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.
The first turntables were basic music boxes created in the eighteenth century. They had a disc with raised grooves on the surface which hit strings as the turntable spun. These music boxes did not have a needle, and they played primarily opera and classical music. It was the first time people were able to play music at home without having to actually play the instrument.
Much like the first record players that used vinyl records, these music boxes had to be cranked by hand. The mechanics behind them was very similar to a windup toy one might buy for their children. As electricity became available to the average household, electric record players were introduced. These first electric phonographs were encased in a large piece of furniture.
These electric players were introduced long before television sets were prevalent in homes. The radio was still the primary source of entertainment for most people, and there were many shows played on the radio for entertainment. However, being able to play favored music at will was a great boon to housewives who were able to enjoy music while doing housework.
Record collectors now love to find old turntables and fix them up. Most parts and accessories necessary can be located online. The needle is a part separate from the turntable cartridge. The needle goes into the cartridge which hooks to an arm. This arm is then set on the vinyl record.
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.
This brings us to a drawback of the vinyl record, scratches. It was very easy to scratch these records because the phonograph needles were so hard. If there was a sudden thud from children running or something large falling, it was not uncommon for the arm to jump off the record and scratch all the way down the record. These scratches would make the record essentially useless. In addition, excessive heat and humidity could ruin and warp the records as well.
The first turntables were basic music boxes created in the eighteenth century. They had a disc with raised grooves on the surface which hit strings as the turntable spun. These music boxes did not have a needle, and they played primarily opera and classical music. It was the first time people were able to play music at home without having to actually play the instrument.
Much like the first record players that used vinyl records, these music boxes had to be cranked by hand. The mechanics behind them was very similar to a windup toy one might buy for their children. As electricity became available to the average household, electric record players were introduced. These first electric phonographs were encased in a large piece of furniture.
These electric players were introduced long before television sets were prevalent in homes. The radio was still the primary source of entertainment for most people, and there were many shows played on the radio for entertainment. However, being able to play favored music at will was a great boon to housewives who were able to enjoy music while doing housework.
Record collectors now love to find old turntables and fix them up. Most parts and accessories necessary can be located online. The needle is a part separate from the turntable cartridge. The needle goes into the cartridge which hooks to an arm. This arm is then set on the vinyl record.
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.
This brings us to a drawback of the vinyl record, scratches. It was very easy to scratch these records because the phonograph needles were so hard. If there was a sudden thud from children running or something large falling, it was not uncommon for the arm to jump off the record and scratch all the way down the record. These scratches would make the record essentially useless. In addition, excessive heat and humidity could ruin and warp the records as well.
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