Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
Post Reply
JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5277
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers

Post by JerryVan »

I have a somewhat pot metal stricken 4A reproducer. The outer ring is the worst problem, (as DonnieJ shows in his post). As a proposed "fix" I purchased a brass HMV #4 ring off eBay last week. Perfect I thought, I'll just swap out the rings and have a nice, hybrid, HMV/Victrola reproducer. Not that easy... The brass HMV ring will not accept the pot metal 4A back plate. The back plate is too large to fit the HMV front ring.

Here's the question: Were the HMV #4 reproducers originally made to different dimensions, such that swapping parts is not possible, OR has the pot metal Victrola 4A back plate swollen to where it will no longer fit the HMV brass front ring?????
Last edited by JerryVan on Mon Apr 16, 2018 12:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reprodcuers

Post by gramophone-georg »

JerryVan wrote:I have a somewhat pot metal stricken 4A reproducer. The outer ring is the worst problem, (as DonnieJ shows in his post). As a proposed "fix" I purchased a brass HMV #4 ring off eBay last week. Perfect I thought, I'll just swap out the rings and have a nice, hybrid, HMV/Victrola reproducer. Not that easy... The brass HMV ring will not accept the pot metal 4A back plate. The black plate is too large to fit the HMV front ring.

Here's the question: Were the HMV #4 reproducers originally made to different dimensions, such that swapping parts is not possible, OR has the pot metal Victrola 4A back plate swollen to where it will no longer fit the HMV brass front ring?????
In my experience everything in just far enough "off" that one won't mate with the other. I've also noted that parts from pot metal HMV 4s don't fit brass ones, and vice versa, either.

The bolt pattern is just slightly "off" too. :roll:
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

User avatar
Jaso
Victor O
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:28 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reprodcuers

Post by Jaso »

I just had the same problem last week. Had a full pot metal HMV No.4 with mazak bezel and back plate. Replaced the front bezel with a nickeled brass one. Had to file 1mm off from the raised section rim of the back plate and oval shape the screw holes... It can be done. Filing off was a real pain in the arse and took good few hours... Netflix helped a bit!

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5277
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers

Post by JerryVan »

Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.

Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers

Post by gramophone-georg »

JerryVan wrote:Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.

Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.
If you mean interchange in toto on a Victor machine, then yes. The brass HMV 4s have been my drug of choice for playing later records on earlier machines for years, and both my 1-70s have HMV brass units, though it bugs me that they aren't 100% correct Victrola 4s.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5277
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: Victrola 4A Versus HMV #4 Reproducers

Post by JerryVan »

gramophone-georg wrote:
JerryVan wrote:Interesting. Still wondering if it's that the pot metal has swollen that much, or if they were made different from day one. It's near certainty that the pot metal has swollen, just not sure that it accounts for all of the mismatch in size. Thanks guys, hopefully a few more will chime in with their experiences.

Maybe knowing if a brass HMV will interchange with a brass Victrola 4 will shed some light? That would take pot metal out of the equation.
If you mean interchange in toto on a Victor machine, then yes. The brass HMV 4s have been my drug of choice for playing later records on earlier machines for years, and both my 1-70s have HMV brass units, though it bugs me that they aren't 100% correct Victrola 4s.


By "interchange" I meant can parts of each be traded or swapped. In other words, are the parts of brass HMV #4's & brass Victrola #4's interchangeable? Mainly concerned with the housings.

Post Reply