How Singaporeans Can Revive Their Vinyl/CD Collection

Transport yourself back into the 80s, a fistful of dimes in your pocket as you walk up to your local diner’s jukebox and search for that perfect song to get your groove on. While jukeboxes have been around for decades with some as old as our grandparents, there still remains an appeal for both classic and postmodern jukeboxes even up to this day. Beyond being able to provide audiophiles with a more immersive music listening experience, there are plenty of other reasons why jukeboxes still hold an appeal and appreciating value for all kinds of collectors. In fact, I would argue that the resale price for most jukeboxes can range up to two to three times its original market price depending on its condition, the era it was made in, and many other factors like design, playing mechanisms, and more.  With this, the TMC editorial team has decided to get down to business and work out what is it that still makes jukeboxes so appealing even in the modern age of technology.    Historical Significance Going back to the dawn and rise of jazz that eventually gave birth to the rock n’ roll that we know and love, it would be hard for many of us to disassociate this monumental movement in music from these notorious sound machines.  Starting out in juke joints before finding their place in every diner and bar they could find, jukebox music influenced a generation’s worth of music tastes by deviating away from standard radio tracks. With the ability for customers to choose what they wanted to listen to and bar/diner owners catering towards this demand, sales in record industries eventually began to overperform all other competitors. Jukeboxes were thriving, and this demand also gave way to bigger, better, and flashier models as times progressed.  [caption id="attachment_10538" align="aligncenter" width="612"] A representation of the American Dream during the rise of industrialisation.[/caption] Jukeboxes were also a physical representation of their time. With their bright, flashy colours, and chrome-coloured linings that mimicked automobiles, they practically transport you back to a time in history many of us have only been able to read about in textbooks. Designs did become more streamlined as we neared the early 90s, but jukeboxes had already become a distinct feature of the era, giving birth to the current design model of most postmodern jukeboxes that are now available. Online searches and pixelated images themselves do no justice towards the splendour of a jukebox in real life, and I would argue that despite the years of modernisation and rapid advancements in technology, jukeboxes still manage to create wonderful moments with music that are unreplicable by any other modern music machine.     Brand Representation Nowadays, many avid collectors will usually gravitate towards what are considered the ‘Golden’ brands: Wurlitzer, Rock-Ola, Seeburg, and AMi. Whether it’s due to their historical significance or their unique designs that remain unreplicated in our current era, it’s certainly hard to deny the significance these brands brought to jukebox history. Especially for collectors, out-of-production brands—Wurlitzer, Seeburg, and AMi—have an increased value on the market due to their scarcity and the difficulties you’d face to find either parts or someone with the expertise to make it work the same as the day it was produced. However, even the ‘newer’ Sound Leisure—which still has its own history as the first and only British jukebox crafters—has been steadily seeing a rise of demand and love from casual customers and collectors alike due to their controlled quality of keeping everything handcrafted amongst their small team and factory based in Reeds, England.  Even if you might dispute that brand loyalty or competition is hardly a thing in an industry where there are only two major jukebox manufacturers left, collectors like Ed Liss give us a glimpse into the impact that these brands had during both their heydays and even now. An item’s value is what the collector purchasing it deems it to be, rather than a market listing, so such personal items like jukeboxes are usually big-ticket items for most collectors and enthusiasts.  Close To The Heart: Ed Liss shares the effort and value behind restoring his purchase of the 1647 Wurlitzer 1015.   Recent Popularity Of Analogue In The Modern World In a world of modernisation and accessibility, people are now craving the nostalgic. Whether it’s analogue equipment, TV shows set in the 80s or 90s,  fountain pens over digital notes, and even vinyl records instead of MP3 files, there has been a rising interest in all things vintage or analogue over the last decade amongst both young and old.  But what does this mean, exactly? The rise in technology has certainly made things convenient, but increasing digitalisation has made us as human beings crave the tactile experience of analogue, a unique experience to each individual. Especially with a younger generation that has grown up surrounded by instant but monotonous accessibility of the internet, digitalisation cannot truly mimic the ways in which we experience analogue technology. It’s like an individualised experience that’s catered just for you, bespoke even if you might be in the same room listening to it with someone else.  While it can be argued that this nostalgia phenomenon is definitely not considered something new, it has still given people a newfound appreciation of jukeboxes and all things vinyl. This is especially true for vinyl and jukeboxes in general as they combine what is considered the best of both worlds to create what I label a ‘tactile music experience’—the best description I can give to the rich sound and personality that jukeboxes breathe into the music it plays to give it its own sort of life.  As such, many youngsters all around the world are now investing in jukeboxes for personal listening, even willing to go the extra mile to get them restored to bring us back to that era of nostalgia and simpler times. To me, this is the best indicator of why the price range for collectors in the jukebox market still remains as strong as ever. Demand VS Supply I would call this the most straightforward point of all in why jukeboxes are so favoured amongst collectors. Marketing and Economics 101 would tell you that when the demand for something is greater than its supply, prices will increase to reflect that. This is also true for retro jukeboxes, where production lines have been stopped for decades. If a collector is also looking for jukeboxes within a specific era, model, or design, this can make the demand even higher.  Furthermore, newer jukeboxes are usually made to order or only produced a limited number of models to ensure each jukebox retains its value. This is another reason why collectors will prize retro jukeboxes that have been maintained and are in working, playable condition, easily fetching a price that is worth a few ten thousand dollars! All in all, this is the tip of the iceberg of why jukeboxes still remain so highly sought after by collectors even now and there are plenty other reasons why jukeboxes are and will most probably remain valuable collector items in the future. While its price may be subjective to each individual, the significance and tenacity that jukeboxes have held throughout these decades will only make their value grow more in the years to come.   At The Men’s Cave, we review, curate, and strive to provide quality content and inspiration on the coolest games from all around the world. If you enjoyed this article, why not show your support by signing up for our newsletters (at the bottom of the article) and we will keep you updated on the latest insider articles from all around the world!

