I love the Seeburg library, though it is an acquired taste. I remember when I opened a set of Seeburg "Mood Music" records from October 1963 and had the strange thought that it was not impossible that President Kennedy heard those very songs playing in some hotel or country club weeks before that fateful day.
I always had a dream of curating a database of all of the songs they used, but with a collection of several hundred records, with 15-20 songs per side, that would be a gargantuan task, only doable if a group of Seeburg enthusiasts worked together.
The cost of the Seeburg 1000 BMS (the pretty one) was around $600 in the early 1960s. The BMC (the ugly one) was around $400. I think that for a rough and ready inflation conversion you can add a zero to those numbers. That's why the things were so well built. I agree with you, we had some solid and reliable products!
My pleasure! I lucked out with the art-deco one and found it for a bargain price just as we entered lockdown. Unfortunately, it's just not practical to run Seeburg machines all the time--the needles are absolutely unobtanium and you have to babysit the machine in case of skips in the records. So I built a little mp3 jukebox using a Raspberry Pi and tucked it inside the spare compartment along with a modern amplifier. Now my Seeburg BMS plays my full Seeburg collection all day long 365 days a year! One of these days I plan on doing a video of that build.
I have two BMC 1000 players and want to build a nice case, as you did. In fact, yours is quite beautiful. I have a few hundred of those records which I got on Ebay years ago when they were only $20 a box. Now, look at the price. Whew!
One of these days I'm planning on doing a video showing the details of the case. It'll be an easy video to do, but I'll need to haul the heavy thing around and take it apart--it's worth it if other people are inspired to put their own BMC 1000 players into nice cases.
Wow, I am impressed! Most places only offer 10-inch sleeves for 78s, but Nauck does offer 9-inch as well. They are some pretty fancy looking sleeves--at a dollar a sleeve they ought to be. Thanks!
They were a competitor to Muzak. While Muzak used either telephone lines or FM subcarrier to deliver the music, Seeburg leveraged their jukebox roots and produced a jukebox-like record player that could hold 28 special records holding around 1000 songs (hence '1000' in the name) and they had a subscription service that swapped out 7 of the 28 records once per quarter, providing fresh music. These are the records that I and others collect.
They originally specified 25 records, hence the name of the machine: the records typically held 20 songs per side, so 40 songs x 25 records = 1000 songs...Seeburg '1000'. In later years they increased the length of songs enough that most records had 12-16 songs per side, and they recommended stacking 28 records. This was a service that sent a subset of the stack out fresh each month, so each subscriber would have an identical stack of 25 (or 28) if they kept up with their monthly replacements.
@TadTadd Thank you for the education. I'm assuming they were used for restaurants, shopping malls or elevators etc.... Interesting that these records were some what exclusive to the player given spindle size. I also believe rca had something similar style player just for 45's tho having to flip a instead of playing both sides... not sure if the seeburg was brought here to Australia. Yes we had there jukeboxes here in the 50s n 60's tho I'm sure they were imported...
What is this video about? What is a Seeburg 1000? is that a jukebox? I've never seen a record player like that in my life. The first song, the needle is underneath and it's being pushed thru the grooves instead of being pulled thru.
It's a commercial background music system that used proprietary 9 inch 16 2/3 RPM records with narrow grooves and a double-sided tone arm that played records from below and from the top, to play both sides. The music was subscription-based. Wow, I suspect that I ought to do a video explaining these some day! Techmoan did a proper job of explaining these machines years ago: ua-cam.com/video/8kCHx3_vu9M/v-deo.html
These are absolutely 16 2/3 RPM records. I am playing them on an official Seeburg 1000 BMC (Background Music Compact) that I customized with a neat wood case and brass fittings. They also use a special stylus for the narrow grooves--they are as rare as hens' teeth and only pop up on eBay once a year or so, for a princely sum.
Older consumer turntables wouldn't have played these. These require a commercial Seeburg 1000 player. The center hole is much larger than that of a 45, the record diameter is smaller than a LP but larger than a 45. The grooves require a special stylus. I think the 16rpm setting on consumer turntables was for "spoken word" stuff.
@@TadTadd I heard that 16 RPM "compilation" music records were popular in South Africa, once in a while they pop up on eBay. I think in the US it was mostly used for audiobooks.
Magnificent sound quality, i close my eyes and im at Sears....
I love the Seeburg library, though it is an acquired taste.
I remember when I opened a set of Seeburg "Mood Music" records from October 1963 and had the strange thought that it was not impossible that President Kennedy heard those very songs playing in some hotel or country club weeks before that fateful day.
The track on side A is "Up, Up and Away" by The 5th Dimension (1967) that was re-recorded by 101 String Orchestra in 1969.
I always had a dream of curating a database of all of the songs they used, but with a collection of several hundred records, with 15-20 songs per side, that would be a gargantuan task, only doable if a group of Seeburg enthusiasts worked together.
101 Strings was a great orchestra!
That was very cool to see and hear, what an awesome machine too. Boy we used to make some great stuff in this country!
The cost of the Seeburg 1000 BMS (the pretty one) was around $600 in the early 1960s. The BMC (the ugly one) was around $400. I think that for a rough and ready inflation conversion you can add a zero to those numbers. That's why the things were so well built. I agree with you, we had some solid and reliable products!
5:35- "Witchcraft", featuring a similar arrangement Nelson Riddle wrote for Frank Sinatra.
I dream to find one of those machines! Amazing! Thank you for sharing this moment with us!!!
My pleasure! I lucked out with the art-deco one and found it for a bargain price just as we entered lockdown. Unfortunately, it's just not practical to run Seeburg machines all the time--the needles are absolutely unobtanium and you have to babysit the machine in case of skips in the records. So I built a little mp3 jukebox using a Raspberry Pi and tucked it inside the spare compartment along with a modern amplifier. Now my Seeburg BMS plays my full Seeburg collection all day long 365 days a year! One of these days I plan on doing a video of that build.
Cool. Thanks for your time.
Goof found! Thank you for sharing with us!
I have two BMC 1000 players and want to build a nice case, as you did. In fact, yours is quite beautiful. I have a few hundred of those records which I got on Ebay years ago when they were only $20 a box. Now, look at the price. Whew!
One of these days I'm planning on doing a video showing the details of the case. It'll be an easy video to do, but I'll need to haul the heavy thing around and take it apart--it's worth it if other people are inspired to put their own BMC 1000 players into nice cases.
wouldn't be cheaper to just go get in an elevator.
But that wouldn't be *vintage* elevator music! It's definitely not for everybody though.
😅
sounding like 70-ties !
Nauck makes 9 inch record sleeves for 78s, I'd imagine they'd also work for Seeburg 1000 discs.
Wow, I am impressed! Most places only offer 10-inch sleeves for 78s, but Nauck does offer 9-inch as well. They are some pretty fancy looking sleeves--at a dollar a sleeve they ought to be. Thanks!
The B-side sounds like Bert Kaempfert
I was thinking the same after a few seconds also. Very nice music.
he had the mad hits!
Made when I was on the tail end of second grade.
Same.
Never heard of Seeburg '1000' Records. Were they either Muzak or were they their own version of Muzak?
They were a competitor to Muzak. While Muzak used either telephone lines or FM subcarrier to deliver the music, Seeburg leveraged their jukebox roots and produced a jukebox-like record player that could hold 28 special records holding around 1000 songs (hence '1000' in the name) and they had a subscription service that swapped out 7 of the 28 records once per quarter, providing fresh music. These are the records that I and others collect.
Awesome. How many records can stack on the spindle....😊
They originally specified 25 records, hence the name of the machine: the records typically held 20 songs per side, so 40 songs x 25 records = 1000 songs...Seeburg '1000'.
In later years they increased the length of songs enough that most records had 12-16 songs per side, and they recommended stacking 28 records.
This was a service that sent a subset of the stack out fresh each month, so each subscriber would have an identical stack of 25 (or 28) if they kept up with their monthly replacements.
@TadTadd Thank you for the education. I'm assuming they were used for restaurants, shopping malls or elevators etc....
Interesting that these records were some what exclusive to the player given spindle size. I also believe rca had something similar style player just for 45's tho having to flip a instead of playing both sides... not sure if the seeburg was brought here to Australia. Yes we had there jukeboxes here in the 50s n 60's tho I'm sure they were imported...
What is this video about? What is a Seeburg 1000? is that a jukebox? I've never seen a record player like that in my life. The first song, the needle is underneath and it's being pushed thru the grooves instead of being pulled thru.
It's a commercial background music system that used proprietary 9 inch 16 2/3 RPM records with narrow grooves and a double-sided tone arm that played records from below and from the top, to play both sides. The music was subscription-based.
Wow, I suspect that I ought to do a video explaining these some day! Techmoan did a proper job of explaining these machines years ago: ua-cam.com/video/8kCHx3_vu9M/v-deo.html
Thank you for your time and for which I very much appreciate your interest in preserving these great sounds from the past Thanks Again
Hang on 1st April April fools day
I thought that Seeburg records were 16 2/3 RPM, are they actually 33 1/3?
These are absolutely 16 2/3 RPM records. I am playing them on an official Seeburg 1000 BMC (Background Music Compact) that I customized with a neat wood case and brass fittings.
They also use a special stylus for the narrow grooves--they are as rare as hens' teeth and only pop up on eBay once a year or so, for a princely sum.
@@TadTadd Ah ok, thanks.
Always wondered why 16rpm was included on some older decks, now I know, thanks very much 😸enjoyed the video Sir
Older consumer turntables wouldn't have played these. These require a commercial Seeburg 1000 player. The center hole is much larger than that of a 45, the record diameter is smaller than a LP but larger than a 45. The grooves require a special stylus.
I think the 16rpm setting on consumer turntables was for "spoken word" stuff.
@@TadTadd I heard that 16 RPM "compilation" music records were popular in South Africa, once in a while they pop up on eBay. I think in the US it was mostly used for audiobooks.
Is the 2nd side "Danke Shane" or "Witchcraft?"
Witchcraft. I put a link in the description to the actual recording that UA-cam matched it on. They do have the same vibe though!
😅