I found a Bassanophone in Los Angeles

[Jwb88]

I'm quite happy with my latest acquisition: a Bassanophone! Found near L.A. in sunny, smoggy, SoCal, it's a long way from home! The seller was a nice young woman who had no idea if/how it worked. I didn't care, I liked the look of it too much to worry. Sure enough, with a bit of tinkering with the strangest, most complicated-looking auto brake system I've ever seen, it works!

The motor seems very clean, only dry, so I oiled the bearings and governor. I wound it up and the motor ran for 45 minutes at roughly 78rpm. Runs nice and quiet and smooth. I'm very impressed with the motor and cabinet.

The bad news? The needlebar has been punched through the mica diaphragm. HOW ON EARTH did someone manage to do that with the guard covering the whole reproducer? I carefully took apart the reproducer, which looks almost silly, and I'm now debating how to proceed. I want to get a replacement diaphragm, but I'm unsure of the size. This one measures about 1 31/32" and fits in the reproducer so tightly that it must touch the reproducer body. I don't think this is ideal, so I'm thinking of getting a slightly smaller diameter one, say 1 15/16" or even 1 ⅞". Thoughts or input is appreciated, as well as sources. I'd also like to ask what gasket material I might try. The existing rock-hard gaskets are grey in appearance and quite thick. I could probably use standard white tubing, or cut out some foam sheet, or--?? This will be fun, I think... I did polish the arm and reproducer with some Blue Magic. I'm very happy with how well the nickel shined up, and I think when I have the patience the rest of the arm/brake assembly will look good.

To the left there is a felt lined needle holder. To the right there are two screw holes where something is missing. Since the needle holder requires only one screw, I assume these two holes were for something else. Was it for a reproducer holder? Right now it just sits on the motor board ready to scratch it.

Any information on this phonograph would be greatly appreciated. Any old advertisements, instructions, mentions, dates? Thanks!

[gramophone-georg]

I am holding in my hand a mica diaphragm that is 1 9/10" that is likely ideal. I can polish it up and donate it to the cause if you think it'll work.

Looks like a really neat machine.

[Jwb88]

That sounds perfect! PM sent.

[Curt A]

Very interesting machine... unusual tonearm/reproducer.

[Jwb88]

I got the auto brake working--sort of. It does work, but in practice the resistance is too much and it repeats the last grooves instead of shutting the machine off. I think all of the pivots above and below the board need cleaned/lubed and possibly adjusted. I'll fiddle with it soon.

FYI the tube on the needlebar side of the reproducer doesn't actually have an outlet to the tonearm. It's sort of a dummy. I'm not sure if this was just for looks (it does look interesting, doesn't it?), ease of use, patent reasons, or what.

[Curt A]

Interesting that it has a dummy side... The only logical purpose is to give it a "space age" look. The whole reproducer/tonearm/backmount is definitely weird (in a good way).

[epigramophone]

This old thread might help :

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/search ... e&start=30

I read somewhere that the makers were Bassano & Sons of 155, Bridge Street, Derby, but I have been unable to verify this.

I have never seen a Bassanophone "in the flesh" but it is clearly very well made and was probably expensive when new. Unusually the horn occupies the whole of the cabinet at a time when most cabinet machines were little more than table grands with added record storage.

[CarlosV]

To the left there is a felt lined needle holder. To the right there are two screw holes where something is missing. Since the needle holder requires only one screw, I assume these two holes were for something else. Was it for a reproducer holder? Right now it just sits on the motor board ready to scratch it.

Congratulations for your finding, it is a very unusual machine, and as far as I can tell quite rare. The missing part is an identical round needle holder, with a flat cover with a hole in the middle to dispose the used needles. I never unscrewed it to count the number of holes, as I would have to remove the felt to do so. I can try to feel the bottom side of the motor board to find how it is attached. I have one of these gramophones, it is a high quality machine, with such outrageous brake and huge motor, the biggest I've ever seen. The cabinet is also very well made. Unfortunately one of the springs in my motor broke, and frankly it looks like a daunting task to replace it, so I am procrastinating. It sits annoyingly quiet in my gramophone salon.

[Phonofreak]

Wow, That's a very nice machine. I have always had a soft spot for these European type machines. To me, they have so much more class, and very exotic that the typical Victor, Columbia or Edison, etc. Congrats on this find, and enjoy!!!.
Harvey Kravitz

[jboger]

Could the dummy side be present to balance the needle in an upright position by equalizing the weight on either side?