1. You need a VERY SMOOTH felt /fiber pad for the TT -- otherwise, the record will "catch"; you won't be able to hold it in place....
2. Depending on the type of TT felt/fiber....it CAN cause some real abrasion on the "B" side of the disc you're "slipping".....!!!:)
Both statements very true, Oldie919.
We had very good felt pads, so it wasn't a problem. And concerning Point # 2, I know some DJs who put a 33 rpm record on the TT and then would use it as a pad to play 45s. Wow, talk about abrasion on the 'B' side. About as bad as the 'cue burn' on those old cheap 45s.
Maybe this is a sign of my age, but ya know, Tim...I'd think you'd sell a LOT of that stuff, even in a small town. And yeah, a REMOTE would be epic!
Tim, which Stanton model do you use for The Oompa Hour? I see the T-62 and the T-92 models. The T-92 has the high torque motor. I see it new for $299.
Slip cueing. Yeah. I had to at a few stations. At one, where we had RCA 16" monsters, I actually made a slip cue platter. Two of 'em. I took two old 33s, and covered them with gray felt. I glued a plastic 45 adapter to each one.
Slip cueing a 33 is a LOT easier! Less chance of jumping. And our felt was rugged! No catching or felt fibers! It was like suede! I think that was RCA proprietary felt. Gates had similar felt on their 16"s.
The slip mats that come on Stantons are good. I've slip cued on Stantons. Really the reason for slip cueing was to get past the "cue burn". Once in a while, I'd come across a bad one. Cue it right to the sound. Talk over the damn thing and hope they didn't hear it. LOL!
Wish I could find a decent Russco. Or a QRK. Or, a beautiful restored Collins! I'm freakin' dreamin'. I ain't got ONE vinyl record! (Laughs)
Doug
How about a picture?
This morning I am very tempted to take the drive north to take a look at the vinyl racks.
I have never been able to resist the beauty of a flat 12" album cover and the precious grooves within...
I only have 10,000 vinyl albums and have figured it would take 4-years to play them all back-to-back, but am always aware of records I don't have and maybe Tim's store might be the mother lode.
The sound of a stylus tracking a groove.. I could listen to it minus the music...
I use a pair Stanton T-92's for the Oompah Hour, and any other music shows I do (I've put together a few special "one of" shows now and then). I use vintage Stanton 500 cartridges with the old style DJ styli in them. Those suckers will track through just about anything. Lots of those great old polka records are pretty beat up!
Up until this past year I did the show on a Technics SL-1900, which is an automatic turntable -- which was not good for Dj work. I went in and removed every speck of automatic operation hardware from it's guts, put in my own manual power switch, and turned it into a good DJ table. I used to do the show with just the one turntable, cueing up the next record in my headphones while I was jabbering between songs!
TIB
Day one at KEBS Records was pretty good! Sold enough to cover a couple months rent for the space (which is pretty cheap LOL) which I was leasing anyway. Gave out lots of station bumper stickers and store business cards. I was quite pleased with the number of 16-17 year olds buying real rock and roll albums. One kid who just turned 16 bought several Rolling Stores LP's, and knew about a lot of the early rock and roll stuff in the racks. Even the lady who runs the store next door to us bought a Whitney Houston LP. You just never know.
Today should be even better, there will be a LOT of people doing the "Vintage North Shop Hop" which is actually pretty well advertised, and we're one of those shops, and the weather is predicted to be fabulous -- mid 60's and Sunny, which up here is like heaven.
We do have a Facebook page for the store (that's how all the shops advertise up here). I think you can get there at facebook.com/kebsrecords (Not an expert on all that -- my daughter is the social media expert) and I think you can see an active panoramic shot inside the store. Assuming your computer, or phone or whatever is capable of doing it. It's all new fangled to me.
TIB
That's what my daughter calls it anyway. The only advertising we did was Facebook and opening the doors during a busy weekend of shoppers coming through town on the "Vintage North Shop Hop" kicking off the season up here. The 22nd we'll open for Record Store Day and do some advertising and do some promotions.
