Good phonograph for newbies?

[OrthoFan]

Anyone got a photo of a 102 opened up at all?

I found a parts list brochure on eBay that shows the inside from the HMV-102D:

From: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0408398389
(Click on Image to make it full size.)

------------------------------------------------------------
(I wonder if the Col. has a copy of this brochure?)

[Steve]

Ortho_Fan, I reckon most of us UK collectors have a copy of that somewhere, especially those of us with 102's. I don't recall it being much use because it simply tells you what everything does and what it's called.

[estott]

Those sheets were for dealers / repairman. If you broke something you'd look up what it was and order a new one.

[howerd]

This is a most interesting leaflet, 102's are very fine machines and well worth having. The rarer ones have 7 screws on the motorboard although a Lumiere with Celluloid Diaphragm (smillers Patent) is better.

Bless

Howard

[OrthoFan]

... it simply tells you what everything does and what it's called.

Something like this, then, should be especially useful to a newbie.

I remember seeing some detailed online photos of the HMV 102's innards, but can't find them now. I suspect they may have been posted on an old (now defunct) forum and no longer exist, or perhaps they were used to illustrate an eBay auction for an HMV 102--don't remember which.

[Steve]

Helpful or potentially dangerous?

I have a vision of a newcomer armed with screwdriver and instructions attacking the soundbox to replace the gaskets. Two minutes later, a pile of broken pot metal fragments are being swept up and the newbie asks "Anyone got a spare soundbox they can sell me?"

The 102 is a pretty robust machine and shouldn't need much in the way of work. I've had 7 102's and I've never been under the motorboard of any of them. They've all played perfectly. The most I've ever done to a 102 is dust it!

[m1tch]

Wow, thanks for all these posts guys! Im now feeling much happier with getting a 102

How easy would it be to change those rubber gaskets if I were to get an earlier model? Are there any 'experimental' diaphragm using something other than aluminium/mica and rubber? Could something stronger and thinner materials such as carbon fibre?

I was just thinking that if the diaphragm was thinner and stronger (I'm guessing that's why they changed to aluminium) it would produce a better sound? I saw that on cylinder.de they are selling ultra thin glass diaphragms for the cylinder machines for a better response.

Would that work on a 102? or would it be better to stay with the stock components?

[Steve]

I'd stick to the original if I were you. The diaphragms on the 5a/5b's were aluminium for a good reason and they use a Bettini styled 'spider' connection from the stylus bar. They're not designed for conventional flat diaphragms really.

You could experiment with the No. 4 soundbox though. There are some new micas available which are so thin, you have to be careful not to sneeze within earshot of them! Mind you, I've found these do work better than the original mica ones - more volume!

[Howard]

Why not try a 102 with an EMG soundbox - or any machines with such a box - they are the best but are very underrated and cheap in Europe

Gott Gruss

Howerd

[m1tch]

How easy is it to change over the diaphragms? I'm brand new to all this