Lacquer disc

Date range: 1932 – 1960s

Lacquer discs are also called acetates or instantaneous discs.

Lacquer discs were used in a recording system that enabled instantaneous playback after recording. The discs commonly consist of an aluminium core coated with cellulose nitrate. When new, the coating was soft enough to enable a groove to be cut, yet hard enough to withstand several plays with a lighweight stylus. Lacquer discs were made redundant by the development of magnetic audio tape.

Very occasionally lacquer discs were made with a water soluble gelatine coating.

During the 1940s steel (very heavy) or glass cores (very fragile) were sometimes used. Cardboard has also been used as a core.

Usually the metal core or other core material of the disc can be identified by examining the centre hole.