The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently bought a '23 Brunswick Seville floor model phonograph. After cranking it, it seems the motor works fine, but the axle (and the disk) turn way too fast and speed up increasingly until the spring unwinds. The speed knob doesn't seem to have any effect even though it is connected properly. The felt brake pad doesn't even reach the flywheel and has about one half of a centimeter of felt.

Does anyone know why the speed is so fast and what might be wrong with the speed adjustment?

Jacob

We would need to see pics in order to try and help.

Is the "flywheel" moving along the shaft as it spins. If it is stuck then the governor isn't working. As the weights spin they should draw the springs outward pulling the flywheel into the brake pad and slowing down the motor.

Even if you have the speed adjustment as slow as it goes, there should be an adjustment. A photo would help. Jerry

Here are some pictures of the flywheel area. The flywheel does move, but not enough to hit the brake. I fiddled with the brake and managed to get the speed adjustment to work better. So, is the brake the only thing that keeps it from spinning too fast?

Another issue, even when I managed to get the speed to a reasonable rpm, the arm of the needle and membrane are way too heavy and end up shredding the vinyl and dragging it to a stop. I can't see ANY way of adjusting the arm. Am I doing something wrong?

Half a centimeter of felt seems pretty big - I assume you didn't mean millimeter?

Anyway, the problem's most likely that the governor disk isn't moving freely on the shaft - or that some previous "restorer" replaced the springs with something too inflexible to work properly....

Again, pictures would be a great help.

Bill

Ah, I see.... the governor is of a type I haven't seen before. Have you tried flexing it gently while stationary, to see if the flange moves at all?

jacobketcham wrote:Here are some pictures of the flywheel area. The flywheel does move, but not enough to hit the brake. I fiddled with the brake and managed to get the speed adjustment to work better. So, is the brake the only thing that keeps it from spinning too fast?

Another issue, even when I managed to get the speed to a reasonable rpm, the arm of the needle and membrane are way too heavy and end up shredding the vinyl and dragging it to a stop. I can't see ANY way of adjusting the arm. Am I doing something wrong?

Based on your pics....I don't see anything out of the ordinary. A pic of the "whole" area including the speed control may help further.
Regarding your other issue......machines like this do not play "vinyl" records. You will need to get some older 78's... .

If you can't adjust the speed control arm, you can certainly adjust the governor itself, by loosening the set screws and moving the flange closer to the pad....

Bill

I'm obviously a new enthusiast. Please pardon my ignorance. If a traditional vinyl isn't the right kind of record, what should I be looking for?

jacobketcham wrote:I'm obviously a new enthusiast. Please pardon my ignorance. If a traditional vinyl isn't the right kind of record, what should I be looking for?

I would do a Google search on 78 rpm records and see what you come up with. Most antique, second hand and Sally Ann stores will have some kicking around. Most are 10" in diameter and break when you drop them. You can also try doing an Ebay search to see the many, many types there are out there.
I won't even play or fiddle with your machine further until you have the records to play.
Best of luck... .