518:
phonograph mandrel (this can be fairly easily remedied by gently reaming out the plaster to restore the correct inner diameter) or can warp the cylinder out of round, making it not play properly. In worse cases, the expanding plaster will crack or split the plastic playing surface, rendering the record unusable. Freezing causes any moisture in the plaster to expand but makes the celluloid contract, a combination which can cause the celluloid to split lengthwise very abruptly.
460:
196:
Amberol started a resurgence of interest in cylinder records, but problems soon became apparent. Amberols crack rather easily and could break during playback. Amberols often shattered when they broke, unlike some kinds of 2-minute wax cylinders that would simply crack into a few pieces. Another problem was that wax
Amberols wore out too quickly. Some Amberols mistracked or played with a wavering pitch due to uneven shrinkage during the manufacturing process.
366:. sold kits with gear assemblies and reproducers that could be installed by the owner of an older Edison machine so that both standard and 4-minute records could be played. The Edison company also marketed new models capable of playing both. With these combination machines the operator needed to adjust a knob or lever that shifted gears and make sure the correct reproducing stylus was in position when switching from one record type to the other.
396:
343:
210:
39:
176:
164:
305:
271:
23:
382:
4-minute-only external horn Opera (later renamed
Concert) model of 1911-1912, which used the same mechanism as the IB and III, was initially fitted with the Model L reproducer, which had an elliptical sapphire stylus for playing wax Amberols, but after the introduction of Blue Amberols it shipped with the Diamond A reproducer.
362:
instead of 100. They cannot be played on older machines set up to play only the earlier standard 2 minute cylinders, as both wax and celluloid
Amberols require a smaller stylus tip to fit the finer groove and the worm-gear which moves the stylus over the surface of the cylinder must turn at a different rate.
369:
Internal horn Edison phonographs designed to play 4-minute cylinders were called
Amberolas. The earliest Amberola model, the 1909 Amberola IA, was equipped with selectable 2 and 4-minute gearing, and after initially being sent out fitted with an unmarked Model "L" reproducer with a flattened fishtail
317:
cylinders. A set of special wax
Amberols or Blue Amberols identified by the letters A through H, rather than the more usual numbers, were given away with 4-minute conversion kits sold for updating some earlier 2-minute phonographs. There were Blue Amberol instructional records to accompany the Edison
195:
The four-minute
Amberol cylinder made its debut in 1908. Amberols were made of a fragile, black, wax-like compound which was harder than the original 1902 black wax. This Amberol wax was also used for 2-minute standard records from 1908 until the Blue Amberol appeared in 1912. The introduction of the
361:
Blue
Amberols have a maximum playing time of about 4 minutes and 45 seconds and play at the standard post-1902 cylinder speed of 160 rpm. Like the preceding black wax Amberols, they provide twice the playing time of 2-minute cylinders by using a finer groove with a pitch of 200 lines per inch
312:
Beyond the main popular and sacred music series, which began with record number 1501 in 1912 and ended with record number 5719 in 1929, Edison offered a special line of prestigious
Concert Blue Amberols of opera arias, light classical pieces, and other "cultured" music performed by "name" artists,
296:
from
Diamond Discs. The dubbing technique used was non-electronic (the disc phonograph horn played into the cylinder recording horn) until December 1927, when electronic dubbing was introduced. This resulted in a somewhat hollow "dead" sound on the cylinders compared to the original discs. On many
381:
After an Edison factory fire in
December 1914, the Amberola line was simplified in both mechanical and cabinet design, resulting in the 4-minute-only Amberola 30, 50, and 75, each model number indicating the initial retail price in dollars. They were equipped with the Diamond C reproducer. The
377:
Upon the introduction of Blue Amberols in 1912, the M reproducer was supplanted by the Diamond A reproducer, which was designed for playing only celluloid cylinders. Its small-tipped conical diamond stylus and increased stylus pressure would seriously damage wax cylinders. External horn Edison
517:
core. This core is proving to be problematic for the long-term survival of Blue Amberol Records, as the plaster often tends to expand over the decades, especially if exposed to moisture or kept in humid conditions. In moderate cases, swollen plaster can make the record not fit properly on the
150:
from 1912 to 1929. They replaced the 4-minute black wax Amberol cylinders introduced in 1908, which had replaced the 2-minute wax cylinders that had been the standard format since the late 1880s. Blue Amberols can play for as long as 4 minutes and 45 seconds and have a surface layer of the
278:
By 1912, the shortcomings of the wax Amberol were obvious. Edison, who did not want to pay royalties to Thomas B. Lambert for his celluloid cylinder patent, eventually bought it and changed production over to a thin but tough blue-tinted celluloid reinforced with a
634:"add a separator before "UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive" -> Edison Record: 7234. "Fairhill wheelman march and two step." / Mandolin solo by Samuel Siegel with piano accompaniment by Frank P. Banta. | UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive"
283:
core. The introduction of these "Blue Amberols" helped to hike cylinder sales. The early Blue Amberol releases offered excellent audio quality for their era — better, in fact, than later issues, because from January 1915 onward
482:
378:
phonographs were available with the Diamond B reproducer. Several other Amberola models less expensive than the IA (and later the 4-minute-only IB and III) were available, such as the V, VI, and X.
