can i record on this?

[phonograph guy3435]

ive been looking at columbia q phonographs for my bday, next year, and i saw a columbia phonograph recorder too. is it attachable to the q and can i record on a columbia q? thanks

[Curt A]

Technically, yes, but practically no. It doesn't have enough spring power to play records reliably or record them. You need something more substantial like an Edison Home or Triumph and you need a shaver. What Columbia recorder are you speaking of?

[phonograph guy3435]

oh, i was talking about the columbia q. if someone wants a 2 min. phonograph to play wax and indestructible, would you recommend an edison or a columbia?

[BigC]

In the past 3 years I have collected several Edison phonographs to play with I don't have a Colombia cylinder phonograph yet. I have recorded successfully on the Standard and Fireside but I don't think I would use them to record. A member sold me a Triumph at a great price and that records great but I really wanted something to show off in my collection so I bought a beautiful Edison Home model A. A member recommended the model A because of the support arm at the end of the mandrel. Mine has a shaver already on it so I started to play around with that one. After many tries I found out it takes so much time to shave a cylinder that I gave up until a member on this forum recommended I buy a dedicated shaver. Now I can shave a cylinder in less than a minute! So I would recommend a Edison Home model A and like already mentioned a Edison or Dictaphone shaver. The benefits of a shaver is that you can use Dictaphone and Ediphone cylinders and cut and shave the so you can use them before you go to the more expensive Edison Blank cylinder. I'm still playing around with it but there are many videos on YouTube to help you out. If you need help just ask there are many members that have plenty of experience with recording in the forum.

[phonograph guy3435]

thanks! what your channel called?

[BigC]

Sorry no channel I'm just a very inquisitive member. I pick everyones brain here for ideas and questions on everything I can think of. There is a wealth of good information here and you can do some experimenting too. You can contact me whenever you want. The Victrola Guy has lots of videos on YouTube but some members don't agree with his findings and experiments. Markus Wyatt has some videos too on this subject. It's a hit and miss with information but I take everything in and try it out. If you wish you can send a PM and we can continue this discussion.

[phonograph guy3435]

sorry, i thought you said you had a channel but i think my brain was feeling rather illiterate today

[Menophanes]

I have recorded successfully with a Columbia Q, using an EWC (Excelsior) recorder and a 30-inch brass horn. The Q will only play one cylinder per winding, but it will do so just as steadily and reliably as an Edison Standard.

I have never had any kind of shaver; instead I wipe down the cylinder with what I believe most of you would call 'petroleum spirit' (the British term is 'white spirit'). My experience is that when my eyes cannot detect any trace of the old grooves on the blank it is ready for use; it may generate slightly more surface noise than a virgin blank, but the recorded sound is much the same.

Oliver Mundy.

[BigC]

Hey Oliver I've seen that done on YouTube but with denatured alcohol. I was lucky to find a shaver and since I mostly use Dictaphone blank cylinders I have to cut them to the correct length and thickness so the shaver does a great job.

[phonograph guy3435]

I have recorded successfully with a Columbia Q, using an EWC (Excelsior) recorder and a 30-inch brass horn. The Q will only play one cylinder per winding, but it will do so just as steadily and reliably as an Edison Standard.

I have never had any kind of shaver; instead I wipe down the cylinder with what I believe most of you would call 'petroleum spirit' (the British term is 'white spirit'). My experience is that when my eyes cannot detect any trace of the old grooves on the blank it is ready for use; it may generate slightly more surface noise than a virgin blank, but the recorded sound is much the same.

Oliver Mundy.

even if i do buy this (in a year or so) when my birthday comes up, where could i buy one of those recorders? thanks for the info tho, its super helpful!