Playing 20" Pathés

[gramophoneshane]

A friend of mine asked today about playing his 20" Pathés on modern equiptment.
I know there's plenty around capable of playing 16" transcriptions, but I dont recall seeing anything that takes a 20" disc. Such a turntable would also need to have a variable speed ranging from about 70-130rpm.
Does anyone know of a turntable that would be suitable?

[Swing Band Heaven]

When I was looking for a turntable to play my transcription disks on the largest diametre that any could accommondate was 16". In my searching I never found anything that would go larger than this. However they could always buy a varioable speed tuntable and mount it on a board and mount a pick up far enough away to accommodate a 20" disk, the only probelm would be that the tone arm would probably not be long enough. As an alternative they could rig up a temporary tonearm on a wind up machine that could accommodate a 20" disk. Thats the only way around the problem that I can see.

S-B-H

[Valecnik]

These guys might be able to help. If I recall correctly they can at least go to 16 inch but you could ask them...

http://www.esotericsound.com/turntable.htm

I've bought two of thier more basic models and been totally satisfied. Great for more standard vertical cuts like Edisons.

[gramophone78]

Well,I know this is about 5" off O/T but,my Paillard hot-air plays a 15" Pathé with no problem.I know a 20" would fit but,I don't have one.A friend in Europe was going to give me one but,the shipping was nuts and not worth the risk.There is even mention in the Paillard catalog that you could order a slightly stronger running "Stirling engine" just for that porpose of playing the 20" disc.I know I have that engine.

[gramophoneshane]

A 20" disc on the Paillard sounds a bit scarry to me. I'd be a little worried the record would warp by the time the stylus reached the outer edge, due to the heat coming from the side outlet & rising straight up. I guess you could always add a chimney to the outlet & pipe the heat further away from the machine

I know what you mean about shipping those 20" Pathés. I was bidding on one & I bowed out around half way through the auction because I was so concerned about it arriving in one piece. I could have spent 2 ½ days & $300 petrol to collect it, but that seemed a bit over the top for a record I cant even play (yet), and to freight it would probably cost close to the same once it was packed with adequate protection, and even then there's no guarantee it would survive the journey- especially when I'm not the one packing it for transport.
I think to guarantee the survival of something so big and fragile, you'd really need to make a specially designed crate to hold the record securely, with very heavy walls that were impossible to bend or twist, and that crate would have to be suspended or packed in another crate with enough padding around it to absorb any shock from being dropped or having heavy items dropped on it.
You'd probably end up with a crate weighing as much as 50 records
I've decided that if I'm ever to get one, it has to be within a reasonable driving distance, so I can collect it & nurse it all the way home

[Uncle Vanya]

I used to play them on my Victor V, until I found an open horn Pathéphone for $400.00 at an antique shop in Philly.

Both machines burned in March of 2009, along with my 20" and 14" Pathé records, so no problem.

[Valecnik]

I used to play them on my Victor V, until I found an open horn Pathéphone for $400.00 at an antique shop in Philly.

Both machines burned in March of 2009, along with my 20" and 14" Pathé records, so no problem.

Burned??? Did I not see some pictures of your tragedy on this board about this time? In any case, so sorry to her about it. To loose the things you mentioned is bad enough. If you lost more.....

[Uncle Vanya]

I used to play them on my Victor V, until I found an open horn Pathéphone for $400.00 at an antique shop in Philly.

Both machines burned in March of 2009, along with my 20" and 14" Pathé records, so no problem.

Burned??? Did I not see some pictures of your tragedy on this board about this time? In any case, so sorry to her about it. To loose the things you mentioned is bad enough. If you lost more.....

Well, I have finally got over the shock, and actually rather enjoy the flexibility of not having to worry about what to do with the collection. I lost all of my open horn machines, save one Triumph F, about 40,000 select records ( Father began collecting Golden Era vocals in the 'thirties), and a couple hundred table and cabinet machines, with a primary focus on Orthophonic, Edisonic, Viva-tonal and Panatrope types, along with a couple hundred battery radios and accessories.

All-in all, though, I don't really miss most of the stuff. I still have my 8-35 and 12-25, an electric motor Consolette, a nice RE-45, a Columbia 800, a Tonalic Sonora, Pathé Actuelle in an art case, VV-130, 7-10 and 7-11, a Columbia AH, and an Edison C-19, and I'm considering parting with a couple of these, as most are none too desirable. I've re-focused my collecting towards records, and have picked up some real dandies this past year. I realise now that I could be very satisfied with the 8-35, the Consolette, one Electrola, the Triumph, and the Pathé, 'though I wouldn't mind a good rear mount open horn machine. The loss was not nearly as devastating as I would once have thought.

[Valecnik]

It sounds like you've moved on. I'm sure it was a shock though.

Anyway you've still got, or have since obtained some nice things, not horribly expensive yet fun to play with

Is your Pathé art model an Actuelle or some other? I have a beattiful Actuelle art model. Sold it. That was dumb...

[Uncle Vanya]

It sounds like you've moved on. I'm sure it was a shock though.

Anyway you've still got, or have since obtained some nice things, not horribly expensive yet fun to play with

Is your Pathé art model an Actuelle or some other? I have a beattiful Actuelle art model. Sold it. That was dumb...

Well I had 2 Actuelle Art Models which were in the house and so survived the fire, one a Hepplewhite, and the other a Tudor. I have sold the Hepplewhite, and retained the Tudor, which is really a lovely machine.

Most of what survived was in the house, which was spared. I had unfortunately moved most of the collection out to the carriage house (the structure that burned) whilst I was building a new record room...