322:
training, Blue Amberols for the French and German markets, special 2-minute Blue Amberols for the rural Mexican market, and 6-inch-long (15 cm) dictation instruction cylinders for the
469:
354:
on a molded plaster core. The celluloid surface is able to withstand hundreds of playings with only a moderate increase in surface noise if played on a well-maintained machine with a
633:
547:
716:
481:
665:
711:
706:
326:
that were essentially long Blue Amberols and remained in production for many years after the demise of the cylinder format as an entertainment medium.
669:
374:
styli for playing wax cylinders. There is at least one known example of an early Model M reproducer also fitted with a flattened fishtail weight.
496:
on guitar, preserved and digitized as part of the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
370:
weight that was recalled almost immediately as being "unsatisfactory", was refitted with the Model "M" reproducer with flip-over 2 and 4-minute
417:
231:
56:
576:
566:
Examples of poor quality wax Amberols are "Stars and Stripes Forever" (in the US section) and "Poppies and Wheat" (in the British section)
525:
and therefore flammable. Being an organic plastic, celluloid is subject to chemical decomposition, but acute deterioration, as seen in
443:
257:
122:
330:
103:
661:
75:
155:, which Edison tinted a trademark blue color. Edison brand phonographs designed to play Amberol cylinders were named Amberolas.
701:
421:
235:
60:
82:
89:
406:
220:
529:
reels, has so far rarely if ever been observed in Blue Amberols or other (e.g., Lambert, Albany Indestructible, and
425:
410:
239:
224:
49:
71:
530:
363:
314:
293:
285:
143:
542:
301:
is low enough, 80 rpm disc surface noise can be heard starting up shortly before the music begins.
139:
96:
584:
675:
514:
280:
522:
17:
695:
609:
489:
298:
147:
526:
289:
480:
395:
342:
209:
38:
680:
505:
319:
304:
493:
351:
270:
175:
163:
152:
22:
371:
323:
329:
292:
phonograph records, began to release cylinders which were acoustically
288:, which had been concentrating its efforts on improving the quality of
355:
610:"Blue Amberol Records (1912 – 1929) | Museum Of Obsolete Media"
341:
328:
308:
Various phonograph cylinders. The Blue Amberol is second from left
303:
269:
21:
346:
Close-up of the mechanism of an Amberola, manufactured circa 1915
389:
203:
32:
458:
318:
School Phonograph, ICS language courses, Blue Amberols for
681:
First musical recordings made in Puerto Rico found -
548:
List of Edison Blue Amberol Records: Popular Series
63:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
297:dubbed cylinders, when the cylinder's own 160 rpm
603:
601:
666:Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project
682:
313:later supplanted by the distinctively tinted
8:
424:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
238:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
444:Learn how and when to remove this message
258:Learn how and when to remove this message
123:Learn how and when to remove this message
717:1912 establishments in the United States
670:University of California, Santa Barbara
662:Edison Blue Amberol cylinder recordings
559:
503:
26:Top of a Blue Amberol Record cylinder
7:
712:Record labels disestablished in 1929
422:adding citations to reliable sources
236:adding citations to reliable sources
61:adding citations to reliable sources
687:(news site on YouTube - in Spanish)
577:"4 Minute Cylinders - Full Details"
488:A 1909 Edison Amberol recording of
14:
707:Record labels established in 1912
581:Cylindersontheweb.angelcities.com
470:Samuel Siegel and Roy Butin play
350:Edison Blue Amberols are made of
504:Problems playing this file? See
478:
394:
208:
174:
162:
37:
48:needs additional citations for
608:Curator, Museum (2013-06-18).
513:The "Amberol" plastic is on a
1:
386:Archival storage of cylinders
169:Blue Amberol Record packaging
583:. 2005-04-08. Archived from
521:The Blue Amberol plastic is
138:was the trademark name for
733:
638:Cylinders.library.ucsb.edu
15:
151:"indestructible" plastic
333:"Amberola 75" phonograph
533:) celluloid cylinders.
702:American record labels
683:
463:
347:
334:
309:
286:Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
275:
144:Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
72:"Blue Amberol Records"
27:
543:List of record labels
462:
364:Thomas A. Edison, Inc
345:
332:
307:
273:
25:
418:improve this section
315:Royal Purple Amberol
232:improve this section
200:Edison Blue Amberols
136:Blue Amberol Records
57:improve this article
358:in good condition.
