History of New Vinyl LPs

History of Materials Used to Build New Vinyl LPs

Here we have provided a concise history to the development of the modern day new vinyl LPs. In this guide, you will learn about the materials used to create records, the adjustments made to the speed at which they played, and enhancements made throughout history which help to create better new vinyl LPs.

Instead of the new vinyl LPs that you are used to today, the early disc records were actually made from a variety of materials, including hard rubber. After 1897, records were made from a brittle formula that included shellac and even a wax lubricant. These records used to be called “unbreakable” compared to their earlier counterpart.

In the late 1930s, records started to become stamped with vinyl to protect them from breaking when being sent in the mail. The problem was, that radio commercials or entire programs were being sent through the mail and tended to bend or break during transit – something was needed to protect these new vinyl LPs. A short time later, in the 1940s, DJ copies of records were being made from the same vinyl material. The transition from shellac to vinyl was starting to take place and due to the new material, companies started to invest more time in developing the records that would ultimately end with our new vinyl LPs.

Columbia Records was instrumental in the development of the modern day new vinyl LPs. Starting in 1939, Dr. Peter Goldmark and his staff worked on developing a technology that would allow consumers to be able to play these records in their home with an inexpensive and reliable system. It wasn’t until 1948 that the new 12-inch LP (Long Play) record was developed. This was first introduced by Columbia Records at a press conference, and a year later RCA released the first 7-inch single album. These records were either made from vinyl or polystyrene, and although they were not as advanced as the new vinyl LPs that we listen to today, they most certainly helped to lay the foundation.

Please click here to continue reading about the developments made to the speed of new vinyl LPs.