Need some Vic II back bracket/tone arm advice.

[Steve Levi]

This is end of a Victor E. That tone arm will work perfectly in your humpback II bracket.

[FloridaClay]

Well, that outset and shoulder sure makes sense.

Clay

[FloridaClay]

If that collar at the big opening of the tone arm were heated and removed, would it be the correct diameter? It may they work and fit into the back bracket but you still have an incorrect arm. Jerry

It looks to me as though the "collar" is part of the casting, not a separate piece. But in any case, I want it to have all correct original parts when I'm done.

Clay

[Steve Levi]

Clay, I'm glad you started this thread. It took me awhile to figure it out. I could be wrong and am willing to go out on a limb here. Without taking back brackets off,from tone arm pin in backer bracket to spindle on both E and II is 81/2 inches. Brackets look the same visually. Took them off and compared, they are different. Vic II is shorter. So, and I can't explain and can only guess,Vic II back bracket is unique to "humpback", in the sense that it can utilize the same horn elbow and tone arm that is used on a "E" bracket.I think Victor Talking Machine company made the different bracket to accommodate the elbow and tone arm of E, but had to add "humpback" feature only to accommodate that tonearm that came from E. The hump is unique and it sure wasn't added for strength, it's hollowed out inside and securing bracket is curved to accommodate that hollowing out. It seems as though that was a lot of trouble, but, maybe it was cheaper to use up remaining horn elbows and tone arms from Victor E's. I will try and attach picture of brackets. One on left is from E, one on right is from II.

[Phonolair]

Larry, shouldn't he be looking for a tone arm that has the wedge shaped piece that pivots on the pin? I agree, the photo shows a Victrola IV tone arm. Jerry B.

Correct Jerry, the tone arm will have a wedge at the pivot.

Here is a picture of the correct tone arm for a Victor II humpback. The opening is 1 5/16", no step.

The earlier picture of a Victor E / Victor 1 tone arm will not work, the diameter is to small.

Larry Crandell

[Uncle Vanya]

If that collar at the big opening of the tone arm were heated and removed, would it be the correct diameter? It may they work and fit into the back bracket but you still have an incorrect arm. Jerry

Yes,mthe arm would work if the ring and cross bar were removed. It is only soldered in place. This would be a good substitute until you found an original arm with the block.

[Uncle Vanya]

This is end of a Victor E. That tone arm will work perfectly in your humpback II bracket.

No. The Victor E used a 1" tone arm as I recall. There was a 1 5/16 tone arm with that lip which was used on several versions of the Victor 1 and Victor II between 1906 and 1908 or 1909. That will work with the humpback. If your E has the larger tone arm then it has been upgraded at some point, I think.

[Steve Levi]

Uncle Vantage you could very well be right about Vic E tone arm. I am in full agreement about 1 and 5/16 inches for end of tone arm for Vic II humpback bracket. I am still wondering about difference in bracket size. Clay, not trying to highjack this thread. I too need a tone arm for a humpback. Bought a Vic I tone arm and adapted with plastic plumbing for now. Amazingly needle almost on spindle. Good luck with your quest. Steve

[FloridaClay]

Without taking back brackets off,from tone arm pin in backer bracket to spindle on both E and II is 81/2 inches. Brackets look the same visually.

Humm, on what I have the distance from from the front of the pin to the spindle is 9 ⅛".

Clay

[FloridaClay]

Larry, shouldn't he be looking for a tone arm that has the wedge shaped piece that pivots on the pin? I agree, the photo shows a Victrola IV tone arm. Jerry B.

Correct Jerry, the tone arm will have a wedge at the pivot.

Here is a picture of the correct tone arm for a Victor II humpback. The opening is 1 5/16", no step.

The earlier picture of a Victor E / Victor 1 tone arm will not work, the diameter is to small.

Larry Crandell

The attachment P1120646.jpg is no longer available

OK, the arm in the picture has exactly the same design as the arm on my Vic III, but with the Vic III there is a rim inside the bracket that prevents the arm from going all the way through the bracket and provides a surface for the arm to rotate against. On the bracket that I have there is no such rim. There is what looks to be a steel collar insert that you can see in one of the pictures. It stops short of the top of the hole in the bracket the correct distance for the horn elbow to fit into the opening and provides the surface on which the elbow can rotate, but is completely smooth inside, so there would be nothing to stop the arm from going all the way through if there is no shoulder at the top of the arm. The collar protrudes a short distance past the bottom of the bracket opening, as you can see in another photo. I am wondering if that collar is original or was added some time later, although if it was it would have been a very long time ago based on the grim and discoloration of the little bit that protrudes from the bottom.

There is a taper at the bottom of the collar, as you can see in this additional photo, that looks like it might be designed that way to mate with something on the top of an arm.

The arm and the bracket were obtained from different sources by the way.

Clay