The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello lads,

I'm new to the forums, My name is Matthew. I'm a collector out of PA. Recently I got my first Victrola, a Victor Consolette, stamped "March 17th 1926".

This was the last wave of the VV 4.3 Motor as what I have is a single coil motor design.

The issue I'm having is finding an instruction manual for this motor type. Every manual I come across has the two coil motor design.

I'm looking to rebuild this motor, it's in amazing condition and really just needs cleaning and re greasing, but a diagram of the motor would go a long way.

Any suggestions, I think I searched every corner of the internet!

Matthew,

If you just lubricate it as the label indicates it'll be just fine. Don't fix what ain't broke.

BTW, WELCOME on board!

Thank you!

Actually she is broken. She will wind up and turn , then when you put the needle down the record slows until it stops. I'm guessing it's dry grease because I've found plenty of evidence of it without taking anything apart yet. I figured removing it might allow the problem to stop, but it still happens. You think all it might need is some oil?

Well then, perhaps that's different. Try the oil first, at the very least, it's easy enough to do and maybe that's all it needs. Most likely though, the spring is gummed up with old grease, (inside the spring barrel), or the spring has weakened over the years.

Try cutting your hardened grease with a penetrating oil like Kroil or PB Blaster and then scrape/ brush it off after it soaks a bit. Then lube it up.

Haha I feel in hindsight this is the obvious thing to do! Though I'm sure there is dry grease in that spring!!

Hello,
I also have the same model and as posted, a little cleaning will help a lot. It is a great machine to have.

Don (also from Pennsylvania but now living in Indiana)

Hi Don!

So, I used gun cleaner and got all the hard grease off, I re greased the coil and greased and oiled all gears. For two to three spins she was fine, I felt victorious, but now She's slowing down and stopping again once I drop the needle.

Just got another good spin. Maybe I'm nervous about winding it to much or its a weak spring?

I've just finished taking my Consolette motor apart this afternoon. Unfortunately its the later two spring one so I can't offer specifics to help.

You likely have found this but if not this 6 part video is hands down the most useful thing you will ever find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R9i7zp-v9s

I followed it exactly to rebuild my first victor motor [A VV-80 exactly like the one in the video] and my current Consolette is pretty much the same [some details are a bit different].

There was also post a short while back by a member who had just bought a motor exactly like yours, but other than ID'ing which model it came from there wasn't a lot of info offered.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ette+motor

If you do take the plunge post some pictures ... might help someone out down the road.

Darrell