----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich" <rich-mail at octoxol.com> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l at oldcrank.org> Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 5:49 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Yahoo's Electrola group > That works also. Or "NO PLASTIC CASE" equipment. Some of the 45 rpm > dates from the late 30s. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All of the information I've ever seen says it was introduced in 1949 as an answer to Columbia's LP format. Could someone elaborate a bit on this? Quotes from Keith Wright's article on 45's from CAPS 2004 APN (http://www.capsnews.org/apn2004-1.htm): "The 45 rpm speed was the only one to be decided by a precise optimisation procedure (by RCA Victor in 1948)." "The date generally cited for launch of the RCA 45 is March 31, 1949. Some cite an earlier date, but prior to this the RCA Distributor's Record Bulletins had only records with number starting with 20, 21 and 22. They were all 78s! There were no 45s available for some weeks yet!" ...and a caption from one of the photos reads: "9-EY-3 table phonograph - one of the original 1949 RCA players" Thanks, Robert