What model Pathé is this?

[AmberolaAndy]

There is a Pathé tabletop for sale near me. I don’t have many Pathé records so this will do it for me. And the only format I still don’t have a player for is the vertical cut shellac discs. Can anybody tell me what model it is?

[PeterF]

The model designation isn’t really that important, because there are many variants on this basic format that were made available by Pathé over the years.

This one will play both lateral and vertical format, by rotating the reproducer. You want to pay extra attention to the mount point of the tonearm in the base, because there is a pot metal cross bar in there that is usually broken. So make sure that the thing pivots left and right, but then also lift gently up on it and see if it comes out readily - then there will be a problem. Sometimes they work all right, even if the crossbar is missing or broken. Replacements are pretty easy to come by, too.

Highly likely there’s no sapphire stylus with it, although look through all the used needles in the cup carefully and you might find one. Otherwise there is a guy selling proper new old stock ones on eBay.

Pay no more than $150 for this machine.

[AmberolaAndy]

The model designation isn’t really that important, because there are many variants on this basic format that were made available by Pathé over the years.

This one will play both lateral and vertical format, by rotating the reproducer. You want to pay extra attention to the mount point of the tonearm in the base, because there is a pot metal cross bar in there that is usually broken. So make sure that the thing pivots left and right, but then also lift gently up on it and see if it comes out readily - then there will be a problem. Sometimes they work all right, even if the crossbar is missing or broken. Replacements are pretty easy to come by, too.

Highly likely there’s no sapphire stylus with it, although look through all the used needles in the cup carefully and you might find one. Otherwise there is a guy selling proper new old stock ones on eBay.

Pay no more than $150 for this machine.

Ahh...more pot metal. Hopefully, somebody will take time out of their day to drive me 15 miles to get it lol. It’s a hard knock life when you can’t drive.

[AmberolaAndy]

Ok I got somebody who will take me to get it tomorrow. And trust me. I’ll probably end up paying more for the ball sappire than the actual machine itself.

[52089]

The model designation isn’t really that important, because there are many variants on this basic format that were made available by Pathé over the years.

This one will play both lateral and vertical format, by rotating the reproducer. You want to pay extra attention to the mount point of the tonearm in the base, because there is a pot metal cross bar in there that is usually broken. So make sure that the thing pivots left and right, but then also lift gently up on it and see if it comes out readily - then there will be a problem. Sometimes they work all right, even if the crossbar is missing or broken. Replacements are pretty easy to come by, too.

Highly likely there’s no sapphire stylus with it, although look through all the used needles in the cup carefully and you might find one. Otherwise there is a guy selling proper new old stock ones on eBay.

Pay no more than $150 for this machine.

Also, usually the reproducer rotates after you loosen a thumbscrew, but that thumbscrew is frequently missing. If you encounter any resistance rotating the reproducer, the pot metal has swollen. This can be resolved, but it's not a trivial job.

[OrthoSean]

Not all of these had thumbscrews to loosen to rotate the reproducer, the one I owned years ago had a spring loaded little assembly. If you do get this machine, make sure you go through the needle cups, the sapphire may very well be in there, I've found many of them that way.

[AmberolaAndy]

Doing more research, I think this is a Model 25 from about 1916-1918. Yeah, it’s not high end. But it’s probably the cheapest machine I’ve ever found since 2010. And I only have about 6 Pathé records to begin with...so why not? It’s a relief from the $300+ machines I’ve been buying. And I still had to do work on some of those.

Oh BTW the description said: “refurbished to be enjoyed.” And the seller says he knows a guy that does repairs. So I’m assuming some work was done to it.

[AmberolaAndy]

Well I certainly got a good deal today. For $100 I didn’t just get one but TWO machines and parts to another one! The Pathé model 25 has been worked on with no broken or swollen pot metal of any kind. Plus new soft rubber gaskets in the reproducer so I don’t have to worry about that. And it plays pretty good. I also got a early 1917 VV-XI not in the greatest condition but it’s restorable. (The case is missing some veneer on one side and a caster is missing.) Plus parts to a Granada orthophonic machine that had been parted out. It’s always good to have parts on hand. He also had a box of 78s but he hasn’t priced them.

[AmberolaAndy]

Here’s a video of the Pathé playing a Billy Murray record...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ANpUMXAMv5g


Now the only format I’m still missing out on are those large concert cylinders. But I don’t think you can get a player for those for $50!

[PeterF]

Was there a sapphire stylus?