The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

fran604g wrote:Thank you, Sean. I have my work cut out for me. A lot of reading and some shows...
Fran

As do I when it comes to these rear mount Columbias. I really hadn't had any experience with them until I bought these. The BET was just in such amazing shape I was prepared to pay more for it, so I was happy enough that when the BKT came up, I bought that one too. I really wasn't too concerned about what I paid since I'm pretty sure I'd seen them with heftier asking prices at shows and they're both clean, unmolested examples. I didn't even know they were combination machines at the time until another member pointed it out to me!

I confess that my "daily driver" cylinder machines are my Triumph D-2 with Oak cygnet and an Amberola V. These certainly don't perform on par with either of those, but they certainly are great looking. The BET, especially, I just love the looks of it and luckily it happens to be the better "player" of the two.

Sean

OrthoSean wrote:I mentioned this to Steve Medved awhile back when I'd first gotten both machines. I don't want to make them both 4 minute only machines by changing the styli, his suggestion was putting an "H" stylus bar and stylus in each one, but I'd really like the BET to be a 2 minute machine if I had to choose.Sean

Sean

Why go through all that trouble and hack up a reproducer, find a 2 min lyric reproducer.
They show up fairly often in the $80-$125 price range. Use the "universal" for 4 min records and just change
the reproducer when you want to play 2 min records, that's what I do.

Chuck

Columbia BVT question moved.

Yamaphone wrote:I recently acquired this Columbia BVT and was wondering if anyone knows anything about the tone arm arrangement. The long arm from the horn elbow is cast iron and the other connecting parts are cast brass. This style is different from other BVTs that I have seen. There is a number (9663) stamped into the bedplate. The reproducer elbow looks like the ones used on the BKT etc. machines. Thanks for any information.
Dan Z.

Dan,

You should start a post of your own, you would probably get more action that way for your machine in particular.

Best of luck,
Fran

P.S. BTW, that's a beautiful machine! d^^b