Wind-up Victrolas

[sudsmaster]

"Tung-Spool" endless needle

Here is a shot of the endless tungsten wire phono needle I mentioned earlier.

When the white wheel is turned clockwise, the shaft forces the wire down a groove and through a very small hole in the bent tip of the needle. Less than 1/16" need be extended.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's another shot, from the opposite side. The wire spool may be more clearly visible.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's view of the "bottom" of the needle.

 

[sudsmaster]

Isometric view ;-)

 

[sudsmaster]

Commentary:

The volume of the needle seems to vary with the length of the wire that protrudes. It's loudest when the wire gets short. It's softer and mellower when the wire gets longer. It's never quite as loud as an extra-loud real Tungs-Tone needle.

You can also see that the wire tends to take a set in the direction of the record spin. I suppose that's why the shank on the needle is bent to compensate for this. Given that, I suppose it might be a good idea to clip the needle after extending it, so that the tip doesn't have an extra bend in it. But so far I've just been extending it and that seems to work ok.

If you look closely at the photos you may notice the end of the shaft that propels the wire out of the needle. I don't know exactly what the mechanism is like inside. It certainly is one-way, but without any ratcheting. What I can't show with the camera resolution (it's at its limit in these photos already) is the narrow groove the wire travels in, and the tiny hole it comes out of. You'll just have to imagine that, I guess

The wire also takes a slight set to the left as it is mounted in the tonearm with the white wheel facing the operator. To compensate for this I have slightly bent the the upper shank (the part that inserts into the reproducer needle hole) to the left. Inspection of the wear on the wire tip has been my guide as to how much to bend the shank, the aim being to get the wear equal on both sides of the needle. Again, it's at the limit of my magnifying equipment. I guess I'll need to get a jeweler's or watchmakers' loupe to mount on my glasses.

 

[bobofhollywood]

permo-point & the panatrope

I really wanna say that's what your needle is called, suds, and I'm sure I have a scan of the envelope it came in as seen once before on ebay.

Jason, close, but not 30's...that's a 1928 Carryola Porto-Pickup, but you're right about how it worked and was connected..and indeed it is heavy. I don't use it much!~ Plus I think you can hear the spring wound motor laboring even half way through that record - it's got a wimpy typical one spring motor which does not impress us at all. You can see it in this ad from Saturday Evening Post.

Got the Panatrope home today..just tonight..and OMG I think it's really a 1926~ which is the very first year of the electric radio phonograph combination. Sad news is the amplifer is missing and so are all the tubes from the Radiola - but I've got peeps workin' on that already, and I'd really appreciate any help I can get from any of you peeps too.

It's a Brunswick Panatrope-Radiola model AR-1038.

I've also supplied a link where you can go see that it is very similar above the legs to a more popular model number 148-C, and so should have the same type radiola 28AC as described in the page linked below.

Keep those tables turning guys & gals.

Holla from Hollywood.

Bob

http://www.mulhollandpress.com/Brunspr148c.htm

 

[jasonl]

OMG

With an ad like that, I'd buy a Carryola (chick included).

Whew!

 

[bobofhollywood]

Panatrope & the AMP

Here's the first photo of the Panatrope in the Forrest Cove Way Imperial Laundry Studio and Phonograph Archives. My souces are leading me to believe this is actually a 1926 model Panatrope-Radiola, and I'm inclined to think that myself as well.

Note that the phonograph is older than my Mom modeling near it, who was born in December of 1927, and will be 80 this year. Also notice that Mom is holding a plastic thing that I have no idea what it is and I'll need your help identifying.

 

[bobofhollywood]

Radiola drawer open

Here's another view of the Panatrope showing the Radiola drawer pulled out and the record storage compartment open..also main doors only partially open.

 

[sudsmaster]

Bob,

I'd like to see that scan of the "Perm-o-point" package if you can find it.

I picked up some old 78's at a local Goodwill today. About half of them seem to play ok on the Victrola with the Permopoint. I am careful to break the Permopoint in with an old acoustic 78 just to make sure it will work ok. These are Decca's of the Ambrose band (british) and also an old Ella Fitzgerald & the Ink Spots singing "Cow wow Boogie". It's got a lot of scrathes and some distortion but it's still great to hear. Other records, such as RCA Victor 78's of Gypsy music, sound much better on the Magnavox stereo (with 3 mil sapphire needle). It's a great change from the limited selection I had beforehand, which are mostly old Portuguese acoustic records (came with the house). It would help if I understood Portuguese, I suppose.

I'm also going to be lookng for acoustic/early electric 78's at other local thrift shops.

 

[bobofhollywood]

ambrose

One of my favorite recordings is a blue label decca Ambrose 78 of My Prayer. Did you buy that record just now?

 

[sudsmaster]

Bob,

The Ambrose set is of latin melodies, titled "Latin From Mayfair". Only two of the six original 78's are intact. The rest are substituted I suppose from singles or from other sets. What's left is "Argentina", "Lady of Madrid", "Ali Baba", and "Streets in Havana". It's amazing how good these sound on the Victrola. There's also a Freddie Rich 78 which is good, and a couple of disney tunes, "One Song", and "With a Smile and a Song". These are all Decca. Sort of forgettable is a 78 with the classic "One Finger, Two Finger, Three Finger Poi", LOL. Then there's the cute Ella Fitzgerald 78 and also an Xavier Kougat 78 which I also didn't like half as much as the Ambrose.