Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

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Carlo 1963
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Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by Carlo 1963 »

Hi all! I've just bought on Ebay two Edison diamond discs: the "black" ones, with Edison's face engraved on the left of the center. The problem is that I don't owe an Edison gramophone: can I play them on my Pathé gramophone using sapphire needles on a Pathé soundbox made for hill-and-dale records? I haven't yet received the Diamond discs, but I think that the grooves are thicker than those of Pathé discs, and I'm afraid to damage the Edisons by using sapphire needle. Is that true? If it's so, how can I do, and where could I buy a diamond needle that fits?

Thank you!
Carlo

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Wolfe
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by Wolfe »

No. The Pathé sapphire stylus is for grooves that are wide and shallow - quite unlike the Edison Diamond Disc.

I don't think damage would be something to worry about as they probably wouldn't track in the first place.

estott
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by estott »

They won't damage the discs but you'll get little or no sound- if they track the grooves at all.

52089
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by 52089 »

You can indeed get a diamond stylus that fits a Pathé reproducer to play Diamond Discs, but I don't recommend this. I have yet to see one that didn't leave marks on the records.

Carlo 1963
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by Carlo 1963 »

Thanks to all of you for your prompt answers! I won't absolutely damage the records: in the future I'll probably buy an Edison machine... I'll just try to use a very thin cactus needle, paying attention in order to preserve the delicate grooves; if my attempt will be satisfying, I'll post something about it.

Carlo

estott
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by estott »

Carlo 1963 wrote:Thanks to all of you for your prompt answers! I won't absolutely damage the records: in the future I'll probably buy an Edison machine... I'll just try to use a very thin cactus needle, paying attention in order to preserve the delicate grooves; if my attempt will be satisfying, I'll post something about it.

Carlo
I've done that, slso using a fresh bamboo needle- I got some sound but the point broke down fairly fast

Carlo 1963
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by Carlo 1963 »

I've done some tests on vertical cut 78s with self-made bamboo needles, but I've achieved better results with cactus needles. I tried the most common ones, which can be found here in Italy, i.e. Echinocacti, and not Saguaros: I think that they are not the best ones, but they are interesting, being very sharp pointed. That's a problem, because they're quite weak, but after all you can sharpen them either with a needle sharpener or with a knife or with sandpaper; but i hope they'll fit better to the grooves of Edison DDiscs. I tried them with Pathé hill-and-dales, and the results are quite good, even if lesser than with the regular sapphire needles. In 15 days I should receive the two diamond discs, and I'll try with caution... I'll post the results!

Carlo

Nick Charles
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by Nick Charles »

I've experimented with a number of cacti needles and found that the needles from a barrel cactus work best. I'll be interested to hear what you find (pun intended).

donniej
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Re: Pathé sapphire stylus on Edison diamond discs?

Post by donniej »

The DD will play but with little volume. The Pathé grooves are really much wider than DD.

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