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November 16, 2022 5:07 pm  #1


What Were These Things Actually Called?

A friend and I were having one of our usual ridiculous arguments about what that yellow spiral thing we used to put in the middle of a 45 rpm record was actually called. Did they have an official name? I always called them "centrepieces." He insisted they were "spiders."

Others who got involved maintained they were simply "centres." Another was positive they should be called "spindles." But I thought the spindle was the big straight thing that stuck up from a turntable that you slid the record down on. (God forbid we should ever talk about anything really important!)

So we agreed we'd leave it to the board to potentially settle this argument. Was there ever an actual official name for the item below? If so, what is it?

 

November 16, 2022 5:14 pm  #2


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

"Spiders" seem to be the term, but in the 70s and 80s, I only ever heard 45-rpm adapter or spindle adapter.


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 16, 2022 5:23 pm  #3


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Here's the history...according to Electrohome, as well as a Wikipedia entry.

Last edited by DeepTracks (November 16, 2022 5:25 pm)

 

November 16, 2022 5:49 pm  #4


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

The picture on that page (below) actually has "adaptor" written right on it. Oddly, that never came up during our discussion. I'm thinking that may be it, although it changed over the years.  

     Thread Starter
 

November 16, 2022 6:36 pm  #5


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

My parents referred to these things as "centres", and that term still sticks with me to this day.

Got a bunch of records, both LPs and 45s, from their collection, and I still remember my mom playing our 45s of, say, Peter Schilling's "Major Tom" (pictured in my little office/studio display) or Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", and walking a very young me through the process of putting the "centre" on the turntable of our "space-age" Electrohome 712 stereo, putting the record on the 'table and dropping the needle on the leader groove.

 

November 16, 2022 7:31 pm  #6


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

And record stores would have a glass fishbowl full of the small yellow pieces of plastic by the cash register for customers to take a couple of on their way out.

Last edited by betaylored (November 16, 2022 7:33 pm)

 

November 16, 2022 9:39 pm  #7


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

They were not always yellow, although that was the predominant colour. I remember seeing a few red, orange and green in my day. Our first "stereo" record player was a Seabreeze with detachable speakers.

 

November 16, 2022 10:21 pm  #8


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Was there a reason why the 45 RPM records had to have a larger hole?


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

November 17, 2022 4:01 am  #9


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

turkeytop wrote:

Was there a reason why the 45 RPM records had to have a larger hole?

There's a bit of info on that here:
https://bloggerhythms.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-do-45-rpm-records-have-big-holes.html


Also, the always interesting Techmoan and his exploration of audio (and video) formats and technology did a great video on this in 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbFgVjijrHI

Last edited by AspectRatio (November 17, 2022 4:01 am)

 

November 17, 2022 10:21 am  #10


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

turkeytop wrote:

Was there a reason why the 45 RPM records had to have a larger hole?


I remember buying the odd 45 that didn't have the large hole, or had something similar to the above picture where you could remove the centre piece. I usually just left them in.  When working in radio, the odd 45 had a similar pressing as an album with no large hole.  These singles worked on the turntable just as well as a regular 45. 

 

November 17, 2022 10:29 am  #11


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

At the beginning Columbia was backing the LP (1948), while RCA was backing the 45-rpm discs the year after.  They were used as multi disc "albums" just like 78-rpm shellac albums.  They would even have staggered sides just like countdown show records used to have, but that was so they could be stacked in sequence on a record changer.  In fact RCA, made a changer specifically for these new 7" records.  Originally they were NOT intended to be "singles"

On promo discs, many times there are small holes, but by the time these were common, 45-rpm discs were not in competition with LPs.  I do recall in the mid 80s that Virgin Records dispensed with the large hole, and issued promo AND stock singles with the small hole.
 

Last edited by Jody Thornton (November 17, 2022 10:30 am)


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 17, 2022 3:51 pm  #12


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

These days, the 45 adapters have three small pins that weren't there in the original ones. 

