Thomas Edison's 4 Minute Blue Amberol Phonograph Cylinder Player

[@phonoboy6578]

If you're curious; yes that is where the term "put a sock in it" originated. Before close horn machines (the ones with doors to adjust the volume) one had no other way to decrease the volume, so people would throw a sock or rag in the horn. It really does work quite well.

[@databits]

+Phonoboy That is a hilarious fact, thanks for sharing!

[@jimmypearce9323]

Have to do the same thing on my machine.....

[@kristina80ification]

I knew of putting a sock in the horn to muffle the sound but I had never thought it might be the origin of that saying. Interesting.

[@pgh45rpms]

And drummers use a sock to baffle sound of their bass drum.

[@brentfisher902]

The sound quality is quite good considering it's sorcery-free (meaning no gunpowder, engines, or electricity). Don't worry about wearing out the blue amberol cylinders by playing them on a wind-up phonograph...they are rated for 3,000 plays before half loudness.

[@MarkShannonroad_videos]

I'm always fascinated by mechanical sound reproduction. My grandmother had a cylinder phonograph, and it blew me away! Just too cool.

[@databits]

Mark ShannonThanks for your comment, Mark. It also fascinates me!

[@spankysmp]

That's amazing databits, 100 years later. We take everything for granted now but just imagine how this was received all that time ago, Music without a singer in the room, music without an orchestra in the room. It must have seemed like witchcraft

[@databits]

spankysmagicpiano Thats exactly the kind of amazement we don't see much of nowadays. Thanks for your comments!

[@comic4relief]

It sounds a bit richer heard directly. Digital video doesn't quite capture it.

[@Wasabi9111]

I hab

[@kenherrera2819]

People would stand in blocks long lines just to say they had heard a "Talking Machine"!

[@pgh45rpms]

The Billy Murray recording dates back to 1916. Called the Denver Nightingale, Murray was one of the most prolific recording stars of the acoustic era.

[@pcuser80]

What a good sound quality. No electronics nice

[@digitalmetadata1]

I agree with Edwin the records are made from celluloid. The device holding the record is called the mandrel not turntable.

[@mynamehasspacesinit8687]

He said mandrel at 4:07.

[@mechanicsnut9800]

Excellent choice of Billy Murray! My favorite acoustic era artist. Take good care of that cylinder for me, it sounds great; nice and loud, with no pops and clicks and no hissing. From that first tinfoil phonograph in 1877 until the demise of the Edison company on black Tuesday 1929; Edison himself truly believed that the vertical cut cylinder was the best form for recorded sound. I'm working on a home gramophone record engraver based on your ideas with a genuine antique spring driven motor, but I also have plans to make an acoustic recorder; although the acoustic will not be able to record adequately on a plastic plate, I will have to make wax blanks for that, ha ha. Love your videos, and thanks for the inspiration and motivation to get this started.

[@databits]

+Mechanicsnut - Awesome news! Please make videos and let me know when you finish your projects!

[@shortyblackwellll]

Mechanicsnut Billy Murray was great! I like Ada Jones too.

[@okbridges]

Got a little hint of an echo there, means your diamond is in need of replacement.

[@collarandhames]

I thought it was a sapphire . My replacement cost 150 rebuilt, and had to give my orig. Worth every penny.

[@okbridges]

@@collarandhames It depends on what reproducer you have. The machine in the video has a diamond model C reproducer and used a diamond point. Most Edison cylinder reproducers use a sapphire except the four diamond models A thru D that were introduced at various times after the Blue Amberol records came out in 1912.

[@collarandhames]

@@okbridges Cool. Mine is a combination machine, but I only have the 4 minute set up. Thanks for the clarification.

[@betterthanamasterofone]

Amazing! I'm reading the Edison biography by Morris now. What an incredible - if unusual - person.

