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I recently acquired a Pathé Actuelle phonograph. The previous owner has been playing Victor records using a steel needle. In browsing the forum I came across several posts and one specific post where it indicated that the needle and the diffuser horn could both be rotated 90 degrees making this possible. I am wondering if the post referred to using a sapphire needle? The previous owner didn't have the original sapphire needle. I have a couple of Pathé records and they indicate on the label that they are to be played with a sapphire needle. This business with horizontal/vertical cut records, and what the Actuelle will play tends to be confusing for an old duffer! Can anyone get me on the right track? I plan on checking with George Vollema to see if he has a sapphire needle.

To play Pathé sapphire disks, you need a sapphire stylus, not a "needle".

Pathé vertical cut records have a wide, shallow groove designed to be played with the round ball of the stylus. The stylus is semi-permanent; you are far more likely to lose the stylus and bar than to ever wear it out. You can find styli on ebay and from most major phonograph dealers.

Here's an example currently available on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pathé-Sapphire- ... 41745b17be

Be sure that your Actuelle is level as even minor sloping can cause tracking problems with the shallow grooves.

If you get a sapphire ball stylus treat it with some care. It won't easily wear out but if you drop it on the record you can chip or break it - and beware of records with bad scratches or cracks.

Thanks for the all of the feedback and suggestions. What about this notion of playing a Victor record on the Actuelle using a steel needle? It seemed to work well and produced a high volume when the phonograph was demonstrated prior to purchase. I am guessing that the right answer is to play the machine in the manner it was designed using a sapphire stylus and playing records designed for the Actuelle. The disadvantage is that they (Pathé records) are sort of like a "hen's tooth". I see them listed on Ebay frequently and I am sure Kurt Knauck would have an inventory. Since I already have a dozen or so, it is not like being out in the cold.

The Actuelle was meant to play both lateral and vertical records. Pathé was issuing "Actuelle - Needle Cut" records by that time, which are just conventional records that can be played on any lateral cut machine. Vertical cut discs were almost obsolete in the USA when the Actuelle machine was built. Enjoy your Victor discs.

Thanks for that information. That is what I was hoping to hear.

The needle chuck of your Actuelle is mounted to a ball swivel -- it can rotate a quarter turn to change the orientation in which the stylus/needle is able to vibrate. Notice two things: the words 'Pathé' and 'Lateral' cast into the circular frame that supports the diffusor cone; and, the orientation of the stylus bar pivot points. When the circular diffusor frame is rotated so that the word 'Lateral' is at the top, the stylus bar pivots should be aligned vertically with the needle pointing toward the groove of the record so that the needle chuck can vibrate side-to-side. By gripping the needle chuck firmly in your right hand and turning the circular diffusor frame until the word 'Pathé' is at the top, the needle chuck pivots will now be oriented horizontally allowing a sapphire ball stylus to track hill-and-dale records with a u-shaped groove, or, Edison Diamond Disc records with a conical diamond stylus in their v-shaped groove.. I think the important point you have missed is that the needle chuck rotates to facilitate the chosen format..

The difference between a 'needle' and a 'stylus' is that the term 'needle' implies impermanence and disposability (use for one play and dispose), while the term 'stylus' implies some degree of permanence.

If your Actuelle retains the lid on its used needle cup, you will notice that there are two small holes flanking the larger disposal hole). Those small holes are where the ball sapphire and conical diamond styli were meant to be stores when not in use.

Thanks for the detailed explanation regarding the orientation of the needle chuck and diffuser cone and how to rotate them to affect the change for the two options. I'll look close and locate the identifying marks on the circular frame supporting the cone. Somehow I missed seeing the spent needle tin altogether. Maybe I'll get lucky and the sapphire stylus will be tucked safely away in it's proper place. I guess I was preoccupied with inspecting the diffuser cone.

JohnM wrote: Those small holes are where the ball sapphire and conical diamond styli were meant to be stores when not in use.

...and subsequently thrown away with the used needles!

HisMastersVoice wrote:

JohnM wrote: Those small holes are where the ball sapphire and conical diamond styli were meant to be stores when not in use.

...and subsequently thrown away with the used needles!

Actually, the sapphire and diamond styli are frequently found with combination machines of any brand that haven't been too molested. I always fish around in the needle cups to see if they are still there. Sapphire is much more common than diamond,