Columbia Lyric Stylus

[Edisone]

Pete, he has a BK, not a BE or a BF and trust me, unless Columbia used very different bars on BKs at different times, it is NOT the correct bar. The picture I posted is straight off a BK. The orientation of the ends of the bars where the stylus is mounted are completely different.

Clay

Interesting ... the stylus' angle on mine is about halfway between these two examples. Mine also has a 'stepped' mica diaphragm. I will post a pic, when my camera is recharged.

[FloridaClay]

It is certainly possible that different reproducer configurations were used at different times over the life of the BK. I don't know if Columbia was as loose as Edison was about just grabbing stuff off the shelf as long as it worked in order to use up old stuff.

My BK is toward the latter end of the run as it has the type 2 case. Looking at volume 1 of the Columbia Phonograph Companion, the #12 reproducer is listed as being the equipment on both the type 1 and type 2 BKs, though. A chart in the back indicates that various other model machines with Lyric carriages took various other model reproducers--including numbers 9, 11, and 14. The BE and BF Pete was thinking about (along with the BG) took a #11 reproducer.

Victrolacollector, when you ordered the bar for yours I am wondering if you might just have specified you wanted one for a Lyric without realizing that was pretty broad, inasmuch as several different reproducers were used in the Lyric configuration, depending on model.

Clay

[flashpanblue]

Hello,
My mistake I did read the original post wrong and thought it said BF. However I do have an original BKT, with same reproducer and angle as a BK. Here is a picture of the reproducer with stylus.
Pete

[FloridaClay]

Interesting Pete. It may be then that there were variations even among what are supposed to be #12 reproducers. The BKT was even later than the type 2 BK, from what I have read, with 2 and 4 minute gearing standard. And the water is further muddied as apparently Columbia switched over to a #15 in 1909 on everything except the BC and BM models (again based on volume 1 of the Columbia Phonograph Companion). I am not knowledgeable enough on the fine points to know whether the reproducer on your BKT is a late #12 or a #15.

Clay

[Victrolacollector]

It is most definitely the wrong bar, and easy to see why the one youhasve is doing damage to your cylinders. Here is my BK Lyric. Unfortunately, I don't have a source for the correct bar, inasmuch as I haven't had to replace one yet.

Clay

Thanks Clay.... I tried George Vollema and he does not have a BK stylus bar. I will check Wyatt's and Dennis and Patti over at APSCO on Monday. I get a feeling that this is going to be hard to find.

[VintageTechnologies]

It is most definitely the wrong bar, and easy to see why the one youhasve is doing damage to your cylinders. Here is my BK Lyric. Unfortunately, I don't have a source for the correct bar, inasmuch as I haven't had to replace one yet.

Clay

Thanks Clay.... I tried George Vollema and he does not have a BK stylus bar. I will check Wyatt's and Dennis and Patti over at APSCO on Monday. I get a feeling that this is going to be hard to find.

As a last resort, that would appear to be an easy part to fabricate from scratch using brass or aluminum bar stock and some files. You can buy tiny wire drills at Ace Hardware. You should be able to find unmounted stylii.

[Edisone]

It is most definitely the wrong bar, and easy to see why the one you have is doing damage to your cylinders. Here is my BK Lyric. Unfortunately, I don't have a source for the correct bar, inasmuch as I haven't had to replace one yet.

Clay

Note that your repro has a different mounting for the stylus bar - your stylus bar cannot be compared to the other 2. Pete's, with its larger weight & heavier spring, looks like a #15 "Extra Tension" - but with a 2minute stylus, not the pointed 2/4 stylus.

Here's the repro from my BQ - with yet more variations!

[Phonomark]

I read this 2014 thread with interest and wanted to renew the conversation.

A person in my community brought me his Columbia BG so that I could help him fix the machine. The problem is that with the No. 12 Lyrie reproducer in the raised position, the stylus still drags across the cylinder surface when slipping a cylinder on the mandrel. At first I thought that the tail leg off the weight was bent so that the reproducer would not raise high enough. But before proceeding further, I thought I'd check old TMF discussions on Lyric reproducers.

After reading this thread, I am now wondering if the stylus bar has been replaced on this reproducer sometime in the past. Not really sure however. It sure looks correct. But this one does not match any of the prior pictures in this thread.

Any thoughts on this and why the stylus is not clearing the record surface?

-Mark

[Curt A]

Mark,
Your stylus and bar are totally different from the others shown in previous posts. Your stylus looks like it is damaged and not rounded...

[Phonomark]

Curt-

Thanks....kinda what I thought on the bar shape. But I just didn't focus on the stylus...you're right on, it's not rounded as it should be. And that would only make the problem worse with a new stylus that extended further from the bar.

So...question is, where can a correct bar be found? Ron Sitko? Wyatt?

-Mark