[@Lucius1958]

You're rather lucky there: this is a very early production model of the 30 - note the pinstriping on the bedplate, and the single set screw on the reproducer carriage. (My first machine was a 30 of slightly later vintage, given to me as a birthday present over 40 years ago: it has been my guinea pig for restoration techniques over the years, until I finally got it into a presentable cosmetic condition). Incidentally, that Murray recording is also a favorite of mine: I have the Diamond Disc from which the cylinder was dubbed.

[@luvmyrecords]

Another fun fact: John Phillip Sousa is credited with the derogatory term, "canned music". It comes from the cylinder format, and the canister in which a cylinder is stored.

[@danielarick2105]

Actually it came from the sound quality produced at the time Sousas' first records were on the wax cylinder and the sound quality was not very good hence his rather derogatory term. He said it sounded like it was being played in a can

[@luvmyrecords]

@@danielarick2105 Cool! Thanks!

[@Troupee-Lennon]

Your Amberola Model is fantastic looking great sound off it we love da cylinder I must buy one theses machines I have all horn phonographs I have few KZbin videos up thanks for sharing your knowledge. Troupee..

[@Sirenhound]

so glad there's no copyright strikes on this. 😜

[@databits]

Me too!!

[@snakesghost7817]

I believe the music is considered in the "public domain". Really old music/movies have their copyright expired and are pretty much free for anyone to listen or watch to.

[@michaelsweenie-lane359]

Just bought several of these at an Antique Store in town !

[@RecordCollector96]

Edison Blue Amberols were dubbed from Edison Diamond Discs.

[@Edwin48100]

+Jeremy Passarelli Not the first ones. The first ones were direct recorded from 1912 to early 1914.

[@electronman32k]

all the blue amberols made before 1915 were direct recordings

[@luvmyrecords]

"The Kiss" was a dub, though.

[@timbithar1]

Flat top blue amberols were directly recorded, not dubbed

[@Edwin48100]

Also, these are not vinyl records. The records are made of celluloid! Not Vinyl.

[@databits]

Keywords my friend. Nobody is searching KZbin for celluloid.

[@luvmyrecords]

THAT'S a perspective that I hadn't considered! I actually thought that someone came up with practical a way to make and play vinyl cylinders. (Actually, there already is a practical way. I imagine the equipment Glen Sage uses at tinfoil.com would work fine.) That's what brought me here. Still, great to hear another Billy Murry record, and your Amberola sounds great!

[@HappyDiscoDeath]

I have one of those older 2 minute/4 minute phonographs. Made some vids of the cylinders playing.

[@paulblackman8159]

Billy Murray was everywhere.

[@turkosmopolit633]

Nice. Thanks for sharing !

[@williampalenik7306]

That song on that cylinder record sounded pretty good for how old it is

[@coondogtheman]

Curious if you put the tone arm of a regular record player on this what it would sound like. Kind of like what the mythbusters did when recording sound on clay.

[@HMV101]

It would sound noticeable better than purely mechanical /acoustic playback. This is done all the time by professional archivists and recording restoration experts.

[@zacharybowen4247]

Edison never recorded using vinyl. Those didn't come about until 1948 when 33 and1/3 records were first released.

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

They had vinyl some years before. There was a shellac shortage, record players were established, for children it's an advantage, when the record isn't breakable, so it was used around 1946.

[@mikeabrahams2893]

hi there....some great demonstrations on here from different collectors all over the world. Would you believe it....I m currently saving up for one of these!! ...half paid for in fact...so got that adventure to look foreward to. I have had an Edison Standard machine for a number of years....which plays the very breakable 2minute cylinders...then aquired a Gem which alas has a faulty mandrel thread....but came with an incidental box of mostly four minute blue amberol cylinders. Meanwhile very well presented video here....fine machine. ..and great song!! many thanks for posting!

[@databits]

Thank you for your comments, enjoy your new player!

[@danieldaniels7571]

Alternate title: How to play music on KZbin without a copyright strike.

