yea we call them transcription discs... Want to see how they were cut in WW II go to Record Lathe used for recording Transcriptions http://www.smecc.org/star_spangled_radio.htm click on the little picture and see it get big. Read the article neat stuff. The acetate was put over metal or during critical war years glass was used as aluminum was needed for planes.... Look at the rest of the AFRS/AFRTS VOA section follow the links up and down it is fun! any questions? Ed Sharpe archivist for SMECC > Subj:Re: Audio Advice - LPs > Date:5/16/2006 6:50:34 PM US Mountain Standard Time > From:[log in to unmask] > To:[log in to unmask] > Sent from the Internet > > > > Hi Daniel, > > The only thing I can add to what Richard Hess said is that these discs that > you have are called acetates. Unlike regular LPs, these are made of a thin > layer of metal coated by lacquer. They weren’t designed for multiple use, > and they’ll literally deteriorate a little bit each time you play them. > > The best advice would be to have someone transfer them to high quality tape, > > analog or digital. Leave all the concerns about what kind of needle to use > to them. The tapes are what should be played and used for reference. > > The less handling you give them, the better. Do NOTuse a regular cleaning > brush on them at all! As far as preservation goes, there’s unfortunately > very little, if anything, that can be done to preserve them for the long > haul. Acetates weren’t designed to last anywhere near as long as standard > LPs, and they’re very susceptible to humidity in addition to physical > handling, so to some extent time is working against you on these. > > There’s a digital restoration process called No Noise Solution Systems, > which assigns a wavelength to every frequency in the recording, then allows > you to alter or remove any that you wish. It’s what a lot of record > companies use when the only recording available is a 78 (say, a Charlie > Parker or old blues recording). This process allows for “pops” and “clicks” > > to be completely removed, with only a minimum of music (or whatever) being > compromised. I could be wrong, but I believe this to be a rather expensive > process. > > On the more positive side of things, the fact that they’re “Radio Reference > > Recordings” would suggest that the material on them is unique, and may very > well only exist on the discs that you have. > > Good luck! > > Hathaway > > > Hathaway Hester Thanks, Ed Sharpe, Archivist for SMECC See the Museum's Web Site at www.smecc.org We are always looking for items to add to the museum's display and ref. library - please advise if you have anything we can use. Coury House / SMECC 5802 W. Palmaire Ave. Phone 623-435-1522 Glendale Az 85301 USA A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>