10/12 inch buttons on Edison C19 Diamond Disc Phonograph

[apruizii]

I recently picked up my first Edison C19 phonograph needing some TLC and noticed it has the 10/12 inch buttons and according to Fran's database was manufactured in April 1923. I have a C250 model that does not have them. Were these buttons common on the C19's?

Thanks,

AR

[52089]

Yes, they seem to have been factory installed for a while at least. I've only had 2 c19s. The earlier one did not have the buttons but the later one did.

Check your horn to make sure it has the flange on the top left side. The buttons don't do anything unless the flange is present.

[phonogfp]

The buttons don't do anything unless the flange is present.

The buttons don't do much either way!

George P.

[apruizii]

There is a flange on the horn and the buttons do work to align the reproducer needle on the edge of the records.

Maybe it would be a good idea to add a questions with regard to these buttons on Fran's database to see how long they were installed.

AR

[fran604g]

There is a flange on the horn and the buttons do work to align the reproducer needle on the edge of the records.

Maybe it would be a good idea to add a questions with regard to these buttons on Fran's database to see how long they were installed.

AR

Adolfo,

At this point, I'm not sure that if I added the inclusion of the 10/12 buttons to my survey, that it would yield much information. I recorded many of the highest serial numbered machines independent of my TMF post, and consequently I have no way to track them down to add another feature to my existing data.

Perhaps you could start a post of your own to survey members for that feature? I'm sure it would yield some results. It might be prudent to include all models, to get a broader sense of the true scope of the inclusion of this feature.

I don't what to assume too much, but I tend to think they would've been provided on the few models that were produced with them, until the end of production of the model, or until the co. ran out of inventory. Would that have been right up to the end of the Phonograph Division in 1929? I have no way of knowing. There's no comprehensive source of information that I'm aware of, to know for certain. Unfortunately Mr. Frow had little to say on the matter, except to acknowledge they were provided with a kit to equip existing machines for the Long Playing system, and I don't recall that he mentions them anywhere else in his book. Interestingly, in Allan Ford's post showing one such kit (http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=23813), the attachement wasn't included.

My C 19 #172,249 is of very late production; it has them present, and original to the machine. I did a quick search for "10/12 buttons", and tracked down a few other C 19s: (#172,585) shown in this post - http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 12+buttons; another (#174,877) here: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 12+buttons; and #148,306 here: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 58#p100158.

Hope this helps.

Best,
Fran

[marcapra]

I tend to think that the 10"-12" buttons came out in 1922. I have an early Baby Console BC-34 with them, which first came out in 1922, and a William and Mary console WMC-33 with them, also from 1922. The Long Play consoles also have the 10/12" keys. But the London Upright that I once owned does not have them. So I don't think they were installed all the way up to 1929 because Edisonics don't have them due to the horn being much lower than on the earlier DD machines. So I think these keys were made from about 1922 to 1926.

[apruizii]

Fran,

I was just curious. Thanks for your reply and it does help in understanding some of the history of the 10/12 buttons. Yes my Long Play 2-C has the buttons as well. The serial number of the C-19 I recently picked up is 171,637 which is a late model production of April 1923 like yours.

Based on the serial numbers you tracked down, mine, and marcapra's BC-34 it seems to confirm the buttons came out in 1922, as marcapra mentioned.

Thanks!

AR