The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I thought that this was interesting.

It seems that HMV advised users to 'run down springs completely' every so often.

I haven't seen this advice before.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203659681057 ... Swcm1hcIIW

Running the motor down completely carries the risk of the end of the spring becoming detached from it's location.
To reduce the tension on the spring I always run the motor down after a playing session, but never completely.

The way this advice was written I think it was meant to redistribute the grease within the spring barrels and to let the springs expand completely once in a while. Probably good advice, even though I let them wind down nearly completely after each use since I never know when I will touch that specific machine again.

Andreas

Interesting they call it a taper tube and not tone arm.

The tapering gooseneck tonearm was patented by Victor/HMV, which is probably why they continued to use the term long after the patent had expired.