The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Interesting, this gave me an idea... I have some broken pot metal parts I was trying to replace, I should make them out of wood!

Metal violons have been tried. I think plastic violins would be plausible, but buyers would probably prefer an inferior wood instrument over a good plastic one...if one existed. There is a stigma attached to hard rubber or plastic clarinets, though they can sound very good. Curiously there was an attempt to build bass viols out of aluminum...they were durable, light for their bulk, and sounded good, but never caught on.

De Soto Frank wrote:Wonder if it's made from "violin wood" ?

Frank, here is one on Ebay right now. May not sell at that starting price??.

That reproducer is also built to fit a Grafonola,which limits the market.

estott wrote:That reproducer is also built to fit a Grafonola,which limits the market.

Estott, do you know if this company made these for others as well??. I'm of the opinion the sound would be somewhat muted??. However, I have no idea. Just a visual observation... .

phonoman-antique wrote:I think it shows that sound reproduction is not limited to only a few materials.

No one ever thinks of making a Violin out of plastic or metal.

Someone did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_X9ryRAZr8 . [N.B. the playing is not the best!] Google "plastic violin" for many hits.

Double basses have been made of metal for a long time, particularly school instruments. Google "metal double basses" for 10+ million hits. Not to mention electric basses, guitars, etc.

Wanda Landowska is said to have played a harpsichord with an aluminum sound board.

As a trombonist, I have no problem with the notion of metal instruments per se.
And now there are plastic trombones! But not wooden ones yet, AFAIK. These wouldn't be good for playing hot jazz.

Very interesting.

I am a violin maker (Luthier) and have a lot of acoustic spruce in my shop, I never thought of using it to make a phonograph diaphragm.

I wonder if it makes classical music 78s sound better.

gramophone78 wrote:

estott wrote:That reproducer is also built to fit a Grafonola,which limits the market.

Estott, do you know if this company made these for others as well??. I'm of the opinion the sound would be somewhat muted??. However, I have no idea. Just a visual observation... .

I do not know much about the company, but I assume they made versions for other machines as well. I've also seen thin wood discs that were intended to be substituted for mica. In my opinion it was all a gimmick.

Henry wrote:As a trombonist, I have no problem with the notion of metal instruments per se.
And now there are plastic trombones! But not wooden ones yet, AFAIK. These wouldn't be good for playing hot jazz.

A professional trombinist friend has a plastic pBone and says it's really good, way better than it's any right to be! I play a little myself and keep meaning to get one. Just can't decide which colour!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pbone-Jiggs-Whi ... 641wt_1129

Player-Tone wrote:Very interesting.

I am a violin maker (Luthier) and have a lot of acoustic spruce in my shop, I never thought of using it to make a phonograph diaphragm.

I wonder if it makes classical music 78s sound better.

Just a little off topic, but as a luthier, perhaps you can answer a question for me?

I have a Lyon and Healy 36 string lever harp with a crack in the sound board. It doesn't seem to really affect the sound to my ear, but my concern is whether or not it is better to replace a sound board before it becomes a problem, or wait until I notice any issues. The crack has been there for probably ten years or better, and hasn't worsened to my eye.

My understanding is the cost will be essentially the same to replace the sound board whether I do so now, or wait. I only play it for my own satisfaction, so it isn't crucial to my livelihood.

What is your opinion/advice? Also, how does one find a qualified luthier in a smallish town? I could take it to Lyon and Healy when I go to Union in June, but there is the small matter of getting it back home again after work is completed (and crating/shipping would probably run half as much as the cost of the sound board replacement).

I'd appreciate any insight or advice you could give me.