Download a six-page article from HIGH FIDELITY 1956 concerning the history of the Scully corporation of Bridgeport Connecticut, including an explanation of the significance of the variable-pitch Scully lathe.
DOWNLOAD: High_Fidelity-5612-Scully_Sm
At left: Larry Scully circa 1956. Thanks to reader TF for this very interesting piece. As I have mentioned before, I drive by the old Scully factory nearly every day on my way to work at Gold Coast Recorders. I had been hoping to uncover some history of this once-great Bridgeport institution and this article certainly sheds some light. Some interesting bits from the article: in the 30s, Scully briefly ventured into the manufacture of P.A. equipment. And beer coolers. Also of note: the price of a Scully lathe in today’s dollars? $72,000.
Previous Scully Coverage on P S dot com:
Some very neglected Scully 280s
3 replies on “Excellent Article on Larry Scully and the Variable-Pitch Lathe c. 1956”
Chris, Bernie Grundman still uses Scully lathes:
http://www.berniegrundmanmastering.com/technical/disc_cut.html
Here are more detailed pictures:
http://www.berniegrundmanmastering.com/technical/disc_cut_pics.html
Bernie used to have one or two of Gerry Block’s automated margin-control systems for the Scully lathe.
I wonder how many other Scully lathes are still in use out there?
Your price number of $72K is interesting. I think that’s about what a fully equipped Neumann computerized system cost in the late 70’s.
— Tom Fine
Hi T. Thanks for the add’l info. BTW my ‘pricing updates’ are generated by this handy applet:
http://futureboy.us/fsp/dollar.fsp
Cum grano salis
But seems accurate?
c.
I suppose that the Model 601 was what was introduced in 1955, and spotlighted in that High Fidelity article; which was the model that immediately preceded it? (Which had the same lead-in, band and lead-out characteristics, and had the same variable pitch controls and pitch knob as dating to fall 1950, and was earliest in use by RCA Victor in early 1951.) I know the 501 had the old-style “gear box.”