Post by awc71 on Nov 14, 2012 12:41:04 GMT -6
Hello All,
Newbie to the forum and vintage phonographs here. My wife and I recently purchased this Columbia Grafonola:
Darker than actual
After some online searching I think it is a model "75," which would be great since that's what we paid for it!
I bid on this, won it, and am waiting for it to arrive.
Unfortunately the recommended Columbia Phonograph Companion,Volume II is out of print - I'm told this would help ID it.
Cosmetically, it has some cabinet wear (I think it someone tried to strip it bare and lacquer it? The wood behind the doors and inside the main console is red).
It is also missing the original vertical record shelf system (except for one slat!).
I plan to rebuild this, either from parts or new (I have measurements from another unit on eBay) to look like this:
Not mine, but I believe from the same model 75
Mechanically, the unit plays well - except for the Automatic Stop.
When engaged, the stop kicks in prematurely. In the course of an average record it stops two to three times before the tone arm reaches the end of the record.
I've looked under "the hood" and see the claw like lever coming from the arm, as well as the label that reminds you to push it to the right before lowering the plate. I have also seen the mechanism that connects to that claw above the motor (when closed), comprising of gears and a spinning wheel with a pin.
I was happy to see the label had survived!
I'm not well versed mechanically, but I have tinkered successfully. I believe all the pieces that should be there are present, I'm just not sure how to tune it all up so it performs correctly.
Any suggestions?
Thanks! (from one of your newest members who may have gotten a little silly formatting this post! lol )
Newbie to the forum and vintage phonographs here. My wife and I recently purchased this Columbia Grafonola:
Darker than actual
After some online searching I think it is a model "75," which would be great since that's what we paid for it!
I bid on this, won it, and am waiting for it to arrive.
Unfortunately the recommended Columbia Phonograph Companion,Volume II is out of print - I'm told this would help ID it.
Cosmetically, it has some cabinet wear (I think it someone tried to strip it bare and lacquer it? The wood behind the doors and inside the main console is red).
It is also missing the original vertical record shelf system (except for one slat!).
I plan to rebuild this, either from parts or new (I have measurements from another unit on eBay) to look like this:
Not mine, but I believe from the same model 75
Mechanically, the unit plays well - except for the Automatic Stop.
When engaged, the stop kicks in prematurely. In the course of an average record it stops two to three times before the tone arm reaches the end of the record.
I've looked under "the hood" and see the claw like lever coming from the arm, as well as the label that reminds you to push it to the right before lowering the plate. I have also seen the mechanism that connects to that claw above the motor (when closed), comprising of gears and a spinning wheel with a pin.
I was happy to see the label had survived!
I'm not well versed mechanically, but I have tinkered successfully. I believe all the pieces that should be there are present, I'm just not sure how to tune it all up so it performs correctly.
Any suggestions?
Thanks! (from one of your newest members who may have gotten a little silly formatting this post! lol )