Can you play a vinyl record on a windup crank gramophone?

I'm pretty sure most of us have asked ourselves this question, right? I mean, records all look the same and work in a similar way. You can even play some 78 records on certain modern decks.

So can you play a modern vinyl on an old gramophone player? 

There's only ONE WAY to find out - and I'm going to attempt what none of you should do at home. First we need a sacrificial vinyl, and I couldn't think of one better :) Sorry Cliff

** Records WERE harmed in the making of this film! No NOT attempt this at home! **

Conclusion: Yes, sort of. It worked way better than I had imagined it would. The speed is wrong as a single is 45 rpm and the old gramophone records were 78 rpm. So even when I turned the speed as far down as it would go it was still too fast. Also, notice the metal needle working it's way through the vinyl? Even if I could adjust the speed to 45 rpm the vinyl record wouldn't last more than a handful of plays before it was totally destroyed.

Copyright of the song goes to EMI Records, Cliff Richard and Patch Music (read from label)

[davba]

The best thing that’s ever happened to a Cliff Richard record.

[ZachMcCordProg]

you done turned it into a sick hip hop sample 😂

[finkployd]

I think this would actually have really interesting applications for avant-garde sampling. Thank you for recording this.

[englandcalling]

Poor thing stood no chance. I just hope that glorious gramophone has forgiven you.

[pip]

I love how she touches the playing surface of the record she's just gonna destroy anyway because ultimately it won't last at this rate anyway.

[tiga]

There are lots of issues here, tho' I realise this was just a fun exercise! Gramophone needles aren't just a sharp point, they actually have a radius, which does not fit accurately with the grooves of a 45/33rpm vinyl record. Toward the end of the shellac era, there were vinyl 78's, which appear to do ok with steel needles. Stereo vinyl records have a combination of vertical & lateral vibrations. A gramophone soundbox can only follow lateral grooves. Some clockwork motors will adjust to 45 or even 33rpm, but at these slow recording speeds the soundwaves are more tightly compressed. The lightweight & super flexible parts of a pick up cartridge can follow these compressed waves easily, but the parts of a gramophone soundbox are just too heavy & stiff. If they recorded at these low speeds in the early days, the results would have been distorted sound & rapid record wear.

[weegie]

It worked, but it eats your vynil even faster than a crossly.

[billhall]

I tried this when I was about 14. They would play but even just once the record was never the same.

[Timothycan]

I did have a video of playing a 45 on my late grandfather's old windup gramophone, but I have removed the video due to copyright issues. I managed to adjust the speed down to 45, and fixed a sort-of counterweight to the tone-arm, so the tracking weight was greatly reduced. Of course, it was sacrificial to the record, but it did play reasonably well.

[ninjabluewings]

This is Cliff's FINEST CHRISTMAS SONG!!

[fandomgoddess]

@0:33 “And that’s how nightcore was born, dear children.”

[neilsteadman]

I love these experiments. Do you have any more..??

[maestroaxeman]

All I can think of when seeing this video is the movie:
"The Book of Eli"

🎶You can ring my BE-e-ELL! Ring my bell!🎶
🎶You can ring my BE-e-ELL! Ring my bell!🎶

🤣🤣🤣

[Ecksterphono]

I always wanted to hear the sound in the raw in its mechanical glory whether 33 1/3, 45. I want to build a super light weight stylus cartridge system with a small diaphragm which doesn't destroy the grooves on the record and incorporate that on a tube system and amplify that through the tonearm into the horn and use a wooden slide to control the volume. I have an experimental 3 spring Columbia phonograph motor. I might put a permanent magnet toy motor where the speed governor is put a control resistor in there and let the permanent magnet toy motor work as a controlled braking system for the proper speed. That would be a great experiment.

[ladycallidora]

LOL! This made me laugh!! DO NOT try this at home!! HA HA!

[digidoridvideos]

Nice experment! You could try dulling the steel needle by playing an old 78 record for 20 seconds or use toothpicks and then play the vinyl record and you could try facing the soundbox forward just like pathe to play stereo vinyl record, maybe that will play it without fully ruinning the record.

[markpedwell]

My wife has a large collection of cliff Richard records that need this treatment , ,,

[Vinyl_guy]

So the answer is you can but only once

[RobsonCalverley]

1:59 & 2:00 When You Slowed it Down With Your Hand on it. It Sounded Correct for About 1 Second.

[daviddisandro]

i did a supremes 45 on my dads victrola back in the 60s. it actually slowed to 45 rpm or close anyway