Advice On Getting Started??

[lornaf]

Hi- have recently joined and been in touch with Steve already....I'm just starting developing an arts project inspired by the Alan Lomax archive with Newcastle University in the UK (they are one of the few places outside of the US to host the digital archive of all the audio recordings)... the idea is to record contemporary musicians interpreting work from the archive, and presenting it in various unusual ways (looking at medicine shows).... Anyhow, I'm particularly interested in recording the work in the ways that Alan Lomax did- presto direct to disc, wire recorder, edison etc etc... so looking for some advice on:

- sourcing equipment- and what equipment to buy (ebay?)
- if i found a 78 recorder, how easy is it to find the discs to cut on to, or can you use something else?
- the best way to learn how to use the recorder, and who could mend anything that needed mending

for starters.... am hoping the experts on here can help?!

THANKS