Presto Recording Corp.

 By Bruce Shawkey


Quite a number of years have gone by since the Presto Recording Corporation went out of business in 1965. Unfortunately, there was no ongoing historical record of the company kept. Through research and contact with former principals and their children, who were, or are still alive, this history is presented.

Recollections by Robert and Joe Saliba, sons of founder George Saliba, and Margery Swedlow, granddaughter of Morris Gruber can be found in the references section paragraph 4, 5 & 6 at the end of this narrative.

PRESTO was a powerhouse company in the broadcast and recording industry, and most radio stations and broadcast networks made use of disc recorders for delayed broadcast, air checks, and so on. Also many recording studios used their equipment. Later in this article we will compare the development of the basic PRESTO model over the years

The very early years are a little sketchy, but the Presto Products Company was founded in 1915. They produced a 3 pound head for embossing on aluminum blanks, state of the art at that time in 1931. They were out of business during the depression, and re-emerged as the Presto Recording Corp in 1933. The first advertisement for a PRESTO disc was Oct 15, 1934. (1).

In 1932 Gernsback Publications published a book “HOME RECORDING AND ALL ABOUT IT”, written by George Saliba, who would become a principal and co-founder of Presto Recording Corporation. In the book are several pictures of recording “kits” that were sold to the home recordist, produced by the Presto Products Company, and introduced as early as 1930.




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