[Jukebox-list] Re: dinking 45s

[David Breneman]

--- Nigel Pugh <pughn at npsyssoft.force9.co.uk> wrote:

> Well, in the 50's, 60's, over here almost all singles had a centre
> you could
> push out to play on jukeboxes. Once out, it would not go back in
> again, and
> you discarded the middle bit. They were made like this.

Several record companies in the US, especially Capitol, made
45s with snap-out small-spindle adapters.  Remember, the large
center hole was part of the 45 specifications, and allowed the
use of 45 drop changers which handled the record from the center
hole rather than the edge, and therefore cycled faster and with
much less damage to the record (RCA had one that could cycle in
one second).  The snap-out adapter was provided mainly for people
with home drop changers that did not accommodate the larger hole,
and allowed the record to still be in spec when it was broken out.
My dad had a Webster-Chicago drop changer that needed adapters to
play 45s.  All 45s made in the US, with a few "sytle" dictated
exceptions, still adhere to the physical 45 standards and have the
large center hole.  The issue in Europe seems to be that RCA
Victor's patent cross-licensee, EMI, had no interest in licensing
the 45 specifications (which were, like the Philips Compact
Cassette, licensed for free just to enforce the standard) to other
manufacturers, and so chaos ensued, resulting in the non-standard
center holes so many European 45s have today.


David Breneman         david_breneman at yahoo.com


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