But I thought you might find the list of artists sold to be interesting. We had a wide range of ages shopping for vinyl, from teenagers to old farts, to one hard core collector who was a "complete jerk" says my daughter, because all the records we have in stock were "common". Well, except for him, all the shoppers were listeners not collectors. Here's a list of artists sold, all either LP's or 45's:
Mickey Mouse (Mickey Mouse Rocks)
Bruce Springsteen
Joan Jett
Grand Funk
Dick Clark (oldies compilation)
Whitney Houston
Rolling Stones
Tom Petty
Otis Redding
Bob Dylan
Johnny Horton
At The Hop (oldies compilation)
John Lennon
Buddy Holly
Odetta
Elvis Costello
Suzi Quatro
Neil Young
Linda Ronstadt
Frank Zappa
Madonna
Ray Parker Jr.
Janis Joplin
Pink Floyd
Eric Clapton
Peter, Paul and Mary
Simon and Garfunkle
Rod Stewart
The Who
Beatles
Bad Company
Pete Townsend
So, that's a pretty good swath of artists. Rolling Stones were the top seller. I believe Tom Petty was second place. Dylan is always popular since he live in, and went to high school 30 miles from here in Hibbing. One woman walked in, grabbed the Elvis Costello LP off the wall, bought it and left. A previous shopper must have alerted her that it was here. She came specifically for that and knew it was here.
We had several people comment something like "Look! The radio station is open"! LOL. This spot, as you may know has been my Part 15 station "office" for nearly three years. Rarely were we in there -- the studio is at the house -- but I would meet clients there, people who wanted to record their own ads, etc. But now it was open to the public for two days in a row, racks of records waiting, the station playing. We got quite a few listener comments, gave out a bunch of station bumper stickers, etc.
So, good PR for the station, generated revenue, and was fun on top of that!
Since all these "boutiques" and antique stores, etc are only open a couple weekends a month it should stay fun -- it won't turn into going to work there everyday. Although my daughter hopes it does -- she wants a BIG record store, and wants to add what she's calling a "rockabilly line of clothing".
TIB
Reading through the list of records sold at Tim's super-part-time store was interesting... it shows that popular music is popular.
Of course Tim may not have any unpopular music, so it may not be a scientific survey.
It would be fun to have a small area in the back marked "Unpopular Music" and see who goes back there.
I'm really getting into this. I may open a Tim's Franchise down here in the Mid-Mississippi Valley.
wow a young 16 year old kid into the Rolling Stones that is quite phenomenal. Well I certainly do hope that you'll find more of those types of people and maybe we can spread the word to the masses. Maybe there is actually some hope after all.
Probably half the buying customers were younger, highschool, may be up to college. One teenage girl bought a handful of 45's. I can't remember what she bought, but I thought "Hey, another kid with taste". LOL. We write up purchase receipts for all sale and list the artists sold on them, so I can keep an eye on what's selling so I know what people are looking for.
Of course, on the other hand, if you're coming to a record store you've not looking for the latest rap and hip-hop, etc. So I wouldn't expect those folks. But still there ARE people under 50 with record players who need records!
TIB
He mentions Vinyl in his song:
Opening the Worlds Smallest Record Store, where there is no place to buy vinyl for 100 miles has generated interest. This week I'm being interviewed for TWO slots on the area 100,000 watt FM public station about the store and my lifelong passion for vinyl. This is simulcast on a second 100,000 watt FM in another market 100 miles away.
Additionally yesterday I was interviewed for the local paper as well.
Naturally since KEBS Records is associated with KEBS Radio this will be good PR.
All leading up to National Record Store day on Saturday the 22nd.
Who knew it would be this big of a deal!
TIB
I remain shocked at how successful a 10x8 foot record store in a town of 681 people can be. of course customers are coming from 60-70 miles away. And we're only open one or two weekends a month.
