G&T Machine Assessment and Questions

[Curt A]

"Actually, this UK model would have used G&T 7" records of UK/European origin."

I am aware that those are the correct records, but they are harder to find in the US and often cost more...

[gramophone-georg]

"Actually, this UK model would have used G&T 7" records of UK/European origin."

I am aware that those are the correct records, but they are harder to find in the US and often cost more...

Yes, it has taken me a LONG time to accumulate the small stash I have with my machine. Most of them seem to show up in V- condition or worse, with a really rough start due to the raised edges causing the needle to skid.

[gramophone78]

"Actually, this UK model would have used G&T 7" records of UK/European origin."

I am aware that those are the correct records, but they are harder to find in the US and often cost more...

I would assume you are Curt. I was informing the OP (new collector)...

[Curt A]

Yes, I am Curt... The new collector was using a 78 from the 30s or 40s on this machine and wondered why it didn't play well. I thought the Victor 7" records would be a good alternative and not too hard to find...

[gramophone-georg]

Yes, I am Curt... The new collector was using a 78 from the 30s or 40s on this machine and wondered why it didn't play well. I thought the Victor 7" records would be a good alternative and not too hard to find...

You should stop being so curt...Curt.

[Curt A]

Yes, I am Curt... The new collector was using a 78 from the 30s or 40s on this machine and wondered why it didn't play well. I thought the Victor 7" records would be a good alternative and not too hard to find...

You should stop being so curt...Curt.

I've been told that before...

[jamiegramo]

"Finally, how many times must I wind the motor for playing a record? I'm afraid to break it."
Wind it carefully until you feel resistance, then a little more until it feels "snug" but not until it locks up or the spring breaks... You'll just have to get used to it. Don't force it once it feels fully wound... Also, don't leave it stored in a fully wound position, let it unwind some and then stop it before it unwinds completely... Letting it unwind completely, without having a record playing may allow the spring to detach from the winding shaft, so don't let it run down completely with no record playing. These are just things that you need to think about while playing this and otherwise you just have to get some experience using it... You have an excellent machine, but one that most collectors don't have as a first example, mainly because of its limitations and price.

The thumb screw on the reproducer is important to the sound, as previously stated. I am not familiar with the size of thumb screw necessary for a G&T model machine. However, there are others on the Forum who will have the answer. Post a wanted ad on the Trader section and also make an inquiry on the European machine section. Since it is foreign, it may be a metric size thread that is required. An American thumb screw may not work and might damage the threads in the needle bar... I'm not sure.

The G&T Concert reproducers like the G&T Exhibitions were all made by Victor, badged up for G&T, and exported, so the thread sizes will be the same. In my experience the thread size is the same for the Concert and Exhibition and fortunately these thumbscrews can be found on ebay.com although the head doesn't look quite the same as the early thumbscrews.

I think the early Victor 7" records are a great alternative. Even in those days some people did travel the world.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Regarding some records to play, I know Don Wilson is still making those old 7" records. You could have a stack of Berliner and Zonophone 7" for a fraction of the cost of originals.

He goes by donniej on the forum here.

[datamath]

Guys, thank you all for your much helpful replies! I'm sorry for getting back to you so late, but I had a hectic work week .

I opened the machine to see what is going on within. I found the following: some of the dents in the fiber gear are damaged. I attach a picture so that you can see the damaged part. I don't know if it is a good idea to replace it. I don't intend to use the machine a lot, and it works well this way. My only question is whether playing it once in a while (maybe a side or two a month) will do any bad to it, given this condition. (I try to highlight the damaged dents with my nail. I hope you can see them).

Speaking of the Elbow, I'll buy a replacement I saw on eBay. I'll of course store in the best possible way the original one for the sake of conserving the original machine as-is, but will use the other one because mine is too soft as of now. As a consequence, the sound is very soft, and it does not hold the horn very solidly.

I will take into consideration it is only a machine for display. I actually don't intend to play any of my Berliner Records on it, as I consider them too valuable, and don't think this machine will do any good to them. That's why I'm using some cheap electrical recordings I have. I'll dive into my collection to find an acoustic record I won't mind wearing. For the rest of my collection I have modern equipment with a very nice Nagaoka needle that is designed specially for playing shellac records, and it employs a tracking force of around 2 grams, which I consider great for the records. Usually, I transfer them and then play the transfer. Furthermore, my crap-o has a great sound, so I'll use that one to play my records whenever I want a more decent sound while preserving the characteristic phonograph sound.

Summing up, I will buy a leather elbow while preserving the original, for the sake of the horn, and for a slight improvement in sound. I'll also search for the thumbscrew. I found this one on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Phonograph-Rep ... rk:13:pf:0

Is it a good replacement?

Thank you all very much! Have an excellent week!

José

[gramophone78]

Guys, thank you all for your much helpful replies! I'm sorry for getting back to you so late, but I had a hectic work week .

I opened the machine to see what is going on within. I found the following: some of the dents in the fiber gear are damaged. I attach a picture so that you can see the damaged part. I don't know if it is a good idea to replace it. I don't intend to use the machine a lot, and it works well this way. My only question is whether playing it once in a while (maybe a side or two a month) will do any bad to it, given this condition. (I try to highlight the damaged dents with my nail. I hope you can see them).

Speaking of the Elbow, I'll buy a replacement I saw on eBay. I'll of course store in the best possible way the original one for the sake of conserving the original machine as-is, but will use the other one because mine is too soft as of now. As a consequence, the sound is very soft, and it does not hold the horn very solidly.

I will take into consideration it is only a machine for display. I actually don't intend to play any of my Berliner Records on it, as I consider them too valuable, and don't think this machine will do any good to them. That's why I'm using some cheap electrical recordings I have. I'll dive into my collection to find an acoustic record I won't mind wearing. For the rest of my collection I have modern equipment with a very nice Nagaoka needle that is designed specially for playing shellac records, and it employs a tracking force of around 2 grams, which I consider great for the records. Usually, I transfer them and then play the transfer. Furthermore, my crap-o has a great sound, so I'll use that one to play my records whenever I want a more decent sound while preserving the characteristic phonograph sound.

Summing up, I will buy a leather elbow while preserving the original, for the sake of the horn, and for a slight improvement in sound. I'll also search for the thumbscrew. I found this one on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Phonograph-Rep ... rk:13:pf:0

Is it a good replacement?

Thank you all very much! Have an excellent week!

José

As suspected, a couple of slightly damaged teeth in the fiber gear. I wouldn't even think of replacing or repairing it given how little you will play it. That said, the damage is already there and you won't cause much more damage if played occasionally.
You will just have that "click" sound. Never put anything on the fiber gear....like oil or grease as this will damage the gear further.

I would not recommend replacing the leather elbow as this will not improve the sound. Unless the elbow is totally unstable, there is no need and the repro will look out of place on a nice machine like this. Based on your photos...the elbow looks OK. The machine sounds poor right now mainly because of the sound box screw missing and not the elbow.

Below is attached one of my Trade Mark's and a Victor type A for you to hear.

As for the needle bar screw...I have no idea the thread on the one being sold on Ebay. I can tell you the thread used on these sound boxes is very fine. I just can't remember the exact thread size. The correct screw head is also very thin in order to be as light as possible. The Ebay screw head looks thick and heavy....not even close in appearance to an original.

However, Darren Wallace on this forum should know.

https://youtu.be/6X1O7TYiiNU
https://youtu.be/7GxFYaJPgYg

Concert Needle Bar Screw.jpg (208.21 KiB) Viewed 773 times