HMV 97 (portable) tonearm disassembly

[nostalgia]

Yes Soundgen, that would have been easy, but the horn on the red donor machine is so scratchy that I preferred using the original horn.

[Phono48]

Regarding the autobrake lever attached to the arm on your machines I've only seen those on early Columbia 204B machines, which had nickel fittings, and the Garrard turntable and speed control. The later 204C had chrome fittings and the HMV turntable and speed control and the later arm and autobrake fitting. So, and this is only an assumption, I think the arms on your machines indicate an early production date, when EMI used the same early arm on both the 204B and the 97B. Does that make sense?

Barry

[nostalgia]

I don't myself own any Columbia 204 gramophones, and don't really know the manufacture years for the Columbia 204B, but I upload photos of the serial numbers for my HMV 97 machines. The red 97B 1/20771, has the date Agust 5th, 1938 written with pencil on the back side of the turntable. The black 97 has this circular disc, that I remember reading in the HMG book was introduced in 1929 and was in use until 1935, when the small recangular labels were introduced, so this black 97 machine must have been manufactured between 1933-35.
All four machines have the same version of the tonearm with the same type autostop lever.

[Inigo]

For what we know, B/1 indicates 1937.

[Inigo]

For what we know, B/1 indicates 1936... or1937, I'm not sure if the B series started in 1936 was B/1 or a single B.

[Phono48]

I think the writing on the underneath of the turntable is more likely to be the mark of a repairer than a factory employee. There would have been no reason to do so.

Barry