I recently acquired my grandparents' 1965 Zenith record player. A fine example of 60's style with dark wood grain and flashy chrome. The mechanism required some attention and the needle was practically destroyed. Over the past couple of months I have replaced the cartridge and needle and adjusted the tonearm tension to get it to play correctly. The tension may still need to be tweaked a little, but it is now in nominal working condition. I have the benefit of having 4 play speeds: 16, 33, 45 and 78. It is not only great to hear the most popular 33 1/3 RPM vinyls records, but also the older, thicker shellac 78's.
I have obtained many records recently, scouring numerous Goodwill and Salvation Army stores as well as antique outlets and some record shops. I have gotten some steals at each place I've gone, but I'd have to sa
y getting 30 78's of various artists such as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Harry James for only $3.00 was probably my best find. I have done a bit of shopping on eBay as well, which has its own jab of excitement. Getting a good deal and beating someone else to get it, what more could a thrifty and competitive guy such as myself ask for?!
y getting 30 78's of various artists such as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Harry James for only $3.00 was probably my best find. I have done a bit of shopping on eBay as well, which has its own jab of excitement. Getting a good deal and beating someone else to get it, what more could a thrifty and competitive guy such as myself ask for?!
In addition to my retail finds, I have a few couple great friends who have seen the enjoyment of my new found pastime and have helped my cause by giving me some of their old vinyl. Having musical friends has been a great experience, learning different things from each. All different but all sharing the same love of music. Along this line of thought, I have come to realize there is a greater connection, a greater intimacy with records. In a world of loading cd's and now mp3's and iPod's I think to some degree we've lost the reverence of music. Now there's nothing tangible, just a little box with ear buds. I have found it exciting to stack a few LP's on my turntable and watch brainchild of some engineer at Zenith work almost flawlessly, dropping records, moving the tone arm to just the right spot and then hearing the warm sound floating from the speakers. A wonderful sound to hear, pops cracks and static included!
