The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi everyone,

I have a few off brand reproducers (Goldring Equitone(spelling?), a Juwel Electro marketed by Goldring, a Tru-Phonic, and another orthophonic knock-off) and I wanted to know who would you recomend as doing the best rebuilds.

I'm also a fan of inexpensive too.

Thanks,
Nicholas

I can personally vouch for Peter Walhl (sp?) in San Francisco. He performed wonders on my pot metal Ortho. You mail him the reproducer, he looks at it, calls/emails you back with a price, if the price is too high he mails you back your piece and the only thing he charges for the estimate is the shipping.

The guy I have used and trust is Steve Medved. He is honest, very reasonable AND he knows more about reproducers than almost anyone I have ever met - he is actually OCD about reproducers, diaphragms and all related parts. He lives in Kissimmee, FL.
Email him at: steve_noreen -at- msn.com

As far as I know Steve Medved only does Edison reproducers.

He does like Edison's, but rebuilt my Lyric and offered to do an Orthophonic for me...

Thanks for the replies. I have seen some of Steve Medved's work and I know he is great, I just didn't know that he did more than Edison reproducers.

Nicholas

This comment:
"The phonograph† is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.

This quote was only topped by an early IBM president who said computers are such
expensive items the world wide demand may only be a half dozen machines.

Hi all , Why does anyone want to send out for repairs to an ordinary disc reproducer ?? If its juts a case of rubber gaskets hardened with age and maybe a damaged diaphragm , you can do the work yourself in about 20 minutes or so. The only tools you need are a set of watchmaker's screwdrivers which can be bought inexpensively and maybe a set of miniature spanners for some reproducers which have locking nuts on the needle bar pivot points. A Loupe is also an advantage of course , maybe X10 magnification. Buy the gasket tubing and diaphragm if needed from one of the many parts suppliers , only comes to a few dollars , dismantle your soundbox and fit the new gasket and diaphragm. It couldnt be simpler ! OK if you have missing parts or you have a physical disability you may want to use a repairman , but this is a SIMPLE task . I have done hundreds over the years.

These might help, if you have an Exhibition sound box:

http://www.nipperhead.com/old/rep_exhib.htm

http://www.rmrmfg.com/phono.html

Dulcetto wrote:Hi all , Why does anyone want to send out for repairs to an ordinary disc reproducer ?? If its juts a case of rubber gaskets hardened with age and maybe a damaged diaphragm , you can do the work yourself in about 20 minutes or so. The only tools you need are a set of watchmaker's screwdrivers which can be bought inexpensively and maybe a set of miniature spanners for some reproducers which have locking nuts on the needle bar pivot points. A Loupe is also an advantage of course , maybe X10 magnification. Buy the gasket tubing and diaphragm if needed from one of the many parts suppliers , only comes to a few dollars , dismantle your soundbox and fit the new gasket and diaphragm. It couldnt be simpler ! OK if you have missing parts or you have a physical disability you may want to use a repairman , but this is a SIMPLE task . I have done hundreds over the years.

I've rebuilt reproducers before, the only difference is the ones I want to send out are off brands with wierd dimensions (which means that there are not gaskets or diaphragms redily avaliable for the). Along with that, the Tru-tone looks rather odd to get into (at least the last time I looked at it). I also have one made of pot metal that looks stable-ish but I don't want to mess with (it also needs a new needle bar).

Nicholas