At Vinyleers, we love everything related to music, especially the fascinating history of records. One particular type of record we often get questions about is the shellac record. Although we don't sell these due to their fragility, we still want to share their story.
Shellac, often referred to as Bakelite in some regions, was widely used in the first half of the twentieth century to make records. These records are much heavier and more brittle than the vinyl records that later became popular. Shellac records need to be played at 78 revolutions per minute, a speed that is no longer standard on modern turntables.
These records require special playback equipment due to their unique characteristics. A standard turntable can't always provide the desired sound quality and care needed for shellac records, especially since they are so fragile. This makes playing shellac a very different process from playing vinyl.
Although we don't sell shellac records online at Vinyleers, we do occasionally acquire them through collections we purchase. If you are interested in shellac records, please send an email to info@vinyleers.com. We will keep you informed when we have some available.