Curious about how much effort goes into creating even a single custom jukebox by hand? In this 2014 factory tour of Sound Leisure's one and only factory in Leeds, England, follow our narrator as he shows us around and tells us exactly how each jukebox is made, assembled, and tested within the Sound Leisure factory to create the ultimate audiophile experience.

Did you know that the jukeboxes can be traced back to Thomas Edison, the inventor of cameras and light bulbs? How about the fact that people had to listen to jukebox music using one of the four sharing tubes? These are just some interesting facts about the history of jukeboxes. If you're keen to find out more about the jukebox history, do scroll down for an adventure through time, space and music! [caption id="attachment_8150" align="aligncenter" width="813"] Thomas Edison's Invention of the Phonograph[/caption] Edison's Phonograph 1877 - Firstly, let's talk about the phonograph. Thomas Edison's early phonograph recorded onto a thin sheet of cylindrical metal. While the cylinder was rotated and slowly progressed along its axis, the airborne sound vibrated a diaphragm connected to a stylus that indented the foil into the cylinder's groove. It thus records the vibrations as "hill-and-dale" variations of the depth of the indentation. [caption id="attachment_8157" align="aligncenter" width="906"] An Edison Standard Cylinder Phonograph[/caption] You might be thinking: cylinder? But what about CD or vinyl? Of course, it would be much more convenient to use a flat recording surface instead of a cylindrical one. Charles Cros proposed that in 1877 but never implemented it.   Vinyl Phonograph (Gramophone) [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Vinyl Phonograph (Gramophone)[/caption] 1887 - Emile Berliner patented a variant of the phonograph, named the gramophone. Having an approach similar to Cros', the diaphragm linked to the recording stylus vibrates side to side. It traces a spiral onto a zinc disc very thinly coated with beeswax. But how do you make sure that the indentions stay? Well, the zinc disc was then immersed in a bath of chromic acid, which etched a groove into the disc where the stylus had removed the coating. After which, the recording could be played. The vinyl (or phonograph record) co-existed with the phonograph cylinder from the late 1880s.   Coin Operated Phonograph (Nickel-In-The-Slot Phonograph) [caption id="attachment_8158" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Drawing of the Coin-Op Edison Phonograph[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8159" align="aligncenter" width="995"] 'Regina Hexaphone' Coin-Op Phonograph[/caption] 1889 - Louis Glass and William Arnold invented a nickel-in-the-slot (coin-operated) phonograph with four ‘listening’ tubes. How exactly does it work? Well, slot the nickel into the machine. The phonograph then allowed the listener to turn a crank that simultaneously wound the spring motor and placed the reproducer's stylus in the starting groove. However, at that time, a machine only played one song, and you would need to listen to the recording through tubes. Talk about hygiene.   Phonograph Parlors [caption id="attachment_8151" align="aligncenter" width="995"] A Phonograph Parlor[/caption] 1889 - In May 1889, the first 'phonograph parlor' opened. It featured a row of coin-operated machines, each supplied with a different wax cylinder record. You should be wondering by now: Did musicians have to self-record every single cylinder? Yes, you're right -- each record had to be custom-made. 1890 - By 1890, thankfully, record manufacturers had begun using a rudimentary duplication process to mass-produce their product. An advanced pantograph-based process made it possible to simultaneously produce 90-150 copies of each record. Yet, popular artists still needed to re-record their songs as demand for certain records grew. For instance, George Washington Johnson had to perform his 'The Laughing Song' thousands of times in a studio during his recording career. Mid-1890s - By then, most American cities had at least one phonograph parlor. The phenomenon of phonograph parlors peaked in Paris around 1900: in Pathé's luxurious salon, patrons sat in plush upholstered chairs and chose from among many hundreds of available cylinders by using speaking tubes to communicate with attendants on the floor below. Sounds like a legitimate parlor, doesn't it? 1912 - The phonograph disc record had effectively superseded the phonograph cylinder.   Multi-Select Phonograph & Amplified Phonograph 1927 - Without amplification, it was impossible for a large group of listeners to enjoy the music. Automated Musical Instrument Company (AMI) developed an amplifier, surging the popularity of jukeboxes. It reduced the need to listen through tubes, the main form of listening to music in jukebox history. It was especially popular in the illegal speakeasies of the Prohibition Era because it provided a cheap form of entertainment. AMI sold 50,000 of its amplified machines in one year, bringing to life the age of the jukebox.   Multi-select Jukebox (Audiophone) [caption id="attachment_8165" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Seeburg Audiophone[/caption] 1928 - Justus P. Seeburg, who was manufacturing player pianos, was one of the first manufacturers of a multi-select jukebox. Termed audiophone, this machine was bulky as it had 8 separate turntables mounted on a rotating Ferris-like device. It allowed patrons to select from eight different records.   