Columbia Q troubles with Indestructibles

[FrankH]

Are you sure all of your cylinders are 2 Min?

That's a good question. I'm quite certain that none of them has "4M" on the rim (I have both 2-Min and 4-Min Edison records and have taken note of the Amberols with "4M" stamped on them). However I don't know much about Indestructibles. Are they like pre-BA Edison records in that anything not stamped "4M" is a 2-Min record, or did Indestructible make 4-Min records that weren't stamped with the time? Some of them, at least, are definitely running at the right speed, they're just very warbly; others skip so badly that I too had wondered whether they might be 4-Min records. But they aren't stamped "4M" on the rim so I don't know.

[Phonofreak]

On the Indestructibles there is no minute marking. Only the 4 minute ones have that. I own several Q machines and they play the Indestructibles fine. Even the early Q with the small reproducer. Check the stylus and make sure it is not chipped or dirty. Also check to make sure it is perpendicular to the record. You can check this with a magnifying glass or a loupe. That should solve the problem.
Harvey Kravitz

[FrankH]

Check the stylus and make sure it is not chipped or dirty. Also check to make sure it is perpendicular to the record.

Harvey, thanks for the info. As it happens the stylus is not perpendicular to the record on this machine: the reproducer "lists" to one side. It seems that the reproducer was rebuilt and where it attaches to the knurled collar assembly, it is slightly out of alignment. I've included a photo I took which isn't all that clear but shows that the vertical bar inside the collar is not perpendicular to the reproducer, hence the whole assembly isn't at a right angle to the record. Any idea how to fix this? How does the knurled collar attach to the reproducer body itself, and how hard is it to loosen and realign this?

[Phonofreak]

I'm not sure if the knurled collar with swivel to the proper alignment. If not, don't force it. I would personally send it for a proper rebuild and alignment. I really think that is the problem.
Harvey Kravitz