Burmese Colour Needles

Products, Prices and Ordering

From July 2022

Thank you for supporting this extraordinary piece of living history – a cutting edge hi-fi product of the

1920s, still being produced to the original specifications. If you are thinking of ordering for the

first time, please be sure to read our “Using BCNs” guide and “BCN FAQs”.

BCNs are extremely economical – newly produced bamboo fibre needles offered elsewhere may

appear slightly cheaper, but BCNs can be sharpened a great many more times (up to 100 or more!)

than fibres can be cut (a dozen or two at most). And allowing for inflation, they still cost less than at

any time during their heyday.

Please be aware that BCNs are essentially a natural product. Every raw thorn is unique, and the

needles are handmade. We always ensure top quality and as much uniformity as possible, exactly

as per the original product, but you will experience some variability.

For approximate/indicative shipping costs please see the foot of this list.

Standard BCNs

Volume does not correspond as directly to thickness as it does with steel needles (loud, medium, soft

tone etc.) although of course there is some correlation.

Thickness ranges are approximate.

Heavy – some discerning users prefer this grade, but please note, the sockets of many sharpeners

(and a minority of soundboxes) are too narrow unless modified. Shank typically ≥ 0.074”.

Medium – the standard and by far the most popular grade (very few people require the other two

grades); all-round excellent results.

Shank typically 0.068” to 0.075”.

Fine – a slightly quieter grade, which may also be necessary for soundboxes with very slender

needle sockets, e.g. some Meltrope IIIs. Shank typically 0.062” to 0.069”.

Superfine – a quieter grade still, for soundboxes with extremely slender needle sockets, e.g. a small

minority of round-socket Meltrope IIIs. Shank typically ≤ 0.062”.

Grades other than medium are always in short supply, and are therefore not usually available in packs of 100.

Bulk pack of 100 medium £45

Packs of 100 are in a gripseal bag with a desiccant

sachet, in an outer logo-stamped manilla envelope.

Pack of 10 heavy

Pack of 10 medium

Pack of 10 fine

Pack of 10 superfine

Pack of 10, all 4 grades *

£12

£8

£11

£15

£11

All packs of 10 are in packaging similar to the

original BCNs of the 1920s & 30s, as pictured.

* 2 superfine, 2 fine, 4 medium, 2 heavy; other combinations

possible; can be colour coded (£15) when available.

Speciality BCNs (note, not always available; please enquire)

Coated – fine BCNs treated with shellac resin (specified as optional in the 1928-29 patents, and later used for IM thorns).

All others following below are medium grade, but occasionally other grades may be available.

Other colours – all BCNs are coloured with vintage dyes, exactly as they always have been.

•

Lac dye is a traditional natural product derived from shellac; we think it may have been used for prototypes and

the earliest BCNs in the 1920s. Russet red in colour, earthier than standard BCNs.

•

Black BCNs are great for replenishing empty original IM “top hat” boxes to look authentic.

Saxe blue, heliotrope violet, cinnamon, mauve, pale green and sometimes other colours – all dyestuffs from

the 1930s or 40s. Saxe blue BCNs are to the left in our home page picture.

Pack of 10 coated

Pack of 10 lac dye

Pack of 10 other colours

Pack of 10 mixed colours

£15

£12

£11

£12

Also occasional limited editions – please ask!

Packaging as for packs of 10 standard BCNs, above.

10 black BCNs supplied in original IM “top hat” boxes (note, not always available; please enquire)

Variable depending on

condition of box:

from

to

£11

£15

Or with original IM needles,

unused or virtually so:

£17

Miniature thorn needles for late 1940s & 50s electrical pickups (limited supply; new old stock in original packaging)

Pack of 10 IM

Pack of 10 Columbia

Pack of 10 EMG Davey

£25

£35

£55

Miniature steel needles

also usually available,

e.g. HMV Silent Stylus –

please enquire

Ibota wax

A clean, safe and inexpensive way to lubricate worn or “difficult” records. Ibotaro is a natural powdery material,

biologically comparable to shellac. Only tiny amounts are needed. Very lightweight, so 1 gram is a generous

amount. Place record on a safe hard surface (take care – we are not responsible for any mishaps!), sprinkle a

very light dusting, and polish in with a small piece of felt or soft cloth. See ‘Using BCNs’ for more information.

