How common are 1930s separate component turntables?

marcapra · Post by **marcapra** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:51 pm

I have a 1930 Edison R-6 radio with phono jacks built in. Right now I often plug in my Ipad so I can listen to Internet radio stations through it. But what I really want to do is plug in a turntable so I can play records. I know Victor made a little record player in the 30s that was meant to play on your radio without a wire connection, but I'm told these don't sound very good. My question is how common or uncommon are separate component 1930s or 20s turntables that I could plug into my 1930 radio? I already have a good BTH tonearm (British) that takes steel needles that I would like to use.

Post by **epigramophone** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:13 am

The HMV Model 122 and it's badge-engineered Columbia clone are fairly common in the UK :

Wolfe · Post by **Wolfe** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:47 pm

To me, they seem quite uncommon in the U.S.A.

Seeing as a large part of the 30's was consumed by the Depression, I don't think many folks were buying turntables.

Phototone · Post by **Phototone** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:28 pm

There were quite a few "add-on" tone arms that could be placed on the motor-board of wind-up machines and had a magnetic pick-up you could attach to your radio that had phono input, also there were magnetic pick-up heads that attached in place of the sound box, you would have to drape the leads carefully.

Lenoirstreetguy · Post by **Lenoirstreetguy** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 3:34 pm

I actually think they sold quite well. When I came down to Toronto to university in the 70's, the Salvation Army and the Crippled Civilians thrift stores had literally piles and piles of these turntables...especially the RCA Victor Duo Jr.s. and V1s I mean literally heaps of them. And why didn't I buy one for the two or three dollars apiece they were asking? Because they were all designed for the 25 cycle (Hz.) power supply that Ontario ( and parts of upstate New York, I understand ) had in the years up to the early 50's. I'll attach a quick scan of a page from the 1939 Canadian service notes.

J

VintageTechnologies · Post by **VintageTechnologies** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:12 pm

I think the turntables were common in their day. I remember my grandparents on both sides of the family having them. They were already broken and retired to the attic when us kids got to play with them, and they were thrown out in the 1960s.

marcapra · Post by **marcapra** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:24 pm

The HMV Model 122 and it's badge-engineered Columbia clone are fairly common in the UK :

what is the sound quality of this HMV turntable? Does it have a crystal cartridge? Would the sound be just as good if you switched over to a modern ceramic cartridge?

Wolfe · Post by **Wolfe** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:14 pm

Magnetic pickup.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr2HDYWcfwE[/youtube]

FloridaClay · Post by **FloridaClay** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:48 am

Period turntables meant to be used with radios with a phono plug socket turn up regularly on eBay.

Clay

Victrolacollector · Post by **Victrolacollector** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:08 am

Those are nice, I would love to own one of those early turntable attachments. Of course, it would need to be one that is compatible with our electrical systems in the U.S.

You have a really nice machine, you have to love those magnetic pick-ups, they sound good when they are properly rebuilt.

How common are 1930s separate component turntables?

How common are 1930s separate component turntables?

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