The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Poking around on the interwebs, one can turn up quite a bit of info on these nifty devices. I'm getting quite interested in them. I'm noticing variants, with the earlier ones possessing a brass actuating button, and the later ones replacing that with a bakelite button. I'm guessing this was to reduce the likelihood of shock.

But something else seems to have changed. Early advertising seems to imply or state that the winder will actuate itself automatically as the spring runs down ("The Motrola starts winding automatically when the phonograph requires it..."), while others say the button must be pushed ("Starts winding when push button is touched"). The only one I've seen in operation is a bakelite-buttoned model which is started by pushing the button.

Does anyone have further experience/knowledge on this?

Here's a posting that might help...

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ola#p54366

George P.

Thanks, George. Re-reading that, I guess they always worked the one way, which is for the user to push the button. My C-19 already has one, and I'll be adding them to my Amberola I and HMV 194 soon, and maybe to my Pathé Actuelle if I can't get the Pathé induction motor I found for it to work. Gad, I hate winding phonographs.

PeterF wrote: Gad, I hate winding phonographs.

I guess you do!

You should chime in on the thread titled "Are acoustic machines with electric motor less desirable?"

George P.

George - I already had, saying this:

"I listen to my machines, and usually do so in binges. So I flat-out hate winding them, because it's bad enough needing to change the record and the needle for each new song. I've added Jones Motrola winder units to most of my frequently played machines that don't already have stock electric motors. In fact, if any readers have Motrolas they don't want and would sell or trade to me, please let me know!"

and actually that thread was partially what inspired me to start this one.

Ok, so who has any unwanted Motrolas?

Good grief...and I responded, "...but like Peter F.,I will play records in afternoon-long binges..."

I'm clearly writing too many posts - - my memory can't handle it...

George P.

PeterF wrote:Gad, I hate winding phonographs.

I'm afraid you won't find much sympathy on this, of all websites!