Looking For A U.S. Phonograph Co. Reproducer...Help!

[SonnyPhono]

I am looking for a reproducer for a U.S. Lakeside Opera model. I have contacted a few parts suppliers without luck. Does anyone have or know someone who may have a reproducer for this machine? It is the wide setup that has both the two and four minute reproducers in one. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[downsouth]

I believe a set sold on Ebay about 2-3 weeks ago.

Wes

[SonnyPhono]

Yea Wes, I saw that a few minutes ago. I have terrible timing! It sold for a pretty low price too as it looked to be mostly complete including styli. I have talked to half a dozen phonograph repair/parts dealers and nobody has one or knows of anyone else who does. I thought this might be a tall order but am realizing it's going to be tougher than I thought.

[Valecnik]

Even if you would have gotten the one on eBAY, it likely would have required a major overhaul. The mechanism is quite complicated, essentially two reproducers sitting next to eachother with gearing to raise one up and drop the other down, all potmetal.

A few years ago at Union I was quite surprised to see a similar machine that the seller purported to have an original working reproducer. As I watched he demonstrated to the potential buyer how to change from two to four minute by turning the knob on the top and the whole underworks fell apart...

Paul Baker restored at least one, for a substantial charge several years ago for another collector. I purchased the machine some time later so I'm fortunate enough to have one that works. You might try him but if he's willing to do it, it will be expensive.

On this thread you can see pics of my Junior and of a Peerless, also restored by Paul Baker.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... t=us+opera

[SonnyPhono]

Paul Baker restored at least one, for a substantial charge several years ago for another collector. I purchased the machine some time later so I'm fortunate enough to have one that works. You might try him but if he's willing to do it, it will be expensive.

Thanks for the lead. I will contact him to see if he might be able to help. I have talked to quite a few people about this and have been told by a few that the best case scenario would be if I am able to have a new reproducer machined from scratch. This would be really expensive IF it could even be done. But it sounds like this may be about the only practical option considering even if I find a complete original, it would be very fragile due to it's complexity and original material used. I think a complete reproduction would be worth the cost of fabrication though considering the Opera's rarity and everything else on the machine is complete and in good condition. Thanks again for the lead, Valecnik. Here it is prior to any cleaning;

[Valecnik]

Good luck. I'm sure if you got some made up from scratch you could sell a few additional. There must be at least dozens of incomplete machines out there but of course the question is price???


By the way, looking more closely at your pictures, I can't see the feed screws. Could be it's just to dark but that machine should have two feedscrews paralell to eachother and then two separate mechanisms with separate half nuts linking the reproducer to the feedscrews. Sorry I can't be more specific or provide better pics!

[SonnyPhono]

I'm sure if you got some made up from scratch you could sell a few additional. There must be at least dozens of incomplete machines out there but of course the question is price???

That would be a good idea. Like you said, I am sure there are others out there with the same issue on these U.S. machines.

As for the feed screws, there are two. I will post better pictures showing the whole machine sometime soon. I am in the process of cleaning it and will post them when I'm done. For now, here is a picture of the two feed screws: