Dansette was a British brand of

record players A phonograph, later called a gramophone, and since the 1940s a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue reproduction of sound. The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding phys ...

, radiograms,

tape recorder An audio tape recorder, also known as a tape deck, tape player or tape machine or simply a tape recorder, is a sound recording and reproduction device that records and plays back sounds usually using magnetic tape for storage. In its present ...

s, and

radio set An antique radio is a radio receiving set that is collectible because of its age and rarity. Types of antique radio Morse receivers The first radio receivers used a coherer and sounding board, and were only able to receive continuous wave (CW) ...

s, manufactured by the London firm of J & A Margolin Ltd.

Record player

The first Dansette record player was manufactured in 1952, by the London firm of J & A Margolin Ltd, and at least one million were sold in the 1950s and 1960s. Dansette became a household name in the late 1950s and 60s when the British music industry shot up in popularity after the arrival of acts such as

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and

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. Teenagers took various Dansette players to parties to listen to the latest records. The Dansette was a versatile machine, with many being equipped to play , , and discs of 78, 45, and rpm. Larger models such as the ''Bermuda'' could be fitted with optional legs for home use, while the ''Viva'', ''Junior'' and ''Diplomat'' models were designed to be transportable, with a handle and studs affixed to the side of the case and latches to secure the protective lid. Like almost all record players of the day, they had built-in speakers. Some models of Dansette record players had a BSR autochanger allowing several records to be loaded at once, and played in succession. Dansette players were expensive, and some experts and fans of the industry argue that the players were overrated. Despite this, the Dansette brand outsold other makes such as Dynatron, Bush,

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, Ferguson and others. Dansette set a "standard look" for all portable record players of the time - a latched lid on top, a speaker and control knobs on the front, and sometimes a carrying handle.

Production

The first models available in 1950-51 were the ''Plus~a~Gram'' and the ''Senior''. These were very expensive, and many teens and adults could not afford record players until later. It retailed at 33

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...

, which today would be approximately £800. In 1962, a Dansette Popular 4 speed record player would be sold for 11 guineas and for another 2 guineas one could opt for the Bermuda with a 4 speed autochanger with legs. Despite this, many teenagers acquired one, taking them to parties, and purchasing the latest singles (45s). Many Dansettes were sold in December as Christmas presents, but the majority would be purchased with readily available "

hire purchase A hire purchase (HP), also known as an installment plan, is an arrangement whereby a customer agrees to a contract to acquire an asset by paying an initial installment (e.g., 40% of the total) and repaying the balance of the price of the asset pl ...

". In 1958, Dansette started producing the Dansette Junior and later the De Luxe designed to appeal to the teenagers who would take them to and from parties.

The end of Dansette production

By the late 1960s, recording techniques were becoming more sophisticated. Stereo had been virtually ignored until then and there was a change of direction from the 45 to the LP. Customers began to seek more modern

hi-fi High fidelity (hi-fi or, rarely, HiFi) is the high-quality reproduction of sound. It is popular with audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) ...

systems. Samuel Margolin later stated: "Inevitably the market dried up for record players. Imports from Japan took over the market with cut-throat competition and the company went into liquidation." Dansette production ended in December 1969, following the introduction of relatively cheap and efficient Japanese and other Far Eastern imported hi-fi equipment. During the years 1950-1969/70, over one million Dansettes were sold.

Footnotes

References

{{reflist Audio equipment manufacturers of the United Kingdom Phonograph manufacturers Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom

Record player

Production

The end of Dansette production

See also

Footnotes

References