The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi:
I tried the 4-3 with a "New Orthophonic" record. It still sounds loud and crisp.

The automatic brake does not work quite right. At the end of the record it shuts off if I touch the automatic shutoff lever a bit to the left. I have a copy of the "Instructions for the Setting-up, Operation & Care of The Orthophonic Victrola Spring Motor Type" and "Look For The Dog". Neither tells me how to set the automatic bake. Is it easy? Any idea on how to set it?

Thank you in advance.

Kevin

There is really no setup for the automatic brake. The post under the tone arm moves it and when the tone arm moves from the center of the record back to the start as when the needle is in the "changer groove" the mechanism is tripped. (The older "semi-automatic" brake had to be set for each record.) The brake is generally trouble free but if it is gummed up, it will either not work or work when it shouldn't. It has a retchet mechanism that begins to set as the record plays. When the tone arm moves away from the center of the record, it is tripped; on this a picture or a short video clip is worth the proverbial thousand words. The ratchet part has a very fine spring and that is often what gives trouble as it needs to move very freely. Hope this helps!

Hi. Thank you for the description Orthophonic. I will have to check for the "little spring".

Kevin