Expert Senior gramophone

[Expert]

Thanks, ALVES, for your interesting posts. Your Junior, as expected, sounds and looks superb. I have tried all kinds of needles over the years but have always gone back to steel, using them on all types of good quality gramophones. For those who maintain that steel ruins records, all I can say is that discs in new condition that have been played over 50 years show no signs of wear whatsoever. Of course, many people in the past ignored instructions to change the needle after each side, with results of which collectors are well aware. Badly designed gramophones with short acoustic systems, stiff tone-arms and bad track alignment also contributed towards record destruction.

This unopened pack of original Expert fibre needles was also supplied with my Senior!

[Loudbass]

Gosh, I've never seen Expert thorns before, certainly not in such excellent condition packaging. I also use thorns on my EMG and Expert and would certainly recommend them. I would imagine the counterweight is essential with your 4 spring soundbox and helps preserve the records when played with steel. You have been lucky finding such a great condition machine with all those extras, congratulation!

[Expert]

Thank you for your kind response, Loudbass. I still can't believe I have the Senior, especally as it was touch and go whether the seller would part with it! Yes, the weight adjuster was introduced for customers who preferred to use steel needles. As you state, essential with the 4-spring soundbox -- all half a pound of it!

[emgcr]

https://youtu.be/EZZYmfA9e2U
This shows the Expert playing record with bamboo .

I have only just discovered your YT channel Paul---excellent---please keep the posts coming. Your Junior sounds wonderful---well done.

I agree with your thoughts in relation to bamboo and find I achieve a more reliable result with Burmese thorn which, in my opinion, sounds better too.

[emgcr]

I have been notified by email that there were even variations in the size of each of these soundboxes but no further details have been found.

Yes, isn't that interesting ? Here are two different four-spring sizes---width of the example on the left is exactly 2 inches which compares with 2 ⅛ inches on the right. However, the "working" surface area of both diaphragms is really what produces performance and, in this case, effective diameters could even be reversed due to the "jam pot" gasket on the right. I shall make measurements when time permits.

[ALVES]

Than you Graham . I have just bought a new camera so will make a few more YouTube films.

I Find that Thorns are the best sounding needle type ,Though you have to get the tip sharp enough ,and I have found the sliding type IM postmaster the best sharpener so far .
When I first got the Expert I used BambooFibre and I got a really good supply from Olof Reinhammar Vikstrand.who makes them quite long .(just ordered some more )
The bamboo have a softer sound than thorns . They can make a very nice sound But they are more temperamental than thorns . I keep meaning to try hardening some .The main problem I have had is after cutting I find thread can develop on the tip and this will probably mean that the fibre needle isn't going to do much good .

I have though found that repeat playing with fibre after cleaning new acquisitions will usually train the record to play ok with them eventually, and then with thorns . I have had quite a lot of success training quite worn record s. Bamboo probably train records better than thorns .

You have to persist and experiment .I think people probably give up too soon . So try a record with Fibre and then cut and replay it several times and you may be surprised.

The records I have found that train the easiest and then will play many sides without resharpening are records from the 1920s Although HMV and Regal can be troublesome if worn,

[emgcr]

I think this Expert instruction sheet may have been posted before but more recent members might appreciate a repeat......

Click on images for greater clarity.

[ALVES]

Interesting .
Is the Standard a two spring box and the Special a four spring?

[emgcr]

Yes, I think so.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Thanks for the explanation and the picture. Seems to be more of an interesting gimmick than something that would hold up to scientific scrutiny.

I'm not surprised you got that impression, as what I see in picture doesn't even look like a quincke tube. A quincke tube is a pair of folded and facing tubes, one of which is adjustable in length, that very closely recalls the coulisse of a trombone. The sound can be input into the folded tubes, and can exit at the other end after having travelled two different (or equal) paths, depending on the setting of the coulisse. Many interesting physics experiments can be performed with the quincke tube: sound interference effects can be directly heard, and the device can also be easily used to calculate the speed of sound in air or in any other gas. A truly scientific, laboratory device.

However, unless there is a more complex structure hidden inside the metal join, what I see in picture is not a quincke tube. At best, it is a device that may cause some adjustable resonance by forming a dead-end resonance chamber, or perhaps altering the acoustic loading of the diaphragm.

Moreover, should it turn up to really be, internally, a quincke tube, it has also to be considered that a sound wave of 4000 Hz (average upper frequency limit for 78 RPM records) has a length of 8.5 centimeters. Lower frequency sounds have an even longer wavelength. In my opinion, the pictured device is, simply put, too short to significantly interact with soundwaves whose length is equal to or longer than 8.5 centimeters. No surprise that its effect is described as "very subtle", if perceptible at all. If there is any, it should be heard in the very-high end of the sound spectrum, or even in overtones.