# Those old 45 record adaptor things... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2000, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635 "2000-03-07T05:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/1 "2000-03-07T05:18:00Z")
For those of us who remember records, what was that round plastic thing called, that you pressed into the middle of a 45 that let you put it over that thin spindle thing on the turntable? ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/2 "2000-03-07T05:43:00Z")
I think maybe just an adaptor. I think ours were red. ---
**Author:** ![Steve-o](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Steve-o](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve-o)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/3 "2000-03-07T06:53:00Z")
We had both red and black ones. We called them “the plastic 45 insert”, but I’m guessing that is not the official name. My question is… What were they for? Why didn’t the people who made the 45’s just make the hole smaller? \ Do I smell a conspiracy? ---
**Author:** ![crackwise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@crackwise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crackwise)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/4 "2000-03-07T07:04:00Z")
I think there is a sniglet for those things. I’ll check later. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/5 "2000-03-07T07:29:00Z")
As to why there is a different size, the question has been answered [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_258b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_258b.html) ---
**Author:** ![kawliga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@kawliga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kawliga)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/6 "2000-03-07T07:43:00Z")
That 45 adapter thing is called a slug. ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/7 "2000-03-07T07:50:00Z")
I don’t remember what they were called, but I would give anything (well, maybe not ANYTHING!) for one like we used to have that enabled you to put on five or six 45’s. Now when I play my small records, I have to put that little tiny dohickey on the spindle, and I have to run back into the room to put on another record, I HATE that sound if I don’t make it right away, shugga shugga shugga, ugh!! Not quite as bad as fingernails on a blackboard, but close! Same with the 78’s, anyone remember when you could put more than one on, and the silver handle thingie held them in place?? Now, I can play ONE, but at least it DOES go longer than the 45’s. And you mentioned about the small hole, my young son has Star Wars 45’s that came with a book to read along, and it DOES have a small hole, but ya can’t dance to it! Well, I guess you could, but you’d look pretty silly! * * * “It’s hard to avoid reading because ever wheres we go, reading is there.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/8 "2000-03-07T13:29:00Z")
I used to have a “record changer”, as the turntable was called, that would hold 5 records in queue. It occurred to me though, that having records stacked groove-to-groove might be damaging them. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/9 "2000-03-07T21:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Johnny L.A.: > **I used to have a “record changer”, as the turntable was called, that would hold 5 records in queue. It occurred to me though, that having records stacked groove-to-groove might be damaging them.** Yeah, and remember when two album sets had sides 1 & 3 on one record, and 2&4 on the other, so you could easily stack 'em? Records were cool… ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/10 "2000-03-07T21:29:00Z")
\ ***Athena:** Yeah, and remember when two album sets had sides 1 & 3 on one record, and 2&4 on the other, so you could easily stack 'em? Records were cool… \*\* Actually, it was sides 1 & 4 on one record and 2 & 3 on the other. You’d stack them like this: \\code:\\\ Side 2 | ----------------|---------------- Side 3 | | Side 1 | ----------------|---------------- Side 4 | ```auto ------------------ Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You'll find it an effective combination. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/11 "2000-03-07T23:31:00Z")
I’ve collected records for many years and have seen a lot of UK singles with both the “LP” hole and a “45” hole with a “LP” hole in the middle that could be snapped out for use on either type of turntable. ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/12 "2000-03-08T00:35:00Z")
We always called it “the round plastic things.” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/13 "2000-03-08T02:56:00Z")
It’s an easy thing for a machinist to make for you…that TALL 45’s slug, so that you can stack em…getting a turntable that releases them one at a time, THAT is the trick !!! I had one, I loved it. God. I’m old. ☹ Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/14 "2000-03-08T04:42:00Z")
‘OLD’ rocks!!! Even if it is only in a chair!! 🙂 * * * “It’s hard to avoid reading because ever wheres we go, reading is there.” ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/15 "2000-03-11T22:15:00Z")
No one has said why the 45s were made this way. My guess is that the bigger hole made the discs easier for jukeboxes to manipulate. * * * _I for one welcome our new insect overlords…_ - K. Brockman ---
**Author:** ![Sentinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sentinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sentinel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/16 "2000-03-12T16:00:00Z")
I don’t know if this is why, but, ages ago, portable phonographs (mono only) came with a BIG post in the center to handle 45s. Later, stereos came out with the thinner stacking rod and LPs became more popular. The round thing we always called an adapter. I still have some in a package somewhere – and I have gobs of 45s and LPs. Did you know that many of the vinyl records, when exposed to Black light, displayed wonderful colors, often in swirls and psychedelic patterns? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/17 "2000-03-13T02:59:00Z")
Johnny L.A. wrote: > [@](#): > > I used to have a “record changer”, as the turntable was called, that would hold 5 records in queue. It occurred to me though, that having records stacked groove-to-groove might be damaging them. Yes, record chagers were very damaging to records. That’s why high end turntables would only play a single record. Just stacking the records will (and I mean will, not can) cause scratches, but the killer is when the next record drops onto the one that just played. The turntable is still turning, so the two records rub against each other for a moment. (Place your palms together and rotate them in opposite directions to get an idea.) The surface of a record is very delicate, to the point that just touching the surface with your finger will permanantly affect the sound quality. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-old-45-record-adaptor-things/8635/18 "2000-03-16T08:27:00Z")
## I have heard that those 45-adaptor thingie were called “spiders.” Could be folklore… “The dawn of a new era is felt and not measured.” Walter Lord