 

November 17, 2022 4:37 pm  #13


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

I'm surprised they still make them. Although vinyl has been making a comeback and some people still have all their old singles, I can't believe they're still churning these things out. But they are, and you can find them on Amazon.com - 100 of them, no less, for just $25 U.S. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 17, 2022 4:38 pm  #14


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

The logo of Boom 97.3 

 

November 17, 2022 5:09 pm  #15


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

RadioActive wrote:

I'm surprised they still make them. Although vinyl has been making a comeback and some people still have all their old singles, I can't believe they're still churning these things out. But they are, and you can find them on Amazon.com - 100 of them, no less, for just $25 U.S. 

Plus, I would only use these on a record changer (I do have an old Garrard Autochanger for kicks, so now I know where to got get 'em).  But I'd never use these on a proper turntable.
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 17, 2022 7:01 pm  #16


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

$25 US for a bag of 100 is a rip off.  

 

November 17, 2022 8:03 pm  #17


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

paterson1 wrote:

$25 US for a bag of 100 is a rip off.  

I can't find a "single" thing wrong with that argument
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 17, 2022 9:09 pm  #18


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Jody Thornton wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

$25 US for a bag of 100 is a rip off.  

I can't find a "single" thing wrong with that argument
 

Looks like Mr. Thornton may have the "vinyl" say on this topic...

 

November 17, 2022 9:48 pm  #19


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

paterson1 wrote:

Jody Thornton wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

$25 US for a bag of 100 is a rip off.  

I can't find a "single" thing wrong with that argument
 

Looks like Mr. Thornton may have the "vinyl" say on this topic...

Very good paterson


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 17, 2022 10:21 pm  #20


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

In our house they were called a "Chickadees" and I have no idea why.

I have quite a few 45's with the smaller hole and no need of an adapter.

Maybe since the mid 80;s I have the black adapter that came with the turntable and pictured below in the middle with a random selection of my 45's. On the lower left is a Flexi Disc. During the new wave era the ones with the smaller hole were quite common especially by UK groups or import singles.

Jody I have a number of singles on Virgin from the 80's including a bunch by XTC but I did not have the time to check those.

Last edited by Fitz (November 18, 2022 12:27 am)


Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

November 17, 2022 10:29 pm  #21


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Early 80s Virgin singles did have the large RCA-type spindle hole.  I recall Culture Club, XTC's "... Nigel", Human League (from the Dare LP) and Roxy Music having them.  The first small hole I saw was on "Human" by Human League, and also when Virgin went to the dark blue labels with the type-written font, they were all small holed.  (eg... Paula Abdul, Neneh Cherry, Lenny Kravitz...etc)
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 18, 2022 12:23 am  #22


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Jody Thornton wrote:

Early 80s Virgin singles did have the large RCA-type spindle hole.  I recall Culture Club, XTC's "... Nigel", Human League (from the Dare LP) and Roxy Music having them.  The first small hole I saw was on "Human" by Human League, and also when Virgin went to the dark blue labels with the type-written font, they were all small holed.  (eg... Paula Abdul, Neneh Cherry, Lenny Kravitz...etc)
 

Will have to check the XTC 45's but I just thought of something that Flexi-disc pictured and also others that I have may be a 12 inch 45 in reverse so to speak. A 7 inch disc that plays at 33 and a third so it's a not a 45.
 

Last edited by Fitz (November 18, 2022 12:26 am)


Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

November 18, 2022 2:33 am  #23


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

markow202 wrote:

The logo of Boom 97.3 

And Boom 101.9 Ottawa and Boom 99.7 Cornwall too.

 

November 18, 2022 8:46 am  #24


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

I checked the XTC singles and three had the big hole but one from 1986 had the small one. Also most of the Flexi-discs play at 33 1/3 including the one pictured below as does does The Beach Boys EP that came with the Holland album. Looks like a 45 but is not.

Interesting exercise going through the old small discs I found few that I did not remember having such as Redbone's "Come and Get You Love" which had a small hole and was from the early 70's.




Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

November 18, 2022 9:01 am  #25


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

haydenmatthews14 wrote:

markow202 wrote:

The logo of Boom 97.3 

And Boom 101.9 Ottawa and Boom 99.7 Cornwall too.

I believe it's the logo of all the Boom stations, with the exception of the two Bell-owned stations in the Province of Quebec.


PJ
 


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

November 18, 2022 9:07 am  #26


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Jody Thornton wrote:

Early 80s Virgin singles did have the large RCA-type spindle hole.  I recall Culture Club, XTC's "... Nigel", Human League (from the Dare LP) and Roxy Music having them.  The first small hole I saw was on "Human" by Human League, and also when Virgin went to the dark blue labels with the type-written font, they were all small holed.  (eg... Paula Abdul, Neneh Cherry, Lenny Kravitz...etc)
 

I remember when Virgin went to the dark blue label there was also a blurb on the sleeve, something to the effect that they believed that customers preferred the small-holed 45s, but they welcomed comments both pro and con.



PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

November 18, 2022 9:32 am  #27


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Paul Jeffries wrote:

I remember when Virgin went to the dark blue label there was also a blurb on the sleeve, something to the effect that they believed that customers preferred the small-holed 45s, but they welcomed comments both pro and con.
PJ

That was on my "Human" 45 that I bought at Melody Lane in 1986 (in Centre Mall)
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 18, 2022 9:39 am  #28


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

There was an attempt to make 45s more than just singles. I honestly don't know if the "extended play" (or "EP") 45s from years past (which contained more than just two songs on the "A" and "B" side) ever made a big dent in Canada. But I seem to recall it was a big deal in the UK, especially on some of the early Beatles records. They looked exactly like a 45 but offered more music. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 18, 2022 10:07 am  #29


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

One thing I noticed about small-holed 45s is that they were less prone to per-revolution wow and flutter. This is usually caused by a 45 that's not centered perfectly on the turntable platter, causing the tonearm to bob back and forth slightly as the record spins, thereby creating that pitch deviation. I often found with big-holed 45s I would have to experiment a little bit and figure out what side of the hole needed to be pushed against the adaptor to minimize that. (Usually there was a tiny bit of space between the hole and the adaptor). With small-holed 45s that was generally less of a problem, assuming it wasn't pressed off-center. If it was, you were pretty much out of luck. At least the big-holed 45s gave you some wiggle room to work with.


PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

November 18, 2022 10:39 am  #30


Re: What Were These Things Actually Called?

Paul Jeffries wrote:

One thing I noticed about small-holed 45s is that they were less prone to per-revolution wow and flutter. This is usually caused by a 45 that's not centered perfectly on the turntable platter, causing the tonearm to bob back and forth slightly as the record spins, thereby creating that pitch deviation. I often found with big-holed 45s I would have to experiment a little bit and figure out what side of the hole needed to be pushed against the adaptor to minimize that. (Usually there was a tiny bit of space between the hole and the adaptor). With small-holed 45s that was generally less of a problem, assuming it wasn't pressed off-center. If it was, you were pretty much out of luck. At least the big-holed 45s gave you some wiggle room to work with.
PJ

I have two bad offenders in this area,  My 45-rpm disc of Rocky Burnette's "Tired of Toein' the Line" was BADLY pressed off-centre.  I returned it, and bought new disc but it exhibited the same issue.  I got a good dub of it by playing it without the spindle.  That took some patience.  Remember, I was ten in 1980 - what a nerd!

Now this next one saddened me, simply because in 1999, ANY records were hard to get.  So when I was able to go to Stardust Records in east Hamilton, and get Cher's "Believe" on a 45-rpm single, people who knew I was a vinyl fanatic couldn't believe their eyes.  But alas, it was just off-centre enough to ruin the experience, especially since CDs and digital were so much more common then, and free of wow and flutter, the 45 stuck out like a sore thumb.


Cheers,
Jody Thornton