[@oliwier000b]

It doesn't sound too bad actually

[@danieldaniels7571]

Oliwier 000B It doesn’t sound at all for what it is. My comment was more directed at how far back in time you have to go with the music to not have them mess with you for copyright. If I owned one of those cylinder players I’d probably try to rig it up with a modern phono cartridge to run into the rest of my audio system. It would be worth it to hear Billy Murray like that.

[@Lucius1958]

Incidentally, I notice that the little grille on top is upside down: it should sit fairly flush with the bedplate.

[@databits]

Good eye! I did this because the grille has chipped paint on the top.

[@jdc2506]

I have one just like that, but an older model!

[@neilmansfield8329]

These are good record players

[@databits]

Thank you!

[@olivermundy4220]

Thank you for this delightful demonstration. I have some experience of earlier Edison machines (two Standards, both with 2/4-minute gearing, and a Gem) and have found these a little frustrating because the motors are rather noisy and the speed constantly fluctuates. (This may be partly the result of wear and neglect, of course, but it is clear that the problem existed when the cylinder phonograph was new, since Edison and others were constantly pushing the r.p.m. higher and higher - from about 100 in the early 1890s to 160 by 1902 - in the attempt to achieve steadier running.) I have often wondered whether Edison ever achieved any improvement in this respect, and from this example it seems clear that he did; the pitch seems uniform and I cannot hear the motor at all. Amberola 30s seem to be fairly easy to find; I see I shall have to look for one! Thank you again.

[@jeeprod1]

It is amazing how many people put machines on you tube that sound wobbly and stuff. It is not the fault of the belt drive, it is a matter of learning how to work on the governor. It is possible for a loose belt to cause that, but usually it is the governor. Also, you can put amazing big horns on your Standard and gem, but you cannot do anything with any of the amberola machines, which are plagued by small horns.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Was there ever a problem with wax cylinders melting during the summer months?

[@electronman32k]

nope ive got several. they are actually made from a very hard wax which is more like a metallic soap

[@izhevsk1943]

Edison made different types of cylinders over the years. Blue Amberol celluloid is one of the types. The Amberola 30 in this video is designed to play only 4 minute celluloid cylinders. Other types of cylinders were wax Gold Moulded and Amberol. If you try to play wax cylinders with the diamond stylus of the Amberola 30, it will destroy them. Confusingly, even though the record box says "Amberol" it can't be played on an Amberola 30!

[@danielarick2105]

I read where the term Amberol came from it was the name of the brand of wax that was used,and Anberola was the term used for the machine.Edison did this as some form of competition with Victor,and Columbia and their "ola" suffix

[@izhevsk1943]

Amberol records were created by Edison to compete against other brands of celluloid records. There were some legal problems that prevented him from manufacturing his own celluloid records. I read that Edison pulled the name from thin air. He was using a wax for Amberol records that was of his own recipe. He referred to it as "metallic soap." Unfortunately, the wax was not very durable and dealers often referred to it as "Damnberols," because customers were complaining. I avoid buying Amberol records because they are often worn out and they are extremely fragile. They don't like rapid changes in temperature. If you bring one in the house from the cold and take it out of the box right away, it will shatter. When Edison finally got over the legal issues, he introduced Blue Amberol celluloid records and promptly ended production of wax Amberols.

[@SailorMaxie]

I want to see someone release new music on wax cylinders.

[@databits]

Victrolaguy here on KZbin does that. Check him out.

[@jeeprod1]

@@databits on the internet: Berlin Phonograph Works, Vulcan Cylinder Record Co., and Edisonia Record co.

[@brenttaubert1803]

I have one of those cylinders . It was mixed in with the standard wax ones from my great grandfather’s Type C. I tried to play it on the C. I hope I didn’t ruin it. It is labeled “3786 - Forget Me Not - M. Romain”. I have no use for it and no way to play it. If anyone wants it let me know. Otherwise I will just take it to an antique shop.

[@Jeffrey314159]

The roller you place the recording on is called a 'mandrill'. It looks slightly tapered, perhaps to guide the needle and its arm in one direction?

