Brunswick Acoustic Panatrope "Cortez"

[James]

Re: Brunswick Acoustic Panatrope Cortez
A request to these who own this machine to please forward me the two set of numbers punched into the wood by the lower door frame and hidden by the grille, if it electric or spring driven motor and your country. The right is a set of six digit number and this is the serial number. The left is a four digit number could be the case model number to where the case was built. I would be very greatful for your help.

To read my article-- GOOGLE: BRUNSWICK PANAROPE CORTEZ.

jAMES
[email protected]

[Starkton]

I didn't know anything about this model. Your article provides much useful information, nice illustrations and is well written: http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2.htm

The internet presence of CAPS is exemplary. It is a very good idea and an effective advertising effort to make one article per issue accessible to non-members. It is even better that members not only get the Antique Phonograph News in printed form, but have internet access to all back issues since January 1982. Fabulous !!

I wrote the above as a (still) non-member of CAPS.

[Kirkwood]

Thank you, James, for the heads-up on this great article. This Brunswick Panatrope Cortez seems to be hard to find. I found an acoustic Panatrope with a slightly smaller horn, the Hampton model, and it sounds really quite good. Different from the Victrola Orthophonics, to be sure, but it is very enjoyable. It has good bass, but not a lot, and vocal recordings seem to project that voice front and center without being strident. Just as Brunswicks of the pre-Panatrope era have that distinctive sound to them, this one seems to continue the tradition. One of the other board members has the same Hampton model, in far finer condition than mine, and perhaps he can describe the sound better than I. Brunswick built quite nice cabinets, I was surprised at the amount of solid walnut stock used in the Hampton (as opposed to walnut-finished poplar or gumwood). That spruce horn is quite lovely to see, it's almost a shame to hide it behind the grille.

[barnettrp21122]

Thanks, Kirkwood, for the nice comments regarding my Hampton. Here are a few pics:

I think your remarks concerning the sound of this phono are right on..perhaps a bit less bass, but a very pleasing "forward" tone to the music and vocals. With the grill removed the horn opening measures 19 X 14 inches.
I'd be interested to know how large the Cortez's is.
I play this much more often than my Credenza. The whole design and the way the cabinet's built is very pleasing to use. The tone arm snakes around in a classy, liquid manner, the winding is smooth and silent, and the stop mechanism uses a governor brake, not a turntable one, so it stops with a faint little "click" instead of the familiar Victor leather-on-metal bump!
I figure Brunswick must have promoted its electric models much more during this period, and maybe that's why you don't see many of these exponential horn models today.
Bob

[RAK402]

I realize this thread is very old, but I have a question for James (or anyone else, who might be able to answer it).

The badge/medallion on my machine says "Model Cortez, Brunswick" on it.

The one in James article, if I recall correctly, says "Panatrope, Exponential Type, Cortez" on it.

I am just curious as to why there is a difference.

Thank you all in advance.

[James]

I realize this thread is very old, but I have a question for James (or anyone else, who might be able to answer it).

The badge/medallion on my machine says "Model Cortez, Brunswick" on it.

The one in James article, if I recall correctly, says "Panatrope, Exponential Type, Cortez" on it.

I am just curious as to why there is a difference.

Thank you all in advance.

Panatrope
Exponential Type
Cortez
147426

This is the complete description of the phonograph,
From line of : PANATROPE
Type of horn: EXPONENTIAL TYPE
Model: CORTEZ
Serial number: 147426

It could postulate:
1. There were two Brunswick factories in the States, in Dubuque, Iowa and in Muskegon, Michigan. One can use the complete.

2.They run out of the medallion and just made the incomplete description, presuming everybody knows that CORTEZ have EXPONENTIAL horn.

3. Compare your serial number, which one was use first, and you could postulate yourself.

Cheers,
Jim

[RAK402]

James,

Thank you very much for the quick answer, sir!

I can't quite remember it, but I believe the serial number on mine is somewhat higher (I assume this means it was produced a bit later).

By the way, your article is what caused me to pursue a Cortez in the first place (thank you for that as well, sir).

[marcapra]

I don't believe James is correct with his postulate that the Brunswick Exponential type Cortez was the first medallion. Brunswick brought out the Spanish named phonographs before they ever settled on the name Panatrope Exponential type. Brunswick had named the all electronic sets Panatrope, but because those sets were so expensive, decided to put out an acoustic line as well in 1926. At first they just had Spanish and sometimes English names, and later, like Victrola, dropped the Spanish names, and used alpha-numeric names, like P-9 or P-11. Brunswick even had a contest to name the new exponential phonographs and the name Prismatone won. But Brunswick quickly dropped that idea and decided to carry on the Panatrope name with Exponential type tacked on to differentiate them from the all electronic Panatropes. I've never seen a Cortez with the name Exponential type on it, but then again I haven't seen any others but my own. My numbers are left 2740, right 157435. My Cortez has a universal electric motor.

[FellowCollector]

My Cortez is serial #134932. The ID plate is seen in the video here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqhU9TEnAs[/youtube]

Doug

[JerryVan]

Here's mine;