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Clay looking at Victor II's this morning, Humpback and regular. I see two types of tone arms and matching bracket. The size's are the same, 1 and 5/16 inch for the tone arm large end and 8 ¾" from spindle to pivot support pin.

Larry Crandell

Larry is correct. Here a pic of the correct arm you need. I also have a spare arm for a Humpback.. .

Thanks guys.

Judging from the way the steel collar inside the opening in the back bracket looks as it extends down out of the bracket, the bracket I have looks like the lower one of the two in Larry's pictures, so looks like the arm that would match it would be the one in the lower of the 2 pictures; the one with the "collar." That is pretty much exactly what I was thinking it should be.

BUT, the Vic IIs were made for a very long time, so I suppose it is not surprising that more than one bracket/arm design showed up over its lifetime. Now the question is given that the pin to spindle distance on mine is 9 ⅛" instead of 8 ¾" I am wondering if the bracket that I have, while probably a Vic II bracket, is for a version of the Vic II other than the humpback and if I should be looking for a different bracket than the one I have, a setup like the one in the first of the two pictures with a somewhat smaller bracket that would result in the 8 ¾ pin to spindle difference.

My goodness this got much more complicated than I ever imagined!

Clay

Larry,

In looking over my last post, I guess I should be asking whether the two different Vic II back brackets in the pictures you kindly posted are the same size. If one is smaller than the other that might account for why I am seeing the greater pin to spindle difference. In other words I might have the larger of the two when what I need is the smaller of the two.

Clay

Clay both back brackets are the same size and both tone arms are the same length.

But the big difference between them is how the tone arms fit into the back brackets. The tone arms are not interchangeable and must be used with their respected bracket.

Both tone arms have a 1 5/16" big end which fits up into the back bracket. The collar on the one tone arm stops it from going to far up into the back bracket.

The tone arm with no collar fits into a machined step up inside the back bracket.

I have no idea why the difference or when a change may have been made. The pin stripe shows these are both earlier back brackets.

Larry Crandell

Thanks Larry. That settles it. I need the tone arm with the collar.

All you help is much appreciated!

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:Thanks Larry. That settles it. I need the tone arm with the collar.

All you help is much appreciated!

Clay

That, or the correct back bracket and tone arm for a Humpback. Whichever comes along first. You can always sell the bracket you have if you should locate the proper set.
Good luck.

Actually, I have a question for the membership regarding this issue....
We know what the correct (no flange) tone arm is for the Vic II Humpback. The transitional or mid model (with flange added), and finally the last type with slip-in horn elbow with a slip-in tone arm (see attached).

So, my question is.....were any of the mid model (flange attached) tone arms used on any of the early table top Victrola's..???.

The mid model arm was short lived. So, I'm thinking they may have used them up on other hornless models. Thoughts..??.

Hi, Although I have owned a Borgia II and an Edison Standard for 40 years and recently purchased 4 books on phonographs in general, I am new to the wild world of phonograph collecting. I assume there is one or more books on Victor talking machines that explain these differences discussed above. Would some one list these or suggest where to look for same?
Thank you most kindly,
Allen

For Victor Talking Machines you cannot beat the information you get in "Look For The Dog" and the "Victor Data Book", both by Robert Baumbach. But the minute details discussed in this thread are even beyond the details in the Victor Data Book. You won't find these in any book, that's why this forum with all its knowledgeable members is so great. But I never regretted picking up the two books mentioned above.

Andreas