Question about a Brunswick record

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EdisonWizard
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Question about a Brunswick record

Post by EdisonWizard »

One of the most sentimental records I have, is an old Brunswick record..."I Want-A Sing-A" by Cab Callkway. It took a long time for me to find that record. Now that I have a victrola, I was wondering if it was okay to play on it. I played it once and there was some black residue on the needle. I thought for sure it was a early 30s record, but maybe I'm wrong.
J.F.

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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by Roaring20s »

Lets assume that you are playing this record on your new Victor "L door"
Sing-a.jpg
Sing-a.jpg (57.8 KiB) Viewed 1687 times
Did you give the record a a good scrubbing prior to playing it?
What's the condition of the record?
Is the reproducer in need of adjustment?

Even if all answers are favorable, you will still notice residue to a lesser degree.

The needle works against the groove to transfer the sound. So, the louder the sound, the more the reacts. That effort is going to where something. Try playing a quiet classical record with a very glossy surface and compare the dust created to a loud glossy jazz record. Aside from examining the dust, look at the where to the needle.

I suggest seeking out Bamboo and/or Thorn needles if want to be kind to your records. You will also need a sharpener to repoint them.

James.

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EdisonWizard
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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by EdisonWizard »

Yes that's the record!!

Honestly it's been in a paper and then placed in a plastic sleeve for years. I haven't cleaned it or anything...but you have a point. Ima see if I have a quiet classical piece to play. The reproducer is rebuilt and sounds great. I used a new steel medium tone needle. I'm gonna look into fibre needles...my experience is in cylinder machines so this is new too me. Partly why it took me so long to get into 78s cause I just wanna play anything! Lol

The record is in pretty good shape tho.
J.F.

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by gramophone-georg »

EdisonWizard wrote:Yes that's the record!!

Honestly it's been in a paper and then placed in a plastic sleeve for years. I haven't cleaned it or anything...but you have a point. Ima see if I have a quiet classical piece to play. The reproducer is rebuilt and sounds great. I used a new steel medium tone needle. I'm gonna look into fibre needles...my experience is in cylinder machines so this is new too me. Partly why it took me so long to get into 78s cause I just wanna play anything! Lol

The record is in pretty good shape tho.
1.Use a soft tone needle for electrical 78s.

2. Is the rubber isolator for the Exposition still supple? If not, replace it.

3. You may want to consider a Victrola or HMV No. 4 reproducer for electrical records. Though tough to find, the victrola No. 4 was made in gold and nickle, the HMV was not. A decent stopgap is a gold rebuilt and tuned Victrola No. 2.

You could also use an Orthophonic reproducer with a No. 4 isolator, but unless mated to an Orthophonic horn the "bang for the buck" factor is limited. IMO the #4 delivers better results.

Rubber isolators were developed precisely to eliminate record wear. You'll notice that lots of very early records suffer from the "rough start syndrome" where later ones do not. The isolator is the difference. If yours is hard change it.
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gramophone-georg
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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by gramophone-georg »

Incidentally, your record was recorded Jan. 27, 1936 in Los Angeles.
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EdisonWizard
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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by EdisonWizard »

gramophone-georg wrote:Incidentally, your record was recorded Jan. 27, 1936 in Los Angeles.

So I probably shouldn't play it then on the victrola? The rubber isolater is cheap, ima order one just to go ahead and change.
J.F.

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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

EdisonWizard,

I'd not just do my isolator, but rebuild the whole reproducer. Some collectors insist upon "Originality," and...don't have very good sounding phonographs. I'd say do the gaskets as well as the rubber back flange. (Mine needed all that.) It's really easy and if you can use a screwdriver you can do it.

(On my unrestored Exhibition there was a tiny paper gasket between the diaphragm and the reproducer, buried there for 102 years. See if yours is still there under all that beeswax. It might help save you some buzzing.)

As far as residue, good needles make a difference. I detest the $4/100 type of needles, and only use very high grade ones. My experience is with the trusty Chamberlain stylus (which sounds excellent) but Walt Sommers is supposedly a good needle maker as well.

Another tip! Victrolas are picky machines regarding wear to the records--so follow the original directions. Change the needle, place your record on, and crank up the motor. When it's up to speed, Drop the needle in the final silent grooves of the record. A ball of fluff will accumulate on the point. Dust the needle, then place it in the starting grooves. This ensures that you play your record with a perfectly shaped stylus, and that your records will not get the dreaded "Rough Start."

And there were a lot of Victrolas in use in 1936. I know my XIV was used then, it went out of service and into the trash (here in South Carolina we just use the barn) in the 1950s. Somehow it narrowly escaped total destruction--there was enough left for me to fix!


Good luck and COOL machine! There are cheap records at Half Price Books for 50 cents if you want to dig!

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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by OrthoFan »

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Last edited by OrthoFan on Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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EdisonWizard
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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by EdisonWizard »

My reproducer is rebuilt and sounds amazing, im only changing the isolator.
J.F.

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Re: Question about a Brunswick record

Post by epigramophone »

[quote="gramophone-georg"]

3. You may want to consider a Victrola or HMV No. 4 reproducer for electrical records. Though tough to find, the victrola No. 4 was made in gold and nickle, the HMV was not. A decent stopgap is a gold rebuilt and tuned Victrola No. 2.

The HMV No.4 soundbox WAS made in gold, and here is the proof :
Attachments
hmv 4.jpg
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