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Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 10:01 pm
by JerryVan
I have a somewhat pot metal stricken 4A reproducer. The outer ring is the worst problem, (as DonnieJ shows in his post). As a proposed "fix" I purchased a brass HMV #4 ring off eBay last week. Perfect I thought, I'll just swap out the rings and have a nice, hybrid, HMV/Victrola reproducer. Not that easy... The brass HMV ring will not accept the pot metal 4A back plate. The back plate is too large to fit the HMV front ring.
Here's the question: Were the HMV #4 reproducers originally made to different dimensions, such that swapping parts is not possible, OR has the pot metal Victrola 4A back plate swollen to where it will no longer fit the HMV brass front ring?????
Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reprodcuers
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:20 am
by gramophone-georg
JerryVan wrote:I have a somewhat pot metal stricken 4A reproducer. The outer ring is the worst problem, (as DonnieJ shows in his post). As a proposed "fix" I purchased a brass HMV #4 ring off eBay last week. Perfect I thought, I'll just swap out the rings and have a nice, hybrid, HMV/Victrola reproducer. Not that easy... The brass HMV ring will not accept the pot metal 4A back plate. The black plate is too large to fit the HMV front ring.
Here's the question: Were the HMV #4 reproducers originally made to different dimensions, such that swapping parts is not possible, OR has the pot metal Victrola 4A back plate swollen to where it will no longer fit the HMV brass front ring?????
In my experience everything in just far enough "off" that one won't mate with the other. I've also noted that parts from pot metal HMV 4s don't fit brass ones, and vice versa, either.
The bolt pattern is just slightly "off" too.
Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reprodcuers
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 4:22 am
by Jaso
I just had the same problem last week. Had a full pot metal HMV No.4 with mazak bezel and back plate. Replaced the front bezel with a nickeled brass one. Had to file 1mm off from the raised section rim of the back plate and oval shape the screw holes... It can be done. Filing off was a real pain in the arse and took good few hours... Netflix helped a bit!
Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:47 am
by JerryVan
Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.
Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.
Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:02 pm
by gramophone-georg
JerryVan wrote:Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.
Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.
If you mean interchange in toto on a Victor machine, then yes. The brass HMV 4s have been my drug of choice for playing later records on earlier machines for years, and both my 1-70s have HMV brass units, though it bugs me that they aren't 100% correct Victrola 4s.
Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:16 pm
by JerryVan
gramophone-georg wrote:JerryVan wrote:Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.
Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.
If you mean interchange in toto on a Victor machine, then yes. The brass HMV 4s have been my drug of choice for playing later records on earlier machines for years, and both my 1-70s have HMV brass units, though it bugs me that they aren't 100% correct Victrola 4s.
By "interchange" I meant can parts of each be traded or swapped. In other words, are the parts of brass HMV #4's & brass Victrola #4's interchangeable? Mainly concerned with the housings.