An early electric pickup

[FloridaClay]

Here is an interesting, and charming, video about an early electrical pickup adopter fitted to a wind-up phonograph.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xFU5u07P8Q

The same person also has a web page on the subject at:

http://www.normanfield.com/pickups.htm

With thanks to “Jack” on the Antique Phonograph Afficionado List, who put me on to it.

Clay

[syncopeter]

Yes, those old pick-ups can sound incredibly good. They wreak havock to your records though, playing at half a pound or more. Small wonder that so many records from the 1930s have ruined bass grooves. An acoustic pick-up just skips, a magnetic one ploughs on.

[Swing Band Heaven]

ummm, i've never had an acoustic soundbox skip grooves unless there were already severe scratches to the record or it was cracked. I'm just wondering whether there is any difference in weight between a soundbox and an early electic pick up like the one used. It would be interesting to compare - does anyone who has a similar pickup to the one used weigh it and also weigh a soundbox for comparison.

I would do it myself but I don't have one of those type of attachable PUs.

S-B-H

[gramophoneshane]

I've got the HMV model 11, and a later Goldring of the same type, but nothing to weigh them with lol.
Going by feel & comparing them to a No.4 soundbox, the 11 is about the same weight as the 4, but the Goldring is considerably lighter.
I'll have to see if I can track down some kitchen scales from somewhere.
I don't use these detachable pick-ups very often because I have machines with one piece tonearm & pick-up that I prefer to use, but I've never been a big fan of the model 11. I'm not sure if it's a design flaw or what, but it does tend to cause more record wear than any others I have (apart from a very early heavy brass Thorens I have).
I haven't noticed any record wear at all using the Goldring, and it sounds amazing through my Yamaha surround sound system.
Generally speaking, I've found most electrical pick-ups to be very easy on records, provided the rubber insulators around the armiture is replaced.
If I ever work out how to connect them directly into my laptop & make recordings, I should do a few comparison recordings of the different types & brands I have.

[recordo]

that was an interesting video. I've only ever seen the No. 11 on HMV covers - wonderful to see one working and hear it. It sounded very good to me. I have a No. 25 in my HMV radiogram and it's great.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1J0NNVq7wc[/youtube]

[gregbogantz]

Early electric phono pickups vary somewhat with regard to their tracking forces. But they generally fall into the same force range as the typical later acoustic pickups of the day (circa mid 1920s). Which is around 150 grams. For example, the acoustic models such as the early Victor Exhibition tracks at about 100 grams, while the later Victor #5 orthophonic reproducer tracks at 135 grams, the Victrola #2 at 120g, The Columbia #15 VivaTonal at 140g, and the Brunswick Ultona at 80 to 160 grams, depending on the setting of the overhang adjustment. The electric models such as the horseshoe magnet pickup on the Victor RE-45 and 75 tracks at 160g and the "inertia" arm of the RCA RAE-26 tracks at 160g. The electrical "adapter" type pickups used to convert acoustic to electrical operation track at similar forces in the 150 gram range.

Record wear is no different from that obtained from an acoustic reproducer, but it is ESSENTIAL that the rubber suspension bits on the needle bar be restored to proper resilient condition. When these rubber parts harden up with age, there is essentially NO compliance in the needle bar assembly. Failure to restore these rubber bits will result in INSTANT destruction of a record in a single play.