Wilcox gay recordio
Recordio: Home Recording in the s
It started out as a favor to a friend. His father had died and left a collection of old records, stacked in cardboard boxes collecting dust on the back porch. My confidant asked me, an audiophile, to sift through the old musty-smelling records and save anything I wanted before the rest went to the thrift store or the trash. I began separating them into two piles: broken and not broken.
I delicately sorted through the records, stumbling upon a broad range of material. I saw Elvis, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, rag time piano hits, Charlie Pride, orchestral recordings of Vivaldi and the fox trot, and a Japanese version of the "Tennessee Waltz" to name a few. These records not only spanned the entire gamut of musical genres, but also the size and material of all records made. I found 45s, 33s, and 78s.
The physical makeup of these records was just as broad. I sorted through vinyl, acetate, plastic, and even cardboard records with a plastic side that played. Then I happened upon a record that looked rather unusual. It was the size of a 78, but it was
In the later years, they made tape recordersPhototone wrote:Yes, they did make wire recorders, and combo wire recorder-record players.briankeith wrote:Did they also make wire recorders?
EdisonPlayer:
The price of the restore depends on what is wrong with it. Crystal reproducer rebuilds, if they are sent to someone, can run upwards of $ Recording head rebuilds should be sent to a professional, with no other attempt on fix, although it may amount a hundred bucks or so. It takes plenty of skill to restore a recording head, from what I've heard. If you're looking for a rec-cap, any respectable radio repairman will do you good. If safety and the well being of your Recordio isn't first priority, I'd suggest hooking it up, and acting test.
If you could provide information on how to chassis is set up, I'd possibly be qualified to tell you how to test the recording head w/o recording materials and a mic.
History of the manufacturer
Wilcox was just a little company in in Charlotte Michigan making radios and transcription recorders. They started out around manufacturing amateur radio components and kits at an office on West Lawrence Ave in Charlotte. In the they branched out into consumer radios. In Paul Gay linked the company forming Wilcox-Gay Corp. They moved into the old Bennett furniture factory and expanded into tape decks, reel-to-reel, televisions, police radios, and log players. They launched the Recordio in which was a major coup. It was advertised to the middle class in both Ebony and Life Magazine and it sold well. It recorded 78 rpm transcriptions with decent fidelity. Musicians recorded on these machines including Les Paul and Johnny Cash. In they sold 25, units. But the world was first stage to adopt magnetic tape and the great depression was hurting them.
In Leonard Ashbach of the Leonard Ashbach Company acquired a controlling interest in Wilcox-Gay. The Ashbach Company already owned Garod and Grundig. Simultaneously Ashbach was privately
Wilcox-Gay
Wilcox-Gay Corp., Charlotte, Michigan
late 's to
Wilcox-Gay Corp., which began in as a small business creating radios and transcription recorders in Charlotte, Michigan. As their business grew so did the product line they carried and in they launched the Recordio.
The Recordio device not only played records but also allowed the user to use a microphone that accompanied the player to record themselves onto a blank record - a "Recordio Disc."
The Recordio machine recorded at 78 rpm with decent fidelity. These machines also included an AM radio receiver. With this function you could document your favorite radio broadcasts to listen to time and day again.
These machines were marketed to the middle class through such media outlets as Ebony and Life magazine.
The player/recorder found its way into the hands of musicians, and Johnny Cash and Les Paul were known to use these devices.
In its debut year the Recordio device sold 25, units, but with the Great Depression underway and the adoption of magnetic tape the Wilcox-Gay Corp. sales declined.