.

GB
July 8th, 2014, 07:57 PM
Coolness. I was thinking in the $400-range, but considering it actually works, and came with several cylinders, I'd say it was a great deal.

What's on the cylinders?

Sad, little man
July 8th, 2014, 09:23 PM
Music from the turn of the 20th century. :assclown:

I'm still listening to all of them. Some are just instrumental, some have vocals, I don't know, lots of stuff.