crosley-three-inch-record-player

Crosley making a 3" turntable for Record Store Day (play the Raconteurs 3" single on it)

crosley-three-inch-record-player

Crosley, makers of inexpensive record players that are the bane of audiophiles and vinyl nerds’ existence, have put out special models for Record Store Day the last few years (last year’s was Star Wars-themed). This year, Crosley’s RSD exclusive is a miniature turntable, modeled to look a lot like the Technics 1200, that plays 3″ records. You might not be surprised to learn that these tiny turntables, which are called 8-ban record players, have been a cult item in Japan since the mid-’00s. They run via batteries or USB power, have a headphone/AUX out, and comes with an Audio-Technica cartridge, pitch control and dust cover.

If you’re wondering where to get 3″ records to play on these, other than Japan, Crosley has partnered with Japan’s Toyokasei vinyl plant to release records in the format. There will be a few available for Record Store Day including, as RSD teased, a Raconteurs single. Record Store Day 2019 is April 13 (a little earlier than usual).

The Raconteurs 3″ is “Store Bought Bones” from 2006’s Broken Boy Soldiers but they have a new album out at some point this year. Third Man, the Raconteurs’ label (Jack White is a member) released 3″ White Stripes records back in 2005 as well as a limited edition “Triple Inchophone.”

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