Columbia Eagle governor weight spring…replace it?

[AmberolaAndy]

This might be a bit of a “well duuuh!” But I’ve been trying to address the issue with my Columbia Eagle’s issue with tracking. When I put a regular 2 minute record on it, it sometimes tracks like a 4 minute record on a 2 minute only machine.

I’ve been very confounded with this issue but I have noticed something, this governor weight and spring seems longer than the other two on this machine, like it doesn’t match with the other two even the color of this spring is different…it seems like a previous owner replaced two of the springs except that one. So it may be a contributer to my tracking issue? I fiddled with my reproducer as much as I could and it still gave me this annoying tracking issue!

[Phono-Phan]

All the springs and weights should be the same. Not sure if that is the cause of your tracking issue though.

[FellowCollector]

That governor spring is definitely not correct. Eagle governor springs should be almost straight at rest (like the other 2 in your picture). That one governor spring is too long. Doubtful (in my opinion) that this would impact tracking though. However, this could possibly cause a flutter in sound since the governor would be out of balance on rotation and almost certainly transfer this imbalance through the drivetrain to the mandrel.

Doug

[JerryVan]

If it creates enough imbalance, it may cause the stylus to jump out of the record groove. Either way, it should be replaced with the correct length. To be proper, you should replace all 3.

[AmberolaAndy]

If it creates enough imbalance, it may cause the stylus to jump out of the record groove. Either way, it should be replaced with the correct length. To be proper, you should replace all 3.

Ok I have made a video of my Eagle playing a record and the grooves jump like its a 4 minute record in a 2 minute machine...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WIiM6YwwrHA

(I apologize for that stupid YouTube shorts format that YouTube keeps forcing on videos if we like it or not! )

[JerryVan]

If it creates enough imbalance, it may cause the stylus to jump out of the record groove. Either way, it should be replaced with the correct length. To be proper, you should replace all 3.

Ok I have made a video of my Eagle playing a record and the grooves jump like its a 4 minute record in a 2 minute machine...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WIiM6YwwrHA

(I apologize for that stupid YouTube shorts format that YouTube keeps forcing on videos if we like it or not! )

The only problem I hear is an occasional skip that seems to be a flaw in the cylinder. Other than that, I can't hear any problems. It definitely does not sound like a 4 min cylinder on a 2 min. machine.

[AmberolaAndy]

If it creates enough imbalance, it may cause the stylus to jump out of the record groove. Either way, it should be replaced with the correct length. To be proper, you should replace all 3.

Ok I have made a video of my Eagle playing a record and the grooves jump like its a 4 minute record in a 2 minute machine...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WIiM6YwwrHA

(I apologize for that stupid YouTube shorts format that YouTube keeps forcing on videos if we like it or not! )

The only problem I hear is an occasional skip that seems to be a flaw in the cylinder. Other than that, I can't hear any problems. It definitely does not sound like a 4 min cylinder on a 2 min. machine.

Problem is it's doing this with every record regardless of condition, like the producer can't keep up with the feedscrew and jumps a few grooves and I'm wondering if something is up with the leaver that lowers it?

[FellowCollector]

Presuming the cylinder(s) that you're playing is/are in good playing condition (no groove damage or pits) then the problem may be that your reproducer is not "floating" laterally as much and as freely as it should. Keep in mind that Columbia floating reproducers require a good amount of free lateral movement in playing position. I suspect that your reproducer may be a bit confined relative to lateral movement which could certainly create skipped grooves during play.

For the most part, and as Jerry mentioned above, the cylinder you're playing in the video seems to play pretty well - mostly. By the way, and for what it's worth, I personally would not play that particular cylinder, "Schultz Goes Hunting With Grover Cleveland" by Frank Kennedy on a phonograph with any sort of playing problems. But that's me. It's a desirable title to find in nice condition.

Good luck and hopefully you'll find that the problem is with the reproducer lateral movement. Then again, maybe that's not the problem.

Doug

[AmberolaAndy]

Presuming the cylinder(s) that you're playing is/are in good playing condition (no groove damage or pits) then the problem may be that your reproducer is not "floating" laterally as much and as freely as it should. Keep in mind that Columbia floating reproducers require a good amount of free lateral movement in playing position. I suspect that your reproducer may be a bit confined relative to lateral movement which could certainly create skipped grooves during play.

For the most part, and as Jerry mentioned above, the cylinder you're playing in the video seems to play pretty well - mostly. By the way, and for what it's worth, I personally would not play that particular cylinder, "Schultz Goes Hunting With Grover Cleveland" by Frank Kennedy on a phonograph with any sort of playing problems. But that's me. It's a desirable title to find in nice condition.

Good luck and hopefully you'll find that the problem is with the reproducer lateral movement. Then again, maybe that's not the problem.

Doug

The problem is I cannot get that lateral movement to work no matter how much I try to fiddle with both of my floating reproducers and I want to know what’s causing that?

[AmberolaAndy]

The more I fiddle with this machine and play more records the more apparent the issues with that governor weight and spring are, there are now some significant wow and flutter issues with records.

I looked up eBay and Thephonographshop for a replacement weight and spring set but no dice.