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This recording is rather interesting because it could be one of the first commercially available vinyl 78 rpm records and in addition it may also be in stereo.
There are a number of reasons for these beliefs: -
- The contour of the disc. The edge is characteristic of both Philips group and Pye group recordings at the time (33s and 45s).
- The disc is slightly flexible.
- The centre label has the same contour as an lp with the label being raised slightly to prevent scuffing on an Auto-changer (this is a type of record deck that you could stack up to ten discs on, and when one finished the next would drop down).
- The playing surface is characteristic of a stereo recording, however due to the use of a mono stylus (as used for 78s) the stereo content has been lost.
The recording does exhibit surface noise that would be uncharacteristic of a vinyl disc. This is most likely because of shellac dust from playing conventional 78s. The other reason is that stereo and vinyl discs should be played with smaller styli and as there was no indication on the disc as to how it should be played is it any wonder that it lost its original quality.
It was around 1960 - 1962 that the manufacture of 78 rpm records ceased for the UK market. There have been over the years the occasional special release on 78.
It is also noteworthy to mention that production continued for various export markets, notably India, Africa, South America and The Philippines, to name but a few. Some of this poduction was carried out in the local markets.
It is not widly known that some Beatles recordings were issued on 78 for these markets. The last of which was Let It Be.
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On further investigation the recording is infact not a stereo recording, after all because there is no vertical content in the grove. Stereo recordings have both a lateral and a vertical component and the stylus moves in a +45 and -45degree angle.(see Figure 1) showing the groove.
Close examination of the label area confirms that this is a vinyl recording (Figure 2 showing the slight recess) also the edge being tapered (Figure 3) and the stress lines at the centre, on the run out grooves indicate that the disc was injection moulded (Figure 4).