[@databits]

+Jeffrey314159 - no, the arm and stylus are guided by a turn-screw rotating at the base

[@Lucius1958]

+Jeffrey314159 The tapered mandrel was designed so that one could slip the cylinder on and off without difficulty: Edison featured it on his first wax cylinder Phonograph of 1888.

[@HMV101]

Jeffrey314159 The cylinder surface is not tapered. The plaster core however is slightly tapered to allow east removal from the similarity tapered mandrel. At the same time, this prevents the cylinder being put on the wrong way around.

[@katrinamartin730]

Databits, we have 2 Edison Amberol records. One is blue. Would you like them? We just looking ti get them ti someone that would appreciate them.

[@LazloNQ]

If you still have them I'll take them!

[@geekstronomy3368]

Can you tell me The measurements of the records like the length and with

[@Muswell]

Mine looks exactly the same except it has 8 "slots" on the front of the cabinet instead of 9. . Do you know what model I have? Is it an older or newer model than yours.

[@geekstronomy3368]

do you know where to get a new reproducer/stylus for one of these?

[@spencerbergquist781]

Edison was quite a guy. Can you play this model with the lid closed, it cuts down on the surface noise ??

[@eliaslopez7159]

Ok and... where is the optical output port? 🤨

[@Wasabi9111]

I have that exact same record that you play at 5:10

[@LILPEANUT-1]

Update: thank you for the hearted comment! I made a video on my channel about it!

[@glennmillerfan]

I just got a model 30 Amberola recently and it worked good at first, but now it seems to slow down in the middle of each cylinder. What might be the cause of that problem and is it repairable?

[@databits]

glennmillerfan It could need to be re-sprung or might just need oil in all the right places.

[@glennmillerfan]

databits I brought it over to one of my friends who works cylinder phonographs and he felt that was probably what it needed as well and he was going to look over it for me. I purchased the cylinder from a guy in Kansas and he told me that the cylinder player wasn't used since the late 1960s and sat out in a barn since then. As soon as I get it fixed, I will post a video of it.

[@Rebel9668]

It's been 3 years...where's the video of it?

[@Edwin48100]

The cylinder players were not called record players! They are called Phonographs!

[@Jeffrey314159]

I think these 'cylinder players' were called 'graphophones', at least that is what some call them today

[@bingola45]

+Jeffrey314159 The Columbia machine is called the 'Graphophone'. The Edison is the 'Phonograph'.

[@Jeffrey314159]

I still kinda of think that the word 'phonograph' is used somewhat generically while 'graphophones' today more specifically refers to Edison Cylinder players. That is the information I got from these graphophone cylinder player dealers I met at the Pasadena Rose Bowl swapmeet a dozen years ago..

[@Lucius1958]

+Jeffrey314159 Usually, to an American collector, "phonograph" is a catch-all term for talking machines. In Great Britain and Europe, it is used to denote cylinder machines: disc machines are termed "gramophones". "Graphophone" is only used for Columbia machines.

[@sidecarcn]

It isn't vinyl.

[@skypie1]

What is the name of the song?

[@mikehenson1223]

Aren't you worried about a copyright hit?

[@philipanderson4673]

do you have any idea of what you're talking about?

[@FSCforal]

does it have bluetooth ?

[@saltedbuns3823]

Lol

[@comic4relief]

Seems like you started it a little sloppily there.

[@leowagner1366]

These aren't vinyl. They're wax or celluloid.

[@databits]

True statements.Blue Amberol Records are made of blue celluloid around a plaster of paris core, and play for 4 minutes at 160 rpm.

[@leeshepherd6512]

Edison definitely backed the wrong horse with his cylinder format. Nightmare to store, far too delicate, difficult to mass produce and the problems he could see with the disc (angular velocity) didn't make any difference at the fidelity we are dealing with. He was also far too strict about who he'd allow to record on the format.

[@thomasschenk6163]

Tengo uno igual, saludos desde Costa Rica.

[@databits]

Greetings!!