What is a shellac record?

What is a shellac record?

Any flat disc record, made between about 1898 and the late 1950s and playing at a speed around 78 revolutions per minute is called a “78” by collectors. Generally 78s are made of a brittle material which uses a shellac resin (thus their other name is shellac records).

Why is vinyl called wax?

The sound reproduced by the wax record was not just music and simple voice recordings but also a myriad of other uses. Wax records were called that because they were actually made of wax. The wax allowed the sound waves to be imprinted on the cylinder so they could then be played back on the same or another machine.

What can you do with old 78 records?

If you have old 78s you’d like to donate, the Great 78 Project will accept your old 78 records and digitize them to post online. But reading their FAQs, it does not appear they will ship those old records back to you.

How do you refurbish old vinyl records?

If scratches are your main concern, here’s how you can repair them using sandpaper:

1. Gently wash your vinyl with water to remove any obvious debris.
2. Grab a piece of 1500 grit sandpaper and wet it.
3. Wet your vinyl as well and place it on a hard, flat surface.
4. Lightly sand each side of the vinyl where there are scratches.

How do you repair old vinyl records?

How to Fix a Scratched Record

1. Step 1: Stabilize the Record. Lay the scratched vinyl record on a flat surface.
2. Step 2: Apply Epoxy. Apply a thin line of epoxy or wood glue to the scratched area.
3. Step 3: Spread Out Glue.
4. Step 4: Remove the Glue.
5. Step 5: Test the Sound.

How do you tell if a record is shellac or vinyl?

Spotting the Differences: Shellac vs Vinyl Shellac is know to be heavier, harder, colder and more rigid. Hold it up by an edge and knock on it. It should almost resonate in a kind of a way. Generally a lot thicker than regular vinyl, but sometimes it’s hard to tell.

How do you get wax off of vinyl records?

Popping the record in a fridge will harden the wax, and make it more likely to lift off in a piece. Isopropyl alcohol should dissolve wax after as much as pooible has been removed. You should probably do it twice, at least, then rinse with distilled water.

How do you get scratches out of vinyl records?

Not absolutely necessary, but you can also add a bit of liquid soap to the sandpaper as a lubricant. Place the record on a hard, flat surface and LIGHTLY sand each side, in the area of the scratches using curving strokes parallel with the grooves.

What do the different colors of vinyl records mean?

These colors represented different genres of music, with classical records being pressed on red vinyl, for instance, and country records being pressed using green vinyl. They did this only for singles, however; all of their albums were made using black vinyl.

How can I digitally preserve my vinyl records?

In an effort to digitally preserve your priceless records you may have considered transferring and restoring your vinyl record collection by using your computer and some audio recording / editing software.

What is the best way to clean old records?

Just as with a record cleaning machine, the best way to clean records is to buy a commercially available record cleaning solution.