Beethoven Edisonic horn neck problem.

[marcapra]

I just took delivery of my newly acquired Edisonic Beethoven model. It has a Victrola tonearm stuck into the Edison horn neck, and it has swelled in place and won't budge. As I tried to withdraw the Victrola tonearm, it broke into many pieces, but the end of the Victrola tonearm is still in the Edison horn neck. Heat did not help the withdrawal. Anyone know the best way to take a broken off tonearm out of an Edison neck? I am also trying to take the grille out. After unscrewing the two retaining screws, the grille frame barely moves. And I don't want to break it. Any tips? Marc.

[PeterF]

On the grille removal, there are two screws to remove from the front, about halfway down on the left and right sides of the frame. There should also be two more screws fastening the top edge from the back and accessible by opening the lid. When all screws are gone, slide the grille slide upward to free it from the groove at the bottom, then pull the bottom towards you and slide the grille down and out.

On the tonearm, all I can say is just be careful, because the horn is pretty fragile.

[marcapra]

Okay, thanks Peter. I took the screws in front off, but didn't even know about those screws in back. Thanks so much. A friend said to try using a dremel tool to drill the stuck metal out of the Edison horn neck.

[De Soto Frank]

Mark,

I recently had a Columbia sound-box twist-off at the taper-tube, leaving the stub of the sound-box in the end of the taper-tube.

I took a fine-tooth hack-saw blade, and inserted it in through the center of the broken-off neck, and carefully cut slot through the broken neck. Then I rotated everything 180*, and repeated the process. Then I was able to take a jeweler's screw-driver, and gently pry the two pieces towards the center, and they literally fell-out.

I don't think I would use the Dremel. My past experience is that the Dremel can find a soft-spot and hog-out too much material before you can stop it.

Look it over, and think about it ...

Good luck !

[marcapra]

Frank, Thanks for the "fine-tooth hacksaw" idea. I like that idea because I can control the pressure better and go more slowly so I don't hack into the Edison neck. Marc.

[De Soto Frank]

Mark,

I've used that trick many times before, on antique cars, machinery, plumbing...

Sometimes it's a life-saver !

On the Columbia, I came away with just the slightest hint of a groove in the socket of the taper-arm... certainly nothing that will show, or impair function. I'm still Pi$$ed that I broke what had been a rebuildable reproducer, up to that fateful moment.

[marcapra]

Frank, I bought the right size hack saw today and am working on it right now. My local friend Ed said that I should make two cuts about ¼" apart or less and remove the strip. Then the stuck part will slide out. I want to give Peter a double, no triple thanks for telling me that there were two more screws holding the Beethoven grille in behind it. When I looked for those two screws I couldn't find them and thought Peter must be mistaken. And I have never seen a grille that had screws holding it in, behind it! But I finally saw them. They are very well hidden. Had I proceeded with trying to take the grille out, I would have broken a rare and pristine Beethoven grille. thanks to Peter, Frank and all others who are giving me advice on this! Marc.

[marcapra]

Finally got the stuck Victrola tonearm out of the Edison neck. What finally did it was making a 180 degree cut and then using a thin screwdriver as wedge which a gently hammered between the tonearm and the horn neck. And it finally fell out! Now I have to find out how to reduce the 88 rpm of the turntable back down to 80 rpm. Edisonics don't have speed adjusting knobs.