Tag Archives: Columbia

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Vita-tonal Columbia Phonographs

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Fancy yourself a look at the 600-800 models of Vita-tonal Columbia Phonographs by, well, Columbia. But don’t take my (minimal) word(s) for it. Here is a snippet of Columbia herself (himself?) pitching the newly developed technology:
In every Vita-tonal Columbia, there is the same careful attention to detail, seen or unseen, whether it be for ornament, convenience, or service. In this marvelous musical creating, the art of the cabinetmaker joins hands with the mechanical genius that has at last achieved a perfect instrument for reproducing recorded sound.
Sounds like a winner, Bobby!
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Ray Price aka Hillbilly Circus

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For straight-forward, late 50’s country with all the twangin’, fiddlin’, and general “hurtin'” that invariably comes with it, Ray Price’s Greatest Hits is a deserving catch-all for those able to stomach the early genre (early being the optimal word, here). With 12-tracks, including the #1 Country Hit, Crazy Arms, RP’s GH has both feet firmly planted within this country legend’s early material (the album having been released in 1963), and is a pretty good representation of the time, and the talent.

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Listening in Depth

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Listening in DepthListening in Depth, as apposed to listening in width, I suppose, is Columbia’s new (at the time) marketing gimmick to sell their “360 High Fidelity” phonographs. “Choose from more than 35 new Columbia phonographs in a wide price range and variety of cabinet designs and colors.” The phonograph featured here, Model 532, is available in mahogany, blonde mahogany, dirty-blonde mahogany, sandy-blonde mahogany, unnatural-blonde mahogany, ditsy-blonde mahogany, or walnut.

Announced in this ad-sert is Columbia sound laboratory’s own Directed Electromotive Power, or D.E.P. for short. This new feature “seals the sound chamber for tonal balance throughout the entire listening range.” (Seals it with a kiss, I suppose.)

Considering a phonograph upgrade to your own private domicile? “We invite you to inspect these portables, consoles and combinations at your Columbia Phonograph showroom today.” Update: All former Columbia Phonograph showrooms have, rather unfortunately, been converted into Jo-Ann Fabrics stores, with the exception of Wisconsin. Those have been transformed into Ben Franklin discount stores.