DIY Bettini-esque mods to Columbia--HOW TO.
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:13 pm
HOW TO MAKE A POOR MAN'S BETTINI REPRODUCER FOR 2 MINUTE CYLINDERS.
If the mica diaphragm in your Lyric cylinder reproducer has gotten bad and the tiny loop in the center gone to the point where it won't stay in any more, try reattaching it.
If it's still junk, or if it's fallen out,or if you have bad diaphragms lying in the parts drawer and want to experiment, here is how to make a poor man's Bettini-style reproducer for your Columbia graphophone.
You will need:
1 set Edison Model C diaphragm gaskets.
1 junk diaphragm from an Edison Diamond A, B, or C reproducer.
1 original stepped mica diaphragm from a Columbia Lyric.
1 Columbia Lyric reproducer in need of aural assistance.
Staple,
Adhesive of choice--stratena or superglue
Remove the celluloid cone from your Edison diaphragm and clean the threads out of it.
2. Take a wire, with a small loop in it, and put that through the center of the Edison cone and the Columbia mica diaphragm. (You could also make a glass diaphragm without ruining original Columbia parts.)
3. Glue all that together to make a mica or glass version of an Edison Diamond diaphragm.
4. Link up the parts with a staple like a normal rebuild on the Lyric model reproducer.
5. Slip on your favorite 2-minute Indestructibles.
I tested it with a variety of records--modern and vintage. The reproducer outperformed my unrealistically high expectations. With Matt Tolentino's "Too Much Mustard One-Step" (2015) it was able to reproduce both the reedy tenor of the accordion without honking or blaring, and the deep oom-pah bassline of the tuba.
"Five Foot Two" by Webb's New Society Syncopators is well-played but is such a busy recording that most phonographs have trouble playing it back, especially with a small conical horn. While a morning glory or cygnet would have been nice the BK Graphophone managed to make a brave effort at keeping up. The record is a grueling test for most economy and midgrade cylinder talking machines, but it was at least listenable.
With string recordings the Graphophone really shone--I played "Pickets" by Spats Langham and "La Carnauba Waltz" by Matt Redman. The modified Lyric helped to curb blasting, honking, and surface noise (admittedly minimal on modern recordings) and it made the impression that the musicians themselves were auditioning again.
All testing was done in a conventional bedroom designed with no regard for acoustics, and all records were played through a 14" replica brass horn.
Try it, you'll like it!
If the mica diaphragm in your Lyric cylinder reproducer has gotten bad and the tiny loop in the center gone to the point where it won't stay in any more, try reattaching it.
If it's still junk, or if it's fallen out,or if you have bad diaphragms lying in the parts drawer and want to experiment, here is how to make a poor man's Bettini-style reproducer for your Columbia graphophone.
You will need:
1 set Edison Model C diaphragm gaskets.
1 junk diaphragm from an Edison Diamond A, B, or C reproducer.
1 original stepped mica diaphragm from a Columbia Lyric.
1 Columbia Lyric reproducer in need of aural assistance.
Staple,
Adhesive of choice--stratena or superglue
Remove the celluloid cone from your Edison diaphragm and clean the threads out of it.
2. Take a wire, with a small loop in it, and put that through the center of the Edison cone and the Columbia mica diaphragm. (You could also make a glass diaphragm without ruining original Columbia parts.)
3. Glue all that together to make a mica or glass version of an Edison Diamond diaphragm.
4. Link up the parts with a staple like a normal rebuild on the Lyric model reproducer.
5. Slip on your favorite 2-minute Indestructibles.
I tested it with a variety of records--modern and vintage. The reproducer outperformed my unrealistically high expectations. With Matt Tolentino's "Too Much Mustard One-Step" (2015) it was able to reproduce both the reedy tenor of the accordion without honking or blaring, and the deep oom-pah bassline of the tuba.
"Five Foot Two" by Webb's New Society Syncopators is well-played but is such a busy recording that most phonographs have trouble playing it back, especially with a small conical horn. While a morning glory or cygnet would have been nice the BK Graphophone managed to make a brave effort at keeping up. The record is a grueling test for most economy and midgrade cylinder talking machines, but it was at least listenable.
With string recordings the Graphophone really shone--I played "Pickets" by Spats Langham and "La Carnauba Waltz" by Matt Redman. The modified Lyric helped to curb blasting, honking, and surface noise (admittedly minimal on modern recordings) and it made the impression that the musicians themselves were auditioning again.
All testing was done in a conventional bedroom designed with no regard for acoustics, and all records were played through a 14" replica brass horn.
Try it, you'll like it!