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TKoP wrote:I have a question -- what expectations should i have for playback of the cylinders? I played one, and i can tell there was something there, but it wasn't as clear as I remember. I'm not expecting a whole lot, but the coupleof tubes i played were hard to understand what they were saying.

That depends on a number of things: condition of the cylinder; condition of the reproducer (gaskets, stylus, and diaphragm); freedom of lateral motion; any air gaps between the reproducer and the trunnion.

Also, these very early machines were most often listened to with ear tubes, instead of a horn (especially with the early brown wax cylinders). It's never going to sound as loud as, say, an Edison C reproducer, unless you put extra weight on it (not recommended for brown wax).

Bill

What Bill said.^^^

The gutta percha reproducers are notorious for playing faintly. That's why American Graphophone switched to aluminum reproducer and recorders in mid-1897. A Baby Grand or any of the other early Graphophones aren't the best for playing. Their charms lie elsewhere.

George P.

TKoP, If you have any interest in selling this machine, a friend of mine who a very serious collector and researcher of Columbia machines would make a very generous offer. He is a younger collector who represents the future of this hobby and would appreciate owning and caring for the machine for the next generation. He isn’t on the forum, but you can email me at [email protected], or call at 410-404-2025.

When, and if you receive a "generous offer", please post it here before accepting it... there are probably others on the Forum who would be interested...

Lucius1958 wrote:

TKoP wrote:I have a question -- what expectations should i have for playback of the cylinders? I played one, and i can tell there was something there, but it wasn't as clear as I remember. I'm not expecting a whole lot, but the coupleof tubes i played were hard to understand what they were saying.

That depends on a number of things: condition of the cylinder; condition of the reproducer (gaskets, stylus, and diaphragm); freedom of lateral motion; any air gaps between the reproducer and the trunnion.

Also, these very early machines were most often listened to with ear tubes, instead of a horn (especially with the early brown wax cylinders). It's never going to sound as loud as, say, an Edison C reproducer, unless you put extra weight on it (not recommended for brown wax).

Bill

• 1. I can only go by my untrained visual sight on the cylendar, but it looks clean to me
  2. The condition of the reproducter is what I was thinking might be the mostly likely issue -- I doubt he's done anything with it other than keep it in a box for years, if not decades.
  3. Lateral motion seems good -- it seems like it glides pretty well from right to left
  4. Air gap -- if i understand what the trunnion is, then it might also be an issue. The metal cap that I see on the pictures of other reproducers is connected to the machine rather than the reproducer itself. I need to slide it in manually so I'm not sure if I'm going in far enough or not.

I should also clarify that I'm not concerned about the volume -- it's actually louder than i expected it to be (not that it's loud) -- but the clarity of the audio is not as good as I remember. I distinctly remember understanding the words from a specific record back when I was 12. I can't find that record now, but the three or four I did try were uniformly not so good. I have to REALLY strain to comprehend the words being spoken/sung.

cmshapiro wrote:TKoP, If you have any interest in selling this machine, a friend of mine who a very serious collector and researcher of Columbia machines would make a very generous offer. He is a younger collector who represents the future of this hobby and would appreciate owning and caring for the machine for the next generation. He isn’t on the forum, but you can email me at [email protected], or call at 410-404-2025.

Thanks for the offer, but this is a family thing, so there's no way I can sell it for whatever amount it's worth.

TKoP wrote:

cmshapiro wrote:TKoP, If you have any interest in selling this machine, a friend of mine who a very serious collector and researcher of Columbia machines would make a very generous offer. He is a younger collector who represents the future of this hobby and would appreciate owning and caring for the machine for the next generation. He isn’t on the forum, but you can email me at [email protected], or call at 410-404-2025.

Thanks for the offer, but this is a family thing, so there's no way I can sell it for whatever amount it's worth.

Glad you are appreciative and keeping it... I would love to have a family heirloom like this...

TKoP wrote:

Lucius1958 wrote:

TKoP wrote:I have a question -- what expectations should i have for playback of the cylinders? I played one, and i can tell there was something there, but it wasn't as clear as I remember. I'm not expecting a whole lot, but the coupleof tubes i played were hard to understand what they were saying.

That depends on a number of things: condition of the cylinder; condition of the reproducer (gaskets, stylus, and diaphragm); freedom of lateral motion; any air gaps between the reproducer and the trunnion.

Also, these very early machines were most often listened to with ear tubes, instead of a horn (especially with the early brown wax cylinders). It's never going to sound as loud as, say, an Edison C reproducer, unless you put extra weight on it (not recommended for brown wax).

Bill

• 1. I can only go by my untrained visual sight on the cylendar, but it looks clean to me
  2. The condition of the reproducter is what I was thinking might be the mostly likely issue -- I doubt he's done anything with it other than keep it in a box for years, if not decades.
  3. Lateral motion seems good -- it seems like it glides pretty well from right to left
  4. Air gap -- if i understand what the trunnion is, then it might also be an issue. The metal cap that I see on the pictures of other reproducers is connected to the machine rather than the reproducer itself. I need to slide it in manually so I'm not sure if I'm going in far enough or not.

I should also clarify that I'm not concerned about the volume -- it's actually louder than i expected it to be (not that it's loud) -- but the clarity of the audio is not as good as I remember. I distinctly remember understanding the words from a specific record back when I was 12. I can't find that record now, but the three or four I did try were uniformly not so good. I have to REALLY strain to comprehend the words being spoken/sung.

Most likely, the 'clarity' issue is with the stylus, diaphragm, or gaskets. At the least, replacing old, hardened gaskets with new, pliable ones will noticeably improve sound quality.

In respect to 2.: I mean the side-to-side play of the reproducer - the 'wiggle room', so to speak. If a reproducer doesn't have that play, the stylus can get out of track with the cylinder, and sound garbled from time to time.

Bill

Likely stylus shape may be a factor. This thing is meant to play earlier, typically brown wax, cylinders (plus others that you likely don't have there) - so later ones (typically black wax) may sound less than optimal. Others that are blue or other colors, or marked "4M" etc are 4-minute rather than 2-minute records and just won't play properly at all on the G.

Lucius1958 wrote:Most likely, the 'clarity' issue is with the stylus, diaphragm, or gaskets. At the least, replacing old, hardened gaskets with new, pliable ones will noticeably improve sound quality.

In respect to 2.: I mean the side-to-side play of the reproducer - the 'wiggle room', so to speak. If a reproducer doesn't have that play, the stylus can get out of track with the cylinder, and sound garbled from time to time.

Bill

Thanks... so getting it (i.e., the reproducer) reconditioned sounds like my best option. I've seen many places online that offer up these services, but is there a one that is the defacto go-to place?