EMG Gramophone Horns and Remanufacture.

[Steve]

Last weekend at the UK annual NVCF I met a gentleman who was planning to build the "ultimate" reproduction radio-gramophone. He wanted to use "high-end" period components coupled with modern reproductions wherever necessary. He envisaged a giant "papier mache horn" like the classic radio horns of the 1920's and 30's but driven electrically!

He asked me what I thought and did I know anyone who might have a few ideas or would be able to help! I gave him Graham's contact details solely via this forum. Now that would be an interesting meeting of minds!

Let us know Graham if anyone makes contact about such an idea.

I assume you're "finished" with regard to producing ANY more horns though?

[emgcr]

Will do Steve---always open to new and exciting ideas ! Thanks for the thought.

[emgcr]

For the record, here is sight of the drawing showing salient dimensions for the initial EMG Xb swan-neck casting and photos of the template used to ensure correct internal profile/measurements of the EMG Xb Oversize horn bell.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

[emgcr]

To complete the picture, here is the drawing for the EMG Xb internal conduit.

[emgcr]

Fully machined Xb conduit prior to polishing and removal of centering spur.

[emgcr]

I have a small number of Xb conduits available for sale should anyone be short of such a thing.

[Steve]

Just in case anyone hasn't already spotted it, there is an ORIGINAL Wilson horn for sale, this Saturday 16th September at Willingham Auctions, Cambridge. This is a very rare opportunity to complete an early EMG Wilson Horn Model or Mark 8. I've never seen one for sale on its own before! More details on the Saleroom:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... e6010e9fcb

[emgcr]

File attachments posted more than a year ago are, for the moment, very sadly no longer retrievable thus here is a replacement link showing the EMG horn manufacturing story noted in the first post of this thread. Hopefully David will be able to find a way of returning all attachments to working order in the not too distant future.

The long term viability of this forum very much depends upon his success as who is going to take the trouble to spend hundreds of hours uploading unique and priceless information only to see it all disappear after one year ? The written word is so often meaningless unless supported by photographic attachments. So many contributors over so many years have put their heart and soul into this forum and the greatest care should be taken to treasure their knowledge permanently.

[CarlosV]

File attachments posted more than a year ago are, for the moment, very sadly no longer retrievable thus here is a replacement link showing the EMG horn manufacturing story noted in the first post of this thread. Hopefully David will be able to find a way of returning all attachments to working order in the not too distant future.

The long term viability of this forum very much depends upon his success as who is going to take the trouble to spend hundreds of hours uploading unique and priceless information only to see it all disappear after one year ? The written word is so often meaningless unless supported by photographic attachments. So many contributors over so many years have put their heart and soul into this forum and the greatest care should be taken to treasure their knowledge permanently.

Indeed disgraceful, Graham, but as you probably recall, the longevity of this forum is an exception to the rule. Up to ten years ago there were several discussion fora dedicated to gramophones and associated themes, and most of them disappeared: some for lack of use, but some for technical problems, not unlike what is happening now with the TMF - disappearance of older posts and/or attachments was an issue in one of them, as I recall. Even counting with David's goodwill and competence, there are issues that are beyond his control, like problems with the host of this forum. Several of them went bust and led to all media stored in them to vanish. We are hanging on a thread (pun intended).

[anchorman]

Thanks for posting the new link. I hope also that the forum software can be fixed somehow. It reminds me of why I don’t use cloud services for my data! If you want secure, keep a copy on your own hard drive, and keep another copy in a separate location in case of fire or other disaster.

I’m going to be in the UK for a few days in July, and if all goes well, will get to visit some fine people with expert/emg gramophones.

I didn’t see the earlier pictures, and haven’t had a chance to look at the .pdf yet, but in one of the posts, there was a question of how the mold for the original horns was made. For anything that does not have bends in it, the easiest way is to make a skeleton of wood or other material, and then start laying up plaster of Paris over that. A central pivot point at the top of the mold allows one to rotate a screed (usually wood with sheet metal edge shaped to final profile) around the mold. As the plaster is placed, the screed/form pushes away the high spots and fills in the low spots. Similar tools get used linearly for creating plaster crown moulding. Plaster, being somewhat sturdy once cured (even when wet) and also highly absorbent would be useful for Papier mâché work, or even for using straight paper pulp to make the final form. Especially so if there were two parts to the mold that could compress the paper pulp between them as it dried.