191:Edison wax Amberols
464:
348:
335:
310:
276:
28:
614:Obsoletemedia.org
483:
454:
453:
446:
268:
267:
260:
133:
132:
125:
107:
724:
686:
649:
648:
646:
645:
630:
624:
623:
621:
620:
605:
596:
595:
593:
592:
573:
567:
564:
515:plaster of Paris
492:on mandolin and
485:
484:
461:
449:
442:
438:
435:
429:
398:
390:
281:plaster of Paris
274:Lid of packaging
263:
256:
252:
249:
243:
212:
204:
178:
166:
142:manufactured by
140:cylinder records
128:
121:
117:
114:
108:
106:
65:
41:
33:
732:
731:
727:
726:
725:
723:
722:
721:
692:
691:
684:Notiséís 360 PR
658:
653:
652:
643:
641:
632:
631:
627:
618:
616:
607:
606:
599:
590:
588:
575:
574:
570:
565:
561:
556:
539:
511:
510:
502:
500:
499:
498:
497:
486:
479:
476:
465:
459:
450:
439:
433:
430:
415:
399:
388:
340:
264:
253:
247:
244:
229:
213:
202:
193:
188:
183:
182:
181:
180:
179:
171:
170:
167:
129:
118:
112:
109:
66:
64:
54:
42:
31:
20:
12:
11:
5:
730:
728:
720:
719:
714:
709:
704:
694:
693:
690:
689:
678:
673:
657:
656:External links
654:
651:
650:
625:
597:
568:
558:
557:
555:
552:
551:
550:
545:
538:
535:
531:US Everlasting
523:nitrocellulose
501:
487:
477:
468:
467:
466:
457:
456:
455:
452:
451:
434:September 2019
402:
400:
393:
387:
384:
339:
336:
266:
265:
248:September 2019
216:
214:
207:
201:
198:
192:
189:
187:
184:
173:
172:
168:
161:
160:
159:
158:
157:
131:
130:
45:
43:
36:
29:
18:Edison Records
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
729:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
699:
697:
688:
685:
679:
677:
676:Civilisations
674:
671:
667:
663:
660:
659:
655:
639:
635:
629:
626:
615:
611:
604:
602:
598:
587:on 2004-06-07
586:
582:
578:
572:
569:
563:
560:
553:
549:
546:
544:
541:
540:
536:
534:
532:
528:
524:
519:
516:
509:
507:
495:
491:
490:Samuel Siegel
475:
473:
448:
445:
437:
427:
423:
419:
413:
412:
408:
403:This section
401:
397:
392:
391:
385:
383:
379:
375:
373:
367:
365:
359:
357:
353:
344:
337:
331:
327:
325:
321:
316:
306:
302:
300:
299:surface noise
295:
291:
287:
282:
272:
262:
259:
251:
241:
237:
233:
227:
226:
222:
217:This section
215:
211:
206:
205:
199:
197:
190:
185:
177:
165:
156:
154:
149:
145:
141:
137:
127:
124:
116:
105:
102:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74: –
73:
69:
68:Find sources:
62:
58:
52:
51:
46:This article
44:
40:
35:
34:
24:
19:
642:. Retrieved
640:. 2005-11-16
637:
628:
617:. Retrieved
613:
589:. Retrieved
585:the original
580:
571:
562:
527:nitrate film
520:
512:
471:
440:
431:
416:Please help
404:
380:
376:
368:
360:
349:
311:
290:Diamond Disc
277:
254:
245:
230:Please help
218:
194:
135:
134:
119:
110:
100:
93:
86:
79:
67:
55:Please help
50:verification
47:
30:Record label
664:, from the
696:Categories
644:2016-01-20
619:2016-01-20
591:2016-01-20
554:References
506:media help
320:Morse code
83:newspapers
16:See also:
494:Roy Butin
405:does not
352:celluloid
338:Technical
219:does not
153:celluloid
113:July 2008
672:Library.
537:See also
372:sapphire
324:Ediphone
668:at the
472:Gavotte
426:removed
411:sources
240:removed
225:sources
186:History
146:in the
97:scholar
356:stylus
294:dubbed
99:
92:
85:
78:
70:
104:JSTOR
90:books
409:any
407:cite
223:any
221:cite
76:news
420:by
234:by
59:by
698::
636:.
612:.
600:^
579:.
148:US
647:.
622:.
594:.
508:.
474:.
447:)
441:(
436:)
432:(
428:.
414:.
261:)
255:(
250:)
246:(
242:.
228:.
126:)
120:(
115:)
111:(
101:·
94:·
87:·
80:·
53:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
