Pathé cylinder player reproducer question

[FloridaClay]

Hello all,

I recently picked up a little "reversible" Pathé cylinder player. It has the type of reproducer shown in this picture, with a composition housing of some sort (gutta percha?). I don't see any way to disassemble it without doing damage. Do these even have rubber gaskets that could be replaced?

Clay

[rgordon939]

Looks identical to the reproducers Thea are listed on eBay at this like. These are reproductions.

Rich Gordon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cylinder-phonog ... 2edf9a70eb

[FloridaClay]

Looks identical to the reproducers Thea are listed on eBay at this like. These are reproductions.

Rich Gordon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cylinder-phonog ... 2edf9a70eb

Yes, I know. I grabbed that picture to illustrate the kind of reproducer I am talking about. Mine is an original.

Clay

[john9ten]

These reproducers are made of a substance that was called ebonite. The diaphragms will come off but you may need to replace them. There was a gasket of sorts on the surface, then the mica, then another gasket. I had one that was waxed. Repros are often gasketed. Show me a pic of yours! The reproducer edge has a bit of a flange that encircles the diaphragm.

[TinfoilPhono]

I have several of these. On all of mine the diaphragm sits on a rubber gasket and is secured with wax around the perimeter.

[FloridaClay]

Here it is. It had been in an attic near New Orleans for years and seems to have suffered somewhat from the heat. I can see the ring though.

Anyone you can recommend for rebuilding these properly?

Also wondering if perhaps I should leave the original as is, keep it with the machine, and get a repro for routine use? Notice that the neck on the repro looks a good bit longer than the one on mine.

Clay

[FloridaClay]

Has anyone tried the Pathé cylinder reproducers sold on eBay coming out of the Czech Republic and, if so, what is your opinion of them?

Clay

[CarlosV]

The original Pathé reproducers had glass diaphragms, sealed with a ring of red wax on the outer surface. The sapphire holder was cylindrical-shaped. The hemispherical-shaped holders are likely replacements, as well as the mica. The caveat is that Pathé is famous for its lack of standardization, so I don´t discard that they could have produced other types of diaphragms and sapphire holders.

I have one modern reproduction, but I bought it in England, not in Czech Republic. The one I have has a mica diaphragm and is not great in sound quality, but neither is the original one with the glass diaphragm.

[JerryVan]

I would just seal the edges of what you've got there with wax and use it as-is.

[fonografica]

Pathé cylinder reproducers originally had a glass diaphragm and rubber gaskets. Mica was often used as a replacement
because it was less fragil, unfortunately the sound quality is inferior. If you want to restore your reproducer use a glass
diaphragm which is louder and gives a richer tone too. You can get one from this site:

http://www.cylinder.de/glass-diaphragms.html

Regards