The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a Victrola VIII which needs one governor weight & spring. Is it best to look for a matched set of 3, or is it okay to replace just the one??

A Victrola VIII governor spring & weight should be pretty easy to find. As long as the spring & weight are the same weight as the two originals, and the spring is the same length, you should be fine. A small balance scale such as home photographers used to use is handy for determining this, but a postal scale should work too.

George P.

As the cost is minor, I would just order all 3 from Ron. If one broke, how long before the other 2 goes.

I realized that an unloved humpback in the cellar has the identical motor, so I'm gonna swap governors. I assume this VIII once had a bottom, but it isn't there any more. Needs an Exhibition, too - unless these were supposed to have the No.2 ....

Also got a decent oak stand with the Victrola, but the corner cutouts on the top appear to be meant for a VV-IX. My Amberola V's feet almost fit, but not quite. Its shelves are missing, if it ever had some .... the inner sides have a series of narrow slots which don't look big enough for sturdy shelves - maybe ¼" at most.