Mallette Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 is it just better to be safe and use on a mild mixture of soap and water? That is what was recommended to me many years ago and my experience is that it's the best method. Is there SOME disc somewhere that might be adversely affected? I don't know...but I've never had anything but and improvement yet. Bear in mind that, once clean, stuff we worry over and clean our LPs often for like dust doesn't mean squat on one of these things. You shouldn't need to clean them again. 12 times the head weight, several times the groove size, and twice the speed. Dust is NOT going to be heard. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 I am still trying to get into 78playback... I have several hundred 78's(and cylinders) from different eras that came from my father that came from his father. I have been unable to play them because I can not commit to a second turntable. but I am close. Handle those cylinders very carefully. I remember seeing a TV segment about old recording formats, and the host was showing a record cylinder, mentioning how rare and impossible-to-replace that it was. He was holding it carefully in his two cupped hands and it broke into bits for no apparent reason. He was really embarrassed, but the cylinder was destroyed and was likely not repairable. I can only guess that it was really brittle due to its age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 He was holding it carefully in his two cupped hands and it broke into bits for no apparent reason. Early cylinders of certain materials have shrunk and their internal structure stressed, which can make them simply sort of fly apart or separate with little or no shock. Edison Amberol were of hardened carnuba wax, and the Blue Amberol were celluloid after Edison acquired the Lambert patents. Edison drove Lambert out of business with constant, BS, patent infringement suits. You'll often find pink, blue, brown or other colors. Believe it or not, these dyes were found to reduce surface noise in Lambert celluloid process cylinders. If you do find an old cylinder player, don't be shock if you have a hard time or cannot get the disc on the mandrel. As mentioned, many have shrunk. But if you can, you will be surprised more at how good they sound than how bad. I have three, a couple of Edisons and a Columbia, but they are just for show. Never heard them, though it would be fun. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 While plundering through the Victor talking machine I found this item in the box...... It is inscribed Victor talking machine "Exhibition" and then Camden, NJ What is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Other goodies.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 And..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Last one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 While plundering through the Victor talking machine I found this item in the box...... It is inscribed Victor talking machine "Exhibition" and then Camden, NJ What is it? That's a transducer head, needles, and the used needle bin. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Just how long is the playing life with those needles? And how many plays of the discs before the high frequency loss reaches the point of the record not sounding very good anymore? I'd expect that a modern turntable and tonearm would cause quite a bit less record wear per play than that classic unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Don't play anything valuable on these players as they are really heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Don't play anything valuable on these players as they are really heavy. I seem to recall my grandparents' windup Victrola having a tracking force of what seemed like half a pound. While looking for entries about tracking force, I found this interesting discussion about early and later 78s and their different materials: http://www.phonoland.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1719 According to this page, typical Victrola tracking force is 150+ grams: http://www.flickr.com/photos/signatureseriesowner/4389004170/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Just how long is the playing life with those needles? And how many plays of the discs before the high frequency loss reaches the point of the record not sounding very good anymore? I'd expect that a modern turntable and tonearm would cause quite a bit less record wear per play than that classic unit. If you look at many of the original sleeves, they state that you should use a fresh needle for every play. As to wear, they are amazingly resilient. I've many with visible groove enlargement that still sound good. I run my Empire TT at 6 grams. That's, of course 10 times what one may run on an LP, but still a fraction of what a vintage player might have. Wear with a proper stylus and modern cartridge is neglible. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Thanks for those links Islander. Good info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I found these boxes to add to the couple hundred or so I already have...found them in my uncles garage along with a mobile player. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Very nice Schu. Is the mobile player functional? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 not sure yet... it's old, so I am scraed to try it without going thru a rebuild. I have no idea what model or maker it is... it may even be Japanes in origin. no markings... solid wood. Magnetic drive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Felt platter and cast tone arm suggest late 30's to early 40's era "wireless" player..perhaps? [&] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My guess is Japanese, 1946-50 or near if we can assume the records belong with it. Construction has the appearance of Japanese mil-spec WWII work suggesting a re-purposed immediate post-war product. There was a period of deterioration in the 50s before they got into Deming and re-focused on quality. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Interesting stuff... maybe leave it alone and just set it on the shelf for prosperity, though I would like to see it run. any idea what drives the platter? a magnet field? I know the platter spins effortlessly.. but the mechanism underneath is stationary, thankfully, I found about 20-30 of the needles in the base. those things are deadly... to both my finger and the record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Interesting stuff... maybe leave it alone and just set it on the shelf for prosperity, though I would like to see it run. any idea what drives the platter? a magnet field? Yezzir. Stator below and the platter is the rotor. Advanced. Stanton GyroPoise and a few others used the same concept much later. That thing would be audibly rumble free. Dave PS-Does the TT turn on separately from the amp? Sounds like you have had it on. If it's humming or showing any other signs of life might as well stick a needle in it and see what it sounds like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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