The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The end of the needle-bar that bends 90* and enters the grommet in the center of the dome of the spider , is fairly flexible.

One way or another, you'll need to get the pivot-bar fairly centered within the race-sleeves, so that the balls fit evenly around.

I'll give it a try once I get the bearings. Do you use a flat steel washer over the bearings, then the rubber washer? Or would you use a brass washer since it's softer and less likely to corrode?

Edisonh19 wrote:I'll give it a try once I get the bearings. Do you use a flat steel washer over the bearings, then the rubber washer? Or would you use a brass washer since it's softer and less likely to corrode?

The original washers I have seen are steel. A thin smear of grease on the bearing side will prevent corrosion. Brass might work, if that's all you can find, but the steel balls might indent the brass, and "stick" instead of rolling.

Thanks, that's a good point! I hadn't thought about the softness of brass. I'm still awaiting the arrival of the ball bearings. They are taking forever to get here! Will post more updates once I start digging into it again.

I replaced the ball bearings and rubber washers in the bearing cups tonight. I have a ton of bass, but the problem now is that the volume is very low. I am able to gain a lot volume by loosening the set screw that rests against the needle bar, but then I lose the deeper parts of the bass. Any ideas? Or is this a typical problem with these reproducers? Oh... I am using a loud tone needle as well, so it's not that.

That set screw is only to prevent the bar from being moved too far, thus damaging the diaphragm. It should never touch the bar, ever, in use. Loss of volume could be restricted movement - the bearings might be jammed in too tightly. They should sit nicely together, all 8, in a happy circle. Mine, in several reproducers, have just a bit of heavy grease helping them stay in place - no rubber or washers at all.

Without some type of washer, it looks like the bearings would just fall out the other side of the bearing cup. The bearings do fit kind of tightly around the needle bar. My reproducer doesn't have bearing caps. The only thing to keep them in place is the brass cover with felt insert, so it appears necessary that there be some sort of washer or rubber in there to keep them from falling out. The rubber, I am certain, restricts their movement. I have volume when the set screw isn't touching the needle bar, however, I lose bass when it isn't making contact.