The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A friend of mine has a brunswick with an electric driven turntable.. He called and said it just stopped in the middle of playing it today. He is not someone who knows much about mechanics or electric and I have little to no experience with those either.. I am wondering if anyone owns that type of machine and might have some clues as to what it might need? I am supposed to go over there this weekend and he wants me to look at it, but I am not sure what to look for. On the spring motors I know a fair amount about the service, oil the bearings, the governor. grease the gears.. ect.. But what does the electric version require in maintenance which I am sure its had none of in many a year.

The first thought he had was that perhaps the old cord was broken and I have seen some old cloth cord that the copper wires were brittle and broke so its possible. Or the motor could have a frozen bearing but its getting really out of my league to figure out..

Larry

Larry, Did it stop all of a sudden or did it get progressive slower? The Brunswicks an Victrolas I have with electric motors all have needed lubrication from time to time, especially when I first get them. If it stopped suddenly then it is probably a wiring issue, or, worse case senario, frozen bearings. this would have come with a burning smell. In any case check to see if it needs oiling. This would be an easy fix in that case. Good Luck, Ed

now the acoustic Brunswick machines with electric motors are generally found with Burns-Pollack units, which use an odd regulating device which can be troublesome. These motors are fitted with fly-ball governors, like most other phonographs of the day, but instead of a felt or leather brake impinging on the governor when the motor runs too fast, an electric contact is made which turns the motor ON when the turntable is running slow, and turns the motor off when the motor is running to speed. The combination of this odd, sparking speed regulator and the (sparking) brushes on these motors make them a potent source of electrical interference, so the machines which Brunswick built with electric amplification were fitted with induction disc units.

This machine is acoustic like the wind ups and had a tall case with a side door that could be fitted with a radio.. Its a painted cabinet mostly likely after market as was pointed out when I got a photo of it here once. It came from the Muelbach Hotel in Kansas City and it was odd, I purchased it when I was in school there in the early 60s from an antique dealer.. After I had it a while I figured I would prefer a wind up machine plus I think in those days I knew little about how to make it sound its best as well. So I ended up selling it to a dealer outside of St. Louis.. Many years latter I moved to historic neighborhood undergoing renovation and a person that ended up being a neighbor had the very machine in his living room. What a coincidence.. Unlike me he has kept it all these years. I would say no service to it since the 60's at best and probably none before that after the 30s or so.

dirty commutator? I have a Columbia with electric motor, every time I want to play it I have to clean the commutator/brushes before the motor will run