Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

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drh
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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by drh »

Steve wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 12:03 pm That Concert Modele A is an absolute steal at the price.
It's exactly the machine I've been looking for, but unfortunately practical/logistical issues (seller states he won't ship, I live across the Atlantic, and my lack of French means I have no chance of discussing anything with him) mean it will remain just a series of tantalizing images on my computer screen. :cry:

You also remarked, "...with the possible exception of the later cheaper 'Diamond' range which have smaller pillar and plate motors...." You can safely delete the word "possible"; my Pathé/Diamond Diffusor (my profile picture machine) barely plays one of the 11.25" disks on a winding, and not all of those. Given that I have a low-end Pathé cylinder machine with a similar problem, I've been rather fixated on Pathé motors, determined that when I do finally latch onto an open horn Pathé disc machine, it will play all my records without such issues. I've been especially concerned that they all seem to be single-spring--hard to tell from an eBay listing or what have you whether it's single-spring like Edison diamond disc single-spring, powerful enough to handle whatever is thrown its way, or single-spring like the motor in a Victrola I-I that once graced my home, barely strong enough to handle a single routine record on a winding.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by CarlosV »

drh wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 3:08 pm
I've been especially concerned that they all seem to be single-spring--hard to tell from an eBay listing or what have you whether it's single-spring like Edison diamond disc single-spring, powerful enough to handle whatever is thrown its way, or single-spring like the motor in a Victrola I-I that once graced my home, barely strong enough to handle a single routine record on a winding.
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The single springs on the older Pathé's are quite sturdy, not unlike the Edison motors. The concert A motor in particular is very powerful, designed to play the very heavy 50 cm records at around 90-100 rpm. Indeed the price of the one in the ebay ad is attractive, too bad I have one already or I would be tempted to make a day trip to Paris.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by phonodesbois »

CarlosV: I will not open the barrel of my Pathé Concert A as it could be dangerous… However, I’m sure it’s a large single spring motor and it does play 20’’ records without any issue.
Drh: Although the cost for overseas shipping will be awful, I can relay your questions to the seller if it helps.
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CarlosV
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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by CarlosV »

phonodesbois wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:34 am CarlosV: I will not open the barrel of my Pathé Concert A as it could be dangerous… However, I’m sure it’s a large single spring motor and it does play 20’’ records without any issue.
Yes, it is a very large, strong and dangeours single spring. I keep a spare spring in case it is needed, but after buying it I got second thoughts about undertaking the replacement work myself. Once I replaced both springs of my Edison Opera, and it was a quite daunting task.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by drh »

phonodesbois wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:34 am ...
Drh: Although the cost for overseas shipping will be awful, I can relay your questions to the seller if it helps.
Thank you! Outside matters of language, the big problem is that (at least as rendered by Google translate) the seller specifies local pickup only. Do you know, is there any service in the area of Paris that could reliably handle collecting and packing it and shipping it to me in the United States at anything like a reasonable price? (I know it will be expensive, but there's a difference between "expensive" and "exorbitant.")

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by Steve »

drh wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:01 pm
phonodesbois wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:34 am ...
Drh: Although the cost for overseas shipping will be awful, I can relay your questions to the seller if it helps.
Thank you! Outside matters of language, the big problem is that (at least as rendered by Google translate) the seller specifies local pickup only. Do you know, is there any service in the area of Paris that could reliably handle collecting and packing it and shipping it to me in the United States at anything like a reasonable price? (I know it will be expensive, but there's a difference between "expensive" and "exorbitant.")
I'd say go for it if you can. The price is very cheap so irrespective of expensive shipping, the cost of machine will blunt the edge off the shipping cost. It'll still be well worth it.

I tend to ignore shipping costs as in general if I find something abroad I can't easily buy the same thing close to me so I look upon the cost as a necessary evil.

I'm struggling a bit with import VAT now that we've left the EU.

I'm used to shipping costs as in 30 years I haven't found a decent machine with 100 miles of me.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by Steve »

Steve wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:45 pm
drh wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:01 pm
phonodesbois wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:34 am ...
Drh: Although the cost for overseas shipping will be awful, I can relay your questions to the seller if it helps.
Thank you! Outside matters of language, the big problem is that (at least as rendered by Google translate) the seller specifies local pickup only. Do you know, is there any service in the area of Paris that could reliably handle collecting and packing it and shipping it to me in the United States at anything like a reasonable price? (I know it will be expensive, but there's a difference between "expensive" and "exorbitant.")
I'd say go for it if you can. The price is very cheap so irrespective of expensive shipping, the cost of machine will blunt the edge off the shipping cost. It'll still be well worth it.

I tend to ignore shipping costs as in general if I find something abroad I can't easily buy the same thing close to me so I look upon the cost as a necessary evil.

I'm struggling a bit with import VAT now that we've left the EU.

I'm used to shipping costs as in 30 years I haven't found a decent machine within 100 miles of me.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by CarlosV »

You can try French auction sites, they normally list companies that pack and ship. I suggest also that you contact the seller, maybe you can convince the owner to pack and ship it.

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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by phonodesbois »

Packing and shipping such a gramophone is quite a challenge as the gramophone is very heavy and, furthermore, the horn is well over the Post Office size limits. So, the only solution would be to rely on a private shipping company.
Recently, I bought some items in an auction; as it was far away from my place, I contacted a company via email (hello@thepackengers.com ) and they did the pickup, careful packing and shipping at a reasonnable cost. I know that they can ship to most countries so that might be a viable option.
Good luck,
Jeff

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drh
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Re: Which Pathé open horn machines have strong motors?

Post by drh »

phonodesbois wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 5:18 am Packing and shipping such a gramophone is quite a challenge as the gramophone is very heavy and, furthermore, the horn is well over the Post Office size limits. So, the only solution would be to rely on a private shipping company.
Recently, I bought some items in an auction; as it was far away from my place, I contacted a company via email (hello@thepackengers.com ) and they did the pickup, careful packing and shipping at a reasonnable cost. I know that they can ship to most countries so that might be a viable option.
Good luck,
Jeff
Many thanks for the recommendation! I've sent thepackengers an e-mail to ask whether it could handle this project; if so, I'm thinking I'll take you up on your kind offer to act as translator and contact the eBay seller. I'll let you know how things go, probably by PM from here on just to avoid littering the forum with personal business.

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