The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

So I am in NYC waiting for Sandy. I have 300 cylinders, none of which I have had the time to listen to, and an Edison 2/4 min Standard. Sounds perfect right? Except I don't have a reproducer! The one time I don't have a functioning phonograph! Ugh.

I can lend you my 8-track player with a battery pack?

Ifeel your pain

ive JUST LOST the stylus for my ONLY WORKING cylinder phonograph , so i know what painful endevour your going through!

Kirtley, haven't you heard that everything on cylinders is worthless?

If it makes you feel any better, I ordered 400 steel needles in preparation for this storm. They are not here yet, and the storm should get really bad tonight (aka lose power). I have 2 steel needles left, which will not get me far. I only have a few good cylinders for my cylinder machine, and it doesn't track well near the end (another part coming along with the needles).

Here is my backup plan (as the lights here flicker):

1. Grab ipod/portable cd player
2. Plug in headphones
3. Place one earbud from headphones into the rubber tube of my morning glory horn
4. Hit play.

It actually works well, and you can play whatever you want. It's not super loud, but it's loud enough for me in my bedroom, or in a living room.

USlakeside wrote:So I am in NYC waiting for Sandy. I have 300 cylinders, none of which I have had the time to listen to, and an Edison 2/4 min Standard. Sounds perfect right? Except I don't have a reproducer! The one time I don't have a functioning phonograph! Ugh.

Maybe you can contact Allen Koenigsberg, on East 17th St (as I recall - I walked past every day, on my way to/from home & the Q train) ... he must have an extra soundbox you can rent!

estott wrote:Kirtley, haven't you heard that everything on cylinders is worthless?

Yep and the world is flat too.

I'm also in NYC (northern Queens), and laid in with a new supply of needles in advance of Sandy. I was lucky in that the power, cable, and internet didn't go out at all, but I was glad I prepped just in case. Because if I hadn't, of course we would have lost power.