Shellac is easier to scratch than metal, and it resists moisture, making it an ideal candidate for music records. This resin can be scraped off, dissolved in alcohol, and reformed into liquid shellac. Lac bugs, or kerria lacca, are scaly bugs that secrete lac onto trees. Plastic wouldn’t be invented for another seven years, in 1907, and scientists were getting creative.Įnter, the female lac bug. Shellac: The Natural PlasticĪround the turn of the century, record companies (or soon-to-be record companies) were trying to design the perfect material to produce these new sound recordings on. These discs were initially made of glass and were later switched to zinc and eventually plastic. About ten years later in 1887, Emile Berliner improved upon the technology by creating recordings on flat discs, using his patented gramophone. The cylinder used to record this at the time was large and inefficient. With his first model ready to launch, he recorded himself, saying, “Mary had a little lamb.” Thus, these were the first words ever recorded on the phonograph. Their precursor was the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison in 1877. Records were the second generation of voice recording technology. 2008 – The vinyl revolution begins as record sales increase.1984 – Cassette tapes surpass vinyl records in sales.1963 – Cassette tapes are introduced into markets.Consumers now have three standard speed options. 1948 – 33rpm LPs are released by Columbia Records made of vinyl.1925 – Electrical recording takes over acoustic recording.1910 – 78rpm becomes the standardized speed for all records.1901 – 10-inch 78rpm disc record is made from shellac.1887 – Emile Berliner developed a method to record onto a flat disc.1878 – Music is recorded onto a cylindrical record for the first time.1877 – Thomas Edison modeled the first phonograph and recorded his voice.To give you an idea of how each of these records came into being, here’s a timeline of the major events. But the question remains: What is the difference between these speeds? And why were they chosen in the first place? To answer these questions, we’ll have to take a little dive into history. Most high-quality lp players & record players will come equipped to turn at these three standard speeds. These numbers refer to the rate at which the record spins on the record player, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). One, in particular, has to do with three numbers: 33, 45, and 78. Now, as record sales are skyrocketing, the age-old questions are resurfacing. And before vinyl, there were only shellac records. LPs, for example, didn’t enter the lexicon until 1948. These are all words that describe the same thing. Conversely, if you use a stylus designed for a 33/45 record on a 78 record, the needle will sit at the bottom of the groove and pick up additional noise.Records, vinyl, LPs. This means that if you use a stylus designed for a 78 record on a 33/45 record, the stylus may skim across the record because it doesn’t fit properly into the groove. It is important to note that the stylus for a 78 rpm record is different (larger) than the stylus for a 33 rpm or 45 rpm record because the grooves for the 78 records were wider than the 33/45 records. The weight balance will also ensure that, along with the proper needle, the needle will sit properly in the groove and optimally pick up the desired audio. This will minimize skips caused from scratches as well as the hissing and warbles that are common with older warped records. In the image to the left a Two Squares technician balances the weight of the needle on the surface of the record. There are low cost USB turntables available to consumers that connect to your computer that will yield a low quality capture, but a high quality conversion requires a high end turn table with a pressure controlled (weight balanced) armature and the appropriate needle selection for the album speed considering that not all record grooves are the same.