I've been interviewed on two 100,000 watt FM stations about the store, had an article in the local paper and several articles in surrounding papers and business organization magazines. The novelty of a record store, the worlds smallest record store, and being in a tiny town all seem to pique interest. Friday we have a Duluth TV station here interviewing me and shooting video of the store for a couple hours! Supposed to be on the news next week.
I remain astounded.
I'm selling a lot of needles, too. Where did all these people who need record needles come from?!?
We have established an account with the largest wholesaler in the country for new CD's, vinyl, equipment, etc and will begin offering new vinyl including new releases and reissues as well. We son't be selling any CD's however, it's a RECORD store LOL.
But here's a list of every artist we've sold so far on LP. This does not count 45's. Artists are listed each time one of their records sells. So you see many Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc. But thats a heck of a lot of records for a store that's only been open 4 weekends so far! Obviously there are no new artists on here as we're not selling any new vinyl this month. And even then a lot of the new stuff will be reissues. But a diversified list indeed!
Mickey Mouse Rock
Bruce Springsteen
Joan Jett
Grand Funk
Dick Clark Oldies
Whitney Houston
Rolling Stones
Rolling Stones
Tom Petty
Ghostbusters Soundtrack
Tiffany
Otis Redding
Bob Dylan
Janis Joplin
Pink Floyd
Eric Clapton
Johnny Horton
At The Hop (Oldies collection)
Simon and Garfunkle
Rod Stewart
The Who
The Police
Bad Company
Beatles
Pete Townsend
Odetta
Bruce Springsteen
Elvis Costello
Suzi Quatro
Neil Young
Neil Young
Linda Ronstadt
Frank Zappa
Madonna
Madonna
Grateful Dead
Bob Dylan
David Allen Coe
Rolling Stones
Merle Haggard
Bob Dylan
Black Sabbath
Neil Young
Bob Dylan
Lita Ford
Joan Jett
Beatles
Jethro Tull
The Animals
Queen
Toto
Paul McCartney
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Elton John
Johnny Cash
Bobby Vinton
John Denver
Rowdy Country – Various Artists
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Harper Valley PTA Soundtrack
Foreigner
Willie Nelson
Kiss
Madonna
Prince
Kiss
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Joni Mitchell
Moody Blues
Boz Scaggs
Al Stewart
Eagles
Edie Brickell
Surfaris
Sam and Dave
The McCoys
Bob Newhart
Wailers
Wham
Kenny G
Doors
Johnny Mathis
Buddy Holly
James Galway
The Wolverines
Al Hirt
Woody Herman
Coolies
Herbie Hancock
Argo Jazz
Kinks
Rolling Stones
Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
Ray Charles
Elvis Presley
Sam Cooke
John Anderson
Bobby Vee
Aretha Franklin
Laura Brannigan
Bryan Adams
Suzi Quatro
Queen
Elvis Presley
Sam the Sham
Elvis Presley
Paul Revere and the Raiders
The Big Bopper
Paul Anka
Surfaris
Deep Purple
Donovan
Eagles
Jeff Beck
Kiss
Kiss
ZZ Top
Billy Joel
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Simon and Garfunkle
Lyle Lovett
Little Richard
Frank Zappa
Robert Gordon
Madonna
The Hollies
Strawberry Shortcake
Electric Light Orchestra
Stevie Wonder
Herb Alpert
Rod Stewart
Kinks
Alice Cooper
Joe Walsh
Todd Rundgren
Led Zeppelin
Styx
Beatles
Beach Boys
John Denver
Sammy Hagar
Paul McCartney & Wings
Bee Gees
Linda Ronstadt
Lovin' Spoonful
Beatles
Kenny Rogers
Willie Nelson
Rocky Horror Soundtrack
Jean Luc Ponty
Beatles
Prarie Home Companion Anniversaty
Powdermilk Biscuit Band
Eddie and the Cruisers
TIB
You need one of those DIY recording booths that make a 45 rpm record like they had at various locations in the 50's.
What a gimick that could be for a record shop-make your own vinyl record!