Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

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Sherwoodm
Victor Jr
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:31 am

Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by Sherwoodm »

I’m enjoying my newly acquired Victor V and thank everyone who offered help and information. The good folks at VRS in St Johnsbury, VT rebuilt the reproducer while I waited in their shop and the old machine sounds much better. I recently had a chat with my 90 year old cousin who remembers using this machine as a child and he asked if I had tried using a thorn apple thorn in place of a steel needle! Back then times were tough, money was in short supply and people made do with what they had. If I try a thorn I think I will use a less valuable machine and on a record I don’t value too highly!

HisMastersVoice
Auxetophone
Posts: 2587
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:01 am

Re: Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by HisMastersVoice »

There were needles made of cactus, thorns, bamboo, etc. produced by many companies. Trying a thorn apple thorn certainly won’t damage the machine, but I’d use a record I didn’t care about first to test it.

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travisgreyfox
Victor IV
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Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:25 pm

Re: Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by travisgreyfox »

I love finding new needles out in the wild (in the literal sense) to try on my phonographs. I recently found some great needles while hiking in east Texas last weekend. Some needles sound better than others, just experiment with records you do not care about much first like hismastersvoice mentioned.

-Travis

Sherwoodm
Victor Jr
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:31 am

Re: Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by Sherwoodm »

There are plenty of thorn apples around. People who mow pastures with tractor mounted bush hogs complain that they get lots of flat tires from them. I hope not too many of the period records which came with my Victor V were played with thorn apple needles!

HisMastersVoice
Auxetophone
Posts: 2587
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:01 am

Re: Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by HisMastersVoice »

Sherwoodm wrote:I hope not too many of the period records which came with my Victor V were played with thorn apple needles!
Honestly, they are probably gentler than steel needles.

GrafonolaG50
Victor II
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Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2013 6:20 pm
Location: Winfield,Mo
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Re: Thorn Apple Needles and My Victor V

Post by GrafonolaG50 »

I used honey locust thorns when I lived at home. Whenever I needed needles, I'd just clip some off of the tree.

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