Why Everyone Should Have Their Very Own Piece of Americana History:

"It is easy to understand why someone would invest in a crank phonograph, and it is easy to understand why that person would want to own a handful of old records to play on the machine. But why do some people go overboard? Why do some collectors own so many machines that their homes resemble museums? Why acquire so many heavy 78s that reinforcements are needed for the house? I am one of those phonograph fanatics. When guests visit me, they cannot sit in the living room since Victrolas stand where chairs should be, and I can never hang their coats since every closet is filled with 78s or wax cylinders. But I can give reasons why some people are plain nuts for machines and old recordings.

Justifying to a loved one an investment in a phonograph is simple work. To own one of the better phonographs is to own a work of American craftsmanship at its best. It is easy to marvel at machines made by companies like the Victor Talking Machine Company and the Edison Company since they manufactured very sophisticated products for the home. A well-maintained or restored machine can produce a full-bodied sound. You could be surprised by the tone of Victor's Credenza model or even an ordinary Edison machine--let's say a Standard or Home model--equipped with an "S" reproducer for playing two-minute or four-minute cylinders.

Some cabinet machines are worth owning just for the elegance of the woodwork. Victor machines with external horns not only add class to the home but can be great investments. Outside horn machines keep going up in value. (Avoid those horn machines sold through mail order catalogs, some of which end up in shops. These are hastily-assembled outside of the United States from very cheap parts.)

Phonographs help us visit the past better than most antiques, letting us duplicate the listening pleasures of previous generations. I know a few people who purchased their first phonograph because it reminded them of their childhood. They have memories of younger days when they visited someone--grandparents, an uncle, an aunt--who played a Victrola as a treat if the kids had behaved. People can usually buy one phonograph and be satisfied.

Why collect old recordings? Collectors insist performances recorded long ago can sound best in their original format. Much is lost in the transfer of original 78s to compact disc, especially when sound engineers rush their work or "improve" the sound by using a NoNoise or similar system, which some music lovers say robs the music of brightness or brilliance. Digital processing can eliminate surface noise--pops, ticks, rumble--but too often leaves a muddy sound. Even patient sound engineers doing straight transfers can lose a little sound.

Some collectors say that owning original recordings helps them understand America's musical past in a special way. I hear them joke about how popular Alma Gluck's "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny" once was (did everyone in America buy this 78?), and they know firsthand how incredibly rare certain jazz and blues performances are (did nobody buy those great Paramount or Black Patti discs in the 1920s?).

A final reason some people collect old 78s and cylinders is that they view money spent on rare items as a "sound" investment--the pun is intended. I cannot explore here what old recordings are likely to increase in value since that is a rich topic for a future article. But I will say that investing in 78s and cylinders only pays for those who know what they are doing. Not everything will go up in value, and much junk is out there! Research is needed. Certain books are essential.

Listening to old music gives collectors great pleasure, so even if their records don't prove to be good investments in 20 years--let's say too much money was spent on Hawaiian cylinders or Jesse Crawford's organ 78s--buying old recordings will not have been a total waste."