New Amberola 30 owner needs help identifying speed control

[midiman40]

Hi,

I'm brand new to collecting antique phonographs and need some help. I recently purchased an Amberola 30 phonograph. I need help identifying the speed control. I also understand that if if the speed is still way off after adjusting, then I need to adjust the governor. I'd greatly appreciate anyone who can help!

Steve from DC

[TinfoilPhono]

It appears you're missing the control screw that goes through that spring and engages the speed control yoke with the felt pads that rub against the governor disk. The position of that part is what keeps the speed in adjustment, and the screw is what sets and locks the position. Someone will no doubt come up with a source to find one.

[clevelander]

Check on Ebay as Croakin Frog (Mark Gaiser) has one for sale.
You will need to check though which model of the 30 you have. The earlier type has a regulator screw which protrudes through the gear cover and the later type does not.

[midiman40]

Thanks for your quick responses. My Amberola 30 must be a later model as I believe the speed control screw did not feed through the governor cover.

Steve

[RAK402]

I have purchased several things from Croakin Frog-I always got a good deal from him!

[welshfield]

Personally I find croakinfrog inordinately expensive. I think you can get a better deal from Ron Sitko or George Volema. Or even Don Gfell. Worse, the "frog" seems to be disassembling machines to sell for parts. Not a good trait for a true hobbyist.

[Lucius1958]

Thanks for your quick responses. My Amberola 30 must be a later model as I believe the speed control screw did not feed through the governor cover.

Steve

If there is no hole through the gear cover, then you're correct (if the gear cover is original - is the reproducer on yours nickeled or black?)

Bill

[mark gaisser]

Personally I find croakinfrog inordinately expensive. I think you can get a better deal from Ron Sitko or George Volema. Or even Don Gfell. Worse, the "frog" seems to be disassembling machines to sell for parts. Not a good trait for a true hobbyist.

NEVER BOUGHT MACHINE AND GUTTED THAT WAS WORTH SAVING...IF YOU EVER SAW ME BUY AT PHONOGRAPH SHOWS AND AUCTIONS YOU WOULD SEE I BUY MACHINES THAT ARE ONLY GOOD FOR PARTS...THANKS,MARK

[mark gaisser]

WELL WE GOT THAT MACHINE WORKING )) TO ANSWER A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO THINK I BUY GOOD MACHINES TO TAKE APART YOUR NUTS....MOST PEOPLE KNOW I BUY ONLY MACHINES THAT NEED A TON OF HELP AND ONLY GOOD FOR PARTS...ASK ANYONE AT STANTON'S AUCTIONS....AS FAR AS EXPENSE I DOUBT ANYONE TRAVELS AS MUCH I DO BUYING THESE GREAT MACHINES,PAYING EBAY AND PAYPAL FEE'S OF 13%+ AND RUNNING IT AS A CORP AND PAYING STATE AND CORP TAXES....EASY TO THROW STONES MY FRIENDS....MARK / CROAKINFROG PHONOGRAPHS

[phonogfp]

I need to come to Mark's defense here, and I should have posted sooner.

As one who has on several occasions helped Mark load up machines he has purchased, I can attest that the machines he typically buys need a LOT of help. They're also usually relatively common machines for which parts are needed by many owners restoring better examples.

On the occasions when Mark buys good, complete machines, he sells them just as he found them (such as a nice BET recently).

I have no problem with those who provide this service to us collectors, and I'm perplexed that anyone on this board would. There are at least two machines in my collection which are far better off than they were because of Mark's services. On one occasion he traded a nice Home cabinet to me for the so-so cabinet I had. On another, he traded a nice Amberola 1A mandrel from an otherwise lousy mechanism for my so-so mandrel and cash. I've also paid cash to Mark for parts that completed machines I subsequently sold - - thus were machines that were incomplete when I bought them made whole before I sold them.

I don't read about other parts suppliers being impugned (with one notorious and deserving exception). Why is Mark being singled out? I wouldn't bite the hand that feeds me.

George P.