Panatrope 15-8 find

[gramophone-georg]

Eppy, it looks to me like the only issue with that box is the securing ring- and not even really all that bad. Try it on a loud record with a loud tone needle and if it doesn't buzz, leave it alone. Check the fit of the box on the arm for air tightness- and the other sound chamber joints as well as the horn. THAT might be your low volume issue. Given the condition of the cabinet, the joint at the base of the tone arm needs to be sealed with grease for sure!

[VanEpsFan1914]

Hello George, I'll certainly give that a shot. It isn't airtight on there at all--which is what electrical tape is for--but I will check and make sure the backplate isn't just deforming or something.

Can't exactly try it with louder needles. I moved recently and ended up in a tiny apartment, working five college classes and part-time work. Walls are thin here and I don't want to blast music while people are chilling out in their own apartments. They do that already.

But when time permits I'll get to refinishing the top. There are some new needles on the way and I will be testing it with those. (I will be using some extra-soft ones found inside it and trying to send them to the company I was in touch with, to see about having new ones made in bulk quantity.) Going to be playing it with regular soft tone needles.

The sound is VERY GOOD with the right records.

[AmberolaAndy]

Wow Charles that's a nice one! i really like the reproducer desgin on these Brunswicks.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Andy, were you ever able to fix your portable Brunswick after the cat jumped up in it?

I agree the reproducers on these both look and sound great. It's like the Victor reproducers--most of them are pretty good-looking as well. The Panatrope tonearm is really one of the most interesting parts--it looks like part of a musical instrument. I am impressed with the tracking on it--very smooth bearings and the reproducer is always parallel with the grooves. It's perhaps some of the best tracking I've seen on one of my machines.

The motor clunks a bit which is funny because Brunswicks usually are whisper-quiet. This one is very quiet compared to others but it still purrs a little.

Looking forward to getting it ready to go, but there are a ton of other responsibilities. This will take quite some time. I am going to save the veneer on the top though and glue it back down: this should work OK after strip/bleach/fill/stain/finish/polishing. I don't know but it looks like someone either put lots of plants on here, or maybe it was in a dining room for a long time and they were setting plates and drinks on it.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Andy, were you ever able to fix your portable Brunswick after the cat jumped up in it?

I agree the reproducers on these both look and sound great. It's like the Victor reproducers--most of them are pretty good-looking as well. The Panatrope tonearm is really one of the most interesting parts--it looks like part of a musical instrument. I am impressed with the tracking on it--very smooth bearings and the reproducer is always parallel with the grooves. It's perhaps some of the best tracking I've seen on one of my machines.

The motor clunks a bit which is funny because Brunswicks usually are whisper-quiet. This one is very quiet compared to others but it still purrs a little.

Looking forward to getting it ready to go, but there are a ton of other responsibilities. This will take quite some time. I am going to save the veneer on the top though and glue it back down: this should work OK after strip/bleach/fill/stain/finish/polishing. I don't know but it looks like someone either put lots of plants on here, or maybe it was in a dining room for a long time and they were setting plates and drinks on it.

[dzavracky]

Andy, were you ever able to fix your portable Brunswick after the cat jumped up in it?

I agree the reproducers on these both look and sound great. It's like the Victor reproducers--most of them are pretty good-looking as well. The Panatrope tonearm is really one of the most interesting parts--it looks like part of a musical instrument. I am impressed with the tracking on it--very smooth bearings and the reproducer is always parallel with the grooves. It's perhaps some of the best tracking I've seen on one of my machines.

The motor clunks a bit which is funny because Brunswicks usually are whisper-quiet. This one is very quiet compared to others but it still purrs a little.

Looking forward to getting it ready to go, but there are a ton of other responsibilities. This will take quite some time. I am going to save the veneer on the top though and glue it back down: this should work OK after strip/bleach/fill/stain/finish/polishing. I don't know but it looks like someone either put lots of plants on here, or maybe it was in a dining room for a long time and they were setting plates and drinks on it.

The clunking is probably the spring barrel. My cortez sometimes thumps when I wind it up all the way. I never touched the motor though, so I am sure the grease should be changed. But as they say... if it aint broke don't fix it


David

[Inigo]

You can always open the barrel and put some oil in it, this helps dissolving old graphite and sometimes it's enough.

[JerryVan]

Thanks Jerry for the heads-up on possible spares.

I know on mine the diaphragm, mask, needle bar, etc., are excellent but I am not sure about getting the back plate out. It would be great if there were new back plates made for these things considering Panatropes are a highly regarded phonograph.

There were a couple needles still in it so I was able to play it a little--the sound is very quiet but I'd been told by David that Panatropes can be very quiet with soft tone needles.

Do you all think that this could be taken apart, in the condition it's in? Haven't got the spanner right now to do it but it looks better than some pot metal reproducers.

Charles,

The lock ring may prove hard to remove. The back plate also has some distortion, as I believe it should be flat, and not convex. As others have suggested, if it sounds good, it may be best to leave it as-is. If not, I can check out my parts stash. As for low volume, I only use soft-tone needles in my Cortez, and even those are too loud sometimes. It will be harder to do with the lock slots in the back hub, but possibly trying to blow though it may reveal some leaks.

[VanEpsFan1914]

Thanks Jerry for the heads-up on possible spares.

I know on mine the diaphragm, mask, needle bar, etc., are excellent but I am not sure about getting the back plate out. It would be great if there were new back plates made for these things considering Panatropes are a highly regarded phonograph.

There were a couple needles still in it so I was able to play it a little--the sound is very quiet but I'd been told by David that Panatropes can be very quiet with soft tone needles.

Do you all think that this could be taken apart, in the condition it's in? Haven't got the spanner right now to do it but it looks better than some pot metal reproducers.

Charles,

The lock ring may prove hard to remove. The back plate also has some distortion, as I believe it should be flat, and not convex. As others have suggested, if it sounds good, it may be best to leave it as-is. If not, I can check out my parts stash. As for low volume, I only use soft-tone needles in my Cortez, and even those are too loud sometimes. It will be harder to do with the lock slots in the back hub, but possibly trying to blow though it may reveal some leaks.

Flat and not convex. Interesting! I put some fresh soft-tone needles in it today and tried it out; nothing happened really surprising. It has a lot of potential for incredible sound, but the sound it does put out is kind of poorly defined. There is bass; there is treble, it has a lot of range but not much clarity or volume.

Low volume is OK in an apartment--I prefer it that way--but it's not OK for the Brunswick not to work the way it was designed.

David--Thanks for the info.

Inigo--I will do that with the oil.

[AmberolaAndy]

Andy, were you ever able to fix your portable Brunswick after the cat jumped up in it?

Yes! Medved fixed it. I’ve haven’t made a video of it playing on my YouTube channel in quite a few months though.