The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Photoj wrote:Thanks for the helpful info. This is my first machine and want to make sure I'm playing it right.

I have owned a Victor III for 30+ years and a know a few things about them. Since this is your first machine, you may or may not know a particular quirk, so I'll ask a beginner's question that ought to be so obvious that it is nearly insulting to ask. Are you sure the tonearm swings absolutely freely? There is a reason I ask - shoving the tonearm upward into the horn bracket locks it into a carrying position to move the machine around. However, the tonearm still swings stiffly and a beginner might unknowingly try to play a record that way, causing greater record wear. Pulling the tonearm down in the bracket frees it up to swing freely as intended.

Thanks for the tips everyone. The tone arm swings free, but I had no idea about the locking of it. I clean the records with mild dish detergent, an extra soft tooth brush and micro fiber cloth to dry with. I haven't been wrapping the cloth around anything, but I like that idea. I haven't done the sealing wax thing either, I will look into that. One more question I should ask is how often do you oil/grease the insides of the machine, this is another thing I have no idea about, I have only had the machine about a month now. Are there instructions anywhere on how to do this and how often?

Thanks again.

Quick tip on the sealing wax:
It is a good idea to remove the lock screw and balance the needlebar first. Adjusting is easiest done when the needlebar is not attached to the diaphragm. That way you can confirm it is just barely touching the diaphragm in its relaxed state.

Player-Tone wrote:It looks like you rebuilt it with new gaskets, that's good.

A possible cause for additional record wear is an unbalanced needlebar. The mica diaphragm should be relaxed when the reproducer is at rest, the needlebar should not be pushing or pulling on it.

-In addition, make sure the balance springs are not too tight. You want just enough tension to hold the needlebar in place. Too much tension will make the needlebar stiff, which will cause excess record wear (dust). I can't quite tell from the pic, but the balance spring screw looks a bit tight.

Actually, I wouldn't call them "balance springs." As I discovered when I rebuilt my Exhibition, those screws/springs move the needle bar closer to or farther from the face of the diaphragm (can't remember which screw does what, as it's been a while, but it's one or the other). It is crucial that the needle bar tip just barely touch the diaphragm---no more, no less. When I made the adjustment, I used a leaf of cigarette paper as a spacer gauge between the needle bar tip and the diaphragm surface; when I felt the slightest tug while withdrawing the paper from between them, I knew I had reached the correct distance, and tightened the lock nuts at that point. Of course, all this is done before applying the drop of molten beeswax to the contact point. Original Victor instructions mention a paper washer behind the tiny screw head, but having none I omitted it, to no apparent detriment.

Henry wrote: Actually, I wouldn't call them "balance springs." As I discovered when I rebuilt my Exhibition, those screws/springs move the needle bar closer to or farther from the face of the diaphragm (can't remember which screw does what, as it's been a while, but it's one or the other). It is crucial that the needle bar tip just barely touch the diaphragm---no more, no less. When I made the adjustment, I used a leaf of cigarette paper as a spacer gauge between the needle bar tip and the diaphragm surface; when I felt the slightest tug while withdrawing the paper from between them, I knew I had reached the correct distance, and tightened the lock nuts at that point. Of course, all this is done before applying the drop of molten beeswax to the contact point. Original Victor instructions mention a paper washer behind the tiny screw head, but having none I omitted it, to no apparent detriment.

Why wouldn’t you call them balance springs, that’s what they are. The springs balance the needle bar on its pivot by moving it closer to or farther away from the diaphragm, as was already explained.

-The picture below shows which screw does what(when being tightened):
Red Arrow:Moves needle bar into diaphragm (pushes)
Green Arrow:Moves needle bar away from diaphragm (pulls)

In the picture of the reproducer, it looks like a piece of something is caught between the diaphragm and the inside label above the word "Exclusively".