Never assume.... - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Edward Huggins · 28th Feb 2021, 10:16 am

For years I have tended to think that most people will know things that are second nature to me. The older I get, the more I realise that this is not so.
I recently had to assist a young online Buyer of a Dansette fitted with a groove-grinding Acos GP59 mono cartridge. It was sold as being "truly original" - and indeed it was! He was having problems with tracking and surface damage to his expensive 180 gram re-issues. I think you can tell where this is headed....
I was trying to explain the issues arising using key words like "Stereo", "Mono", "LP", "Microgroove" and he kept on nodding, but still staring blankly at me.
It was only when I use the word "Vinyl" he knew I was actually talking about his Gramaphone Records!
It came as quite a cultural shock for me. I now just feel that little bit older and sadder.

Ekcoman · 28th Feb 2021, 10:35 am

Absolutely agree Edward. A few years ago I sold an old Dansette Tempo to a film studio making a tv series called "The Rebel". I got a phone call whilst they were filming asking how to operate the auto drop for a 12" LP. Yep, we assume....

Michael Maurice · 28th Feb 2021, 11:59 am

I've had phone calls from people who after having their record player/radiograms serviced couldn't understand why when a record was on the turntable and they switched to auto, the deck would switch off.

They apologised when I told them the auto only worked when there was a record on the stacker shelf ready to be dropped!

wd40addict · 28th Feb 2021, 12:40 pm

CD is now almost 40 years old. So the everyday use of 'vinyl' and the folk memories that accompanied it are fast fading. Autochangers were already on their way out in the 70s. The smartphone generation have never seen a stack of records on an autochanger, nor have any clue why a 78 is different to an LP etc etc, to them it's all new and they have to learn.

The reverse situation occurred when I bought my first smartphone and the youngster behind the counter couldn't understand why I wasn't already fully conversant with Android!

28th Feb 2021, 2:35 pm

Everybody and every institution and every shop, and every online market assumes you do have a smart 'phone. I now have (thanks Paul Sherwin) a dumb 'phone for the singular use of two factor authorization, I haven't turned it on for a month.

emeritus · 28th Feb 2021, 4:43 pm

My wife was unable to buy a new autochanger when her record player died in 1980.

My wife still uses an unsmart phone, and our banks, building societies, and credit card providers have supplied us with card readers for 2 part authentication. Our mobile phone signal indoors is too unreliable for timely text reception.

28th Feb 2021, 10:16 am	#1
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	Never assume.... For years I have tended to think that most people will know things that are second nature to me. The older I get, the more I realise that this is not so. I recently had to assist a young online Buyer of a Dansette fitted with a groove-grinding Acos GP59 mono cartridge. It was sold as being "truly original" - and indeed it was! He was having problems with tracking and surface damage to his expensive 180 gram re-issues. I think you can tell where this is headed.... I was trying to explain the issues arising using key words like "Stereo", "Mono", "LP", "Microgroove" and he kept on nodding, but still staring blankly at me. It was only when I use the word "Vinyl" he knew I was actually talking about his Gramaphone Records! It came as quite a cultural shock for me. I now just feel that little bit older and sadder. __________________ Edward.

28th Feb 2021, 10:35 am	#2
Ekcoman Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southend, Essex, UK Posts: 663	Re: Never assume.... Absolutely agree Edward. A few years ago I sold an old Dansette Tempo to a film studio making a tv series called "The Rebel". I got a phone call whilst they were filming asking how to operate the auto drop for a 12" LP. Yep, we assume.... __________________ "I really am seriously downsizing "

28th Feb 2021, 11:59 am	#3
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,224	Re: Never assume.... I've had phone calls from people who after having their record player/radiograms serviced couldn't understand why when a record was on the turntable and they switched to auto, the deck would switch off. They apologised when I told them the auto only worked when there was a record on the stacker shelf ready to be dropped! __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

28th Feb 2021, 12:40 pm	#4
wd40addict Octode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK. Posts: 1,518	Re: Never assume.... CD is now almost 40 years old. So the everyday use of 'vinyl' and the folk memories that accompanied it are fast fading. Autochangers were already on their way out in the 70s. The smartphone generation have never seen a stack of records on an autochanger, nor have any clue why a 78 is different to an LP etc etc, to them it's all new and they have to learn. The reverse situation occurred when I bought my first smartphone and the youngster behind the counter couldn't understand why I wasn't already fully conversant with Android!

28th Feb 2021, 2:35 pm	#5
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Never assume.... Everybody and every institution and every shop, and every online market assumes you do have a smart 'phone. I now have (thanks Paul Sherwin) a dumb 'phone for the singular use of two factor authorization, I haven't turned it on for a month.

28th Feb 2021, 4:43 pm	#6
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Never assume.... My wife was unable to buy a new autochanger when her record player died in 1980. My wife still uses an unsmart phone, and our banks, building societies, and credit card providers have supplied us with card readers for 2 part authentication. Our mobile phone signal indoors is too unreliable for timely text reception.