The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was wondering if you can play a center start Pathé disc on an American Pathé phonograph?edisonplayer

Yes you can. Just be sure the turntable is level or the stylus may skate across the shallow grooves in the record.

I'd like to find a table model Pathé machine without the cover like the one shown in Tim Fabrizio and George Paul book"The Talking Machine Compendium.edisonplayer

It can be done, but I will tell you from experience that they do not track well on anything but a European Pathéphone.

All of my center-start Pathé records play well on my Brunswick, Vitaphone, and Pathé Actuelle machines. The auto brake even works on the Actuelle, once you know how to set it.

I find that small center-start records (e.g. 8") often have the worst tracking problems. Pathé sometimes cut grooves starting from the edge of a 2" (embossed) label.