Art Case Diamond Disk on eBay

[NEFaurora]

"Are you sure? As far as I can tell, my C19 dates from 1922 & my L35 from 1926, and they both have the speed control on top of the bedplate, in the upper left corner."

Pretty darned sure (I was way wrong on this, Keep reading below), but I will do some heavy research on the question, and post back here with the definitive answer. Into the research books I go..Frow, Here I come...

Tony K.

[NEFaurora]

UPDATE! 03/24/12

Ok, Did the research, and here's what I found.

From Frow's book "Edison Disc Phonographs", The speed control is known as the "Speed regulator" on the upper left of the turntable, and it was indeed used up until 1923 as far as Frow's book shows. Pages 60 thru 68 make small mention of this, and I do mean small.

A terse,literal note from Edison to engineer John Constable stated the following in 1923 verbatim -

"From Edison to Constable - Constable, I hear complaints that Pointer on Speed regulator of Disc Machines Shifts - Fix it so. If Can't ----- The note ends there, basically telling Constable, that if he can't fix the problem, to see Mr. Edison.

Apparently, There was a found issue with the Upper Turntable Speed regulators where the Speed Regulator would sometimes "jump" by itself in the middle of playing a Diamond Disc record hence affecting speed of the record. It also goes on to say that Engineer Constable suggested to Edison to make changes and get rid of the upper Speed Regulator at one point and the heavy style turntable bed and to create the Type "C" motorbed. Edison was reluctant at first, but then gave in later, but the book makes no mention at what points (years) these changes were actually made and implemented in the 1920's.

I can find no mention of the turntable speed regulator after 1923 in any of Frow's materials unless I am missing something. - So, Basically As usual, Actual machines are all we have had to go by.

I find it shocking that you say that you have an LP machine (1926-1927) with 10", 12" buttons with the speed control on the upper left of the turntable. I would like to see pics of that one. Maybe someone swapped out the motor bed possibly?

Then again, Nothing surprises me lately. Its so interesting to see what we find, the deeper we dig.

As an interesting note, Frow mentions that all sales and inventory of the "Art" case machines ceased in December of 1925.


Tony K.

[gramophoneshane]

UPDATE! 03/24/12

I find it shocking that you say that you have an LP machine (1926-1927) with 10", 12" buttons with the speed control on the upper left of the turntable. I would like to see pics of that one. Maybe someone swapped out the motor bed possibly?

I didn't say I owned one, but that I have only seen 2 LP machines in person, so I dont know if ALL LP machines have speed controls on top or if the change was implicated during their production.
Im sure there must be at least 1 or 2 members here that do own an LP Edison, who could chime in and tell us where their speed controls are located.

[gramophoneshane]

I just found a youtube video posted by one of our members "Phonophan79", showing his LP machine, and it too has the speed control in the rear left corner above the bedplate, so for now I'll stick to my belief that the speed control wasn't moved until 1927

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W62mP1x46T8[/youtube]

[NEFaurora]

I am at a loss for words. I have never seen an LP machine, especially a "NEW EDISON" produced that late with a Speed regulator/Speed controller in the upper left portion of the Turntable bed. I have an LP machine, a C19 Diamond Disc (1926-1927) with the 10" and 12" buttons, and does not have the "Long/Short" attachments buttons on the right side for Long Play which is pretty normal. It does not have the Speed regulator knob.

This puts everything about the speed regulator in a quandry..

Why do some machines after 1923 have them?? Was Edison just using up old bedplates/motorplates, and parts????

This brings on all new questions!!! What a thread!

Anyone have any comments on the availabilty of the Speed regulators (knob)/Speed control on the upper left of the Diamond Disc turntable after 1923 ?? Why do some machines have them, and some don't??. I do know this, Cabinet or Model Number type has absolutely nothing to do with it. All I can think of is maybe the Duncan stop maybe??? I am really going out on a limb here!


Comments???? Thoughts???

Tony K.

[FloridaClay]

Edison was rather notorious for using up old parts stocks in new models until they were gone.

Clay

[NEFaurora]

Updated!: 03/25/12

Found out some more info on this Speed regualtor issue. I located two other collectors with 1926 DD Machines, and they both indeed have the speed regulator controlers. In the end, I think that "Gramophoneshane" got it right the first time in saying that the speed regulators were dropped in 1927. Thanks Shane for bring that to our attention. Shane, Where did you ever get this info, Do you remember? After all the research that I did on this question, I think that your answer is Dead on. I think that the speed regulators were also dropped in 1927. Thanks for bringing it up and correcting me. I can tell you that I've learned alot about Edison Speed regulators this past week! lol..

It still amazes me that Frow makes no mention of the DD turtable speed regulators after 1923 in any of his books... I have them all..

Thanks! Great Subject, and great discussion!

Tony K.

[gramophoneshane]

Updated!: 03/25/12

Shane, Where did you ever get this info, Do you remember?

I got it from over 30 yrs of collecting
Actually, that's not completely true. It's mostly from the 6 years I've spent making observations on forum like this one.
Other changes that seem to have taken place in the 1926/27 period are the governor went from 2 weights to 3, grille cloth went from plain to paterned, turntable felt changed to a mustard colour, and on some models the winding crank was altered from the thin gauge rod used previously to a thicher tapered crank (which required a larger hole in the crank escutcheon)

[NEFaurora]

I know about the Mustard colored turntable felt replacing the Green colored felt in 1926, but would like to know more about the Grille cloth going from "plain" to "patterned" When (What year did this happen?) Would like to see a pic of the "patterned" grille cloth.

Thanks,

Tony K.

[barnettrp21122]

Here's a picture of the patterned grillcloth on a Schubert Edisonic. Notice the vertical stripe. Every Schubert I've seen has this, caused by sunlight leaking through the closed doors and fading the color in just this spot.
Bob