Ibota wax, 1 gram

£7

£9

Ibota wax, 1 gram, about

half supplied in small fabric

shaker pouch (colours vary)

Illustration shows a much heavier dusting

than is usually required.

See ‘Using BCNs’ page for video links.

Original thorn needle sharpeners and spares

Various types always available – please see separate page.

Desiccator pots

Small: a quality clear plastic screw-top jar, 44mm diameter x 31mm, supplied with one sachet of silica gel.

Large: a quality smoked/transparent plastic Kilner-type jar with wire-sprung locking lid, approx. 90 x 90 x

90mm, supplied with five sachets of silica gel.

(Note – one sachet is also included in every pack of BCNs. Silica gel can be reactivated by drying briefly in a

very low electric oven or microwave.)

Serious gramophiles used desiccator jars to keep

their thorn & fibre needles dry back in the day, and

firms like EMG and Expert used to sell them.

Houses tend to be dryer environments nowadays,

so they aren’t as necessary as they were, but some

enthusiasts still like to have them.

Small desiccator pot

Large desiccator pot

£4

£10

Record brush

A good quality horse-hair brush, ideal for cleaning records and dislodging microscopic debris before or after

playing with BCNs or fibre needles. Highly effective at removing both surface dust and the more entrenched

detritus lifted out by playing.

BCN brush, large

£9

£7

14 x 4 x 3.5cm approx.

BCN brush, small

9 x 4 x 3.3cm approx.

Larger size pictured.

The smaller size is the same as

original record brushes offered

by EMG in the 1930s.

Bamboo fibre needles sold in packs of 10

Recently made, high quality

Vintage, new-old-stock – shorter in length; original HMV fibre needles or identical

Vintage, new-old-stock – doped; similar to (or may actually be?) green Astra or red EMG Davey

£8

£9

£15

Adaptor for bamboo fibre needles (new old stock) – for use of triangular-section bamboo needles in

soundboxes with round needle sockets. These sound better than similar adaptors with screws, but may need

adjustment with screwdriver/pliers to bend open or closed slightly for different thicknesses of fibres, i.e. to

enable easy insertion and length adjustment whilst gripping snugly.

Round-shank spring-grip adaptor for fibres

£2

Steel needles

Top quality British-made needles in all tones: extra soft, soft, medium, loud, extra loud.

Quantity discounts are available.

Steel needles, pack of 100

£5

Special clearance bargain: soft tone needles cut

shorter than usual: still perfectly useable (position

in soundbox socket accordingly).

SHORT soft tone steel, pack of 100

£2

Soundbox gasket material – natural rubber tubing

By far the best material I have found for rebuilding and tuning. Suitable for most soundboxes except

HMV No. 2, 4, 5, 5A and 5B. Many people use white silicone rubber, but some enthusiasts find this

traditional natural rubber tubing superior. Sourced always from the same UK manufacturer and

never substituted. 1 metre is easily enough to rebuild 2 soundboxes, sometimes 3 depending on

size.

NR gasket tubing, 1 metre

£7

Gramophones, records, needle tins, accessories etc.

Always available – please contact us and enquire!

Ordering

Please advise us of your requirements by email to windupmerchant@madasafish.com stating the

products and quantities you want to order, plus your postal and email addresses, and we will confirm

the total including shipping.

We accept the following payment methods in British Pounds only (sorry, no credit or debit cards):

•

Cheque drawn on UK bank

Bank transfer from UK bank

PayPal (adding 5% from UK, 5.5% to 7% from overseas,

depending on region)

See below for typical shipping costs.

Postage

Unless specifically requested, orders above £35 value are usually shipped fully insured, tracked and

signed for.

The following are approximate/typical/indicative costs only – we will confirm the total on enquiry.

United Kingdom

Packs of 10 BCNs up to £25 value

Up to 2 packs 100 medium BCNs

More or including sharpener

£1.65

£5.00

£8.50

Standard large letter

Insured, tracked, signed for

EU countries

Small order up to £25 value

Up to 2 packs 100 medium BCNs

3 or 4 packs

£4.50

£9.00

Standard airmail

Insured, tracked, signed for

£11.50 Insured, tracked, signed for

£17.00 Insured, tracked, signed for

Including sharpener

USA & Canada

Small order up to £25 value

1 pack 100 medium BCNs

2 to 4 packs

£4.50

Standard airmail

£10.50 Insured, tracked, signed for

£14.00 Insured, tracked, signed for

£18.50 Insured, tracked, signed for

Including sharpener