The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,

I got some Pathé records, which were supposed to be in good playable shape.. Several, naturally the ones I really wanted, have very deep scratches on the record. Most run across the grooves from the outside to the center.. I know that some of my edison stylus have been damaged by chips and scratches.. i would pretty much guess the ball sapphire played across a deep scratch would cause damage as well? Wondered what the experience here has been on that?

I suspect that perhaps someone played them with a steel needle which slid across the records, but can't prove it..


Larry

If a record is cracked or severely scratched, then it is possible, I believe, to damage or knock out the stylus when playing the record. The Pathé ball stylus has a large radius that will glide over small scratches, but I cannot safely say when the scratch becomes too big to ignore. Before playing any Pathé for the first time, check it over carefully for pits caused from bubbles - a common malady with Pathés. A pitted record could ruin your day! I am wondering how to fill in the pits, like potholes in a street. I have several stereo microscopes to work with, but need to buy some dental picks and decide on a filler. I may grind up some record shards to dust, then mix that with epoxy.

I think your correct. I have opted to not play the sides with a deep obvious scratch. So far I have played a few of them and several were obviously played with a steel needle. I have a feeling I have purchased a lot of someone's junk. A couple play alright but are noisy, the whole batch may just have to be returned. So far I have never left a seller a negative but there are a lot of times I think I should.

Larry

Surface scratches will not damage the sapphire, but a crack risks chipping the sapphire. The usual wear on Pathé discs that have only been played with sapphire needles is noticed by a dull shade on the surface, which normally results in the sapphire sliding over the surface or jumping around the disc. The shallow track on Pathé discs requires a quite high pressure to track the groove, and if the groove is worn the sapphire will jump out of its track.

Sapphires are not eternal, and will wear out. They are harder than the disc surface, wearing it at each play, but the sapphire itself eventually will wear out. Inspecting vintage sapphires with a microscope, I saw surfaces that looked quite distorted, nor spherical at all, even though they would still play discs with good sound.

I've played a Pathé record covered with scratches and the sapphire wasn't damaged - but I agree, I wouldn't risk one on a cracked disc. I won't even risk my ivory shank stylus on a scratched one.

I'd surmise that to preserve the stylus it should be turned frequently between playings. Leaving one locked in one position - for years perhaps - is bound to distort it badly.