The Depression 1930s - Record sales plummeted from $75 million in 1929 to $5 million in 1933 as people lost the ability to spend on entertainment. 1938 - The growing popularity of the jukebox and the purchases by store owners that went along with it resurrected the waning music business. That year, the industry had resurfaced at $25 million in sales.   The First 'Jukebox' in History Though we're talking about the history of jukebox here, the word 'jukebox' only came into use in the US beginning in 1940. Jukeboxes were most popular from the 1940s through the mid-1960s, particularly during the 1950s. By the middle of the 1940s, three-quarters of the records produced in America went into jukeboxes. 1940 - That year, there were already 400,000 jukeboxes in use in the US. These jukeboxes primarily played jazz swing (from the 1930s) and early rock and roll music (from the mid-1940s) but also offered classical music and opera choices. WW2 - The production of jukeboxes was halted in the USA in order to pour resources and labour into the war effort. Afterwards, the jukebox industry came back in full swing.   Classic Jukebox (Wurlitzer 1015) [caption id="attachment_8164" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Wurlitzer 1015 Jukebox[/caption] 1940s - Three names remain synonymous with the jukebox history and industry: Seeburg, Rock-Ola and Wurlitzer. Though each company began creating jukeboxes, jukebox design came into its own with the help of a few great designers employed by the companies. 1946 - Wurlitzer 1015 was introduced and became the biggest selling jukebox in history. Along with other spectacular models, it was designed by Paul Fuller and it pushed Wurlitzer to the top of the industry. Wurlitzer models were works of art, featuring rotating lights and art deco styled cabinets. Considered an iconic style, it had tubes of flowing bubbles that moved along the machine's arched top. In Wurlitzer 1015's original run, it sold a total of 56, 246 boxes.   Multi-select Jukebox (Select-O-Matic 100) [caption id="attachment_8162" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Seeburg Select-O-Matic Jukebox, which handles up to 50 records[/caption] In the early days of the jukebox, the 78rpm record was standard and until 1949, only 10 to 24 selections could be played on one machine. 1949 - Seeburg changed the face of jukebox history when it engineered a mechanism that could play both sides of 50 records, a true 100-select jukebox. This mechanism was so reliable that it nearly put all other manufacturers out of business. 1950s - In 1950, Seeburg introduced the first commercial jukebox designed to play the then-new 45 rpm records. They increased the number of records from 50 to 100, eventually settling on 50 or 80 per machine. [caption id="attachment_8166" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Vintage 78rpm Records[/caption] What are 78rpm and 45rpm records though? RPM refers to revolutions per minute. Thus, the speed of 78rpm records was much faster than that of 45rpm. The major advantage that 45rpm records brought to the table was certainly one of size. They were physically smaller than 78s, which meant that the records themselves could be produced less expensively. In terms of audio quality, the two were about the same, so that size quickly became a large part of the reason why 45s quickly surpassed 78s in terms of mass audience appeal.   The Decline of the Jukebox in History Traditional jukeboxes once were an important source of income for record publishers. Jukeboxes were always the first to receive the newest recordings. With advances in technology though, the portable radio (1950s) and the portable cassette tape deck (1960s) were key factors in the decline of the jukebox. 1970s - Jukeboxes became a dying industry, as people sought more convenient alternatives to listen to music. Many companies exited the market at that time, even the ones that contributed greatly to the jukebox history. 1980s - The jukebox industry was revived somewhat by compact disc jukeboxes and digital jukeboxes using the MP3 format. While jukeboxes maintain popularity in bars, they have fallen out of favour with what were once their more lucrative locations -- restaurants, diners, military barracks, video arcades, and laundromats. A growing antique market promoted refurbished classic models. However, these collectibles that were once sold for $750 are now approximately $12,000.   Present Day Jukeboxes [caption id="attachment_8155" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Sound Leisure Vinyl SL45 Jukebox that pays homage to the traditional Wurlitzer 1015 Jukebox. Each jukebox is specially handcrafted for the buyers.[/caption] Now - Only two companies manufacture classically styled retro jukeboxes:Rock-Ola: based in CaliforniaSound Leisure: based in Leeds in the UK [caption id="attachment_8153" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Sound Leisure Vinyl Rocket Jukebox introduced in 2016[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8170" align="aligncenter" width="995"] Mechanics of the Vinyl Rocket Jukebox[/caption] Both companies manufacture jukeboxes based on a CD playing mechanism, but Sound Leisure recently introduced the traditional vinyl jukebox back into the market. It truly pays a tribute to the rich jukebox history.   Interested in owning a jukebox machine in your house? Do check out our range of jukebox machines and our blog for more articles!