What is the real name of the little piece of plastic you need to play 45rpm records?

Hi pelicant and thanks for the question.

They are called "45rpm record inserts"


“In 1949, RCA Victor introduced a competing technology to Columbia's
LP: the 7-inch 45 RPM record. Just to make sure this standards war
would be exceptionally stupid, RCA made the hole in the middle of a 45
about 10 times bigger than the hole in an LP. This way, consumers
couldn't play both on the same machine without struggling with an
adapter. The 45 could hold one song on a side. It was a new
technology, but it was geared to the existing way of thinking about
music — a single song as the premier "package" of music an artist
would present to the world.”
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/ccarch/cckev056.htm

If you want to buy them online here are some sites:

5 in a pack. 50Ē each pack plus shipping.
http://www.jukn55.com/other-items-45rpm.html

bags of 20.  1 Bag $3.98 
http://cabcoproducts.com/miscellania.htm

Or if you need them in bulk here are 6,000 for $120.00 + shipping
http://www.garage-a-records.com/specials.html


Thank you for the question and if you need any clarification, donīt
hesitate to ask.


THX1138


Search strategy
"45 rpm" hole sizes
"45rpm" hole sizes

You might also find them called "spindle adapters" or even "spiders".

45 ADAPTER Technics Original SL-1200 45 adapter. Machined solid
aluminum with spun finish.
http://www.kabusa.com/ACCESSS.HTM

AUTOMATIC 45 RPM SPINDLE ADAPTERS (page title)
http://www.garage-a-records.com/adapters.html

45-RPM RECORD SPIDERS Converts large spindle hole so you can play your
old 45's on your newer equipment.
http://www.alltronics.com/audio.htm

Hi pelicant...

while THX-1138 did a great job with the answer,
I thought I'd add some relevancy to the current
question.

First off, funny you should mention it, did you
see Liza Richardson wearing her insert on a commercial?
[ http://slate.msn.com/?id=2068550 ]
"The version that I seem to see most often
features a very slender woman in jeans and
what looks like a gold necklace in the
shape of a 45 rpm center insert"

"At the end she identifies herself:
"My name is Liza Richardson, and I'm a DJ." 

Here is the LONG history of the 45 rpm center
insert:
[ http://www.coolname.com/pipermail/maplepost-mirror/2000-September/001599.html ]

It's actually an interesting read.

-AI