The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello all,

I recently picked up a little "reversible" Pathé cylinder player. It has the type of reproducer shown in this picture, with a composition housing of some sort (gutta percha?). I don't see any way to disassemble it without doing damage. Do these even have rubber gaskets that could be replaced?

Clay

Looks identical to the reproducers Thea are listed on eBay at this like. These are reproductions.

Rich Gordon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cylinder-phonog ... 2edf9a70eb

rgordon939 wrote:Looks identical to the reproducers Thea are listed on eBay at this like. These are reproductions.

Rich Gordon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cylinder-phonog ... 2edf9a70eb

Yes, I know. I grabbed that picture to illustrate the kind of reproducer I am talking about. Mine is an original.

Clay

These reproducers are made of a substance that was called ebonite. The diaphragms will come off but you may need to replace them. There was a gasket of sorts on the surface, then the mica, then another gasket. I had one that was waxed. Repros are often gasketed. Show me a pic of yours! The reproducer edge has a bit of a flange that encircles the diaphragm.

I have several of these. On all of mine the diaphragm sits on a rubber gasket and is secured with wax around the perimeter.

Here it is. It had been in an attic near New Orleans for years and seems to have suffered somewhat from the heat. I can see the ring though.

Anyone you can recommend for rebuilding these properly?

Also wondering if perhaps I should leave the original as is, keep it with the machine, and get a repro for routine use? Notice that the neck on the repro looks a good bit longer than the one on mine.

Clay

Has anyone tried the Pathé cylinder reproducers sold on eBay coming out of the Czech Republic and, if so, what is your opinion of them?

Clay

The original Pathé reproducers had glass diaphragms, sealed with a ring of red wax on the outer surface. The sapphire holder was cylindrical-shaped. The hemispherical-shaped holders are likely replacements, as well as the mica. The caveat is that Pathé is famous for its lack of standardization, so I don´t discard that they could have produced other types of diaphragms and sapphire holders.

I have one modern reproduction, but I bought it in England, not in Czech Republic. The one I have has a mica diaphragm and is not great in sound quality, but neither is the original one with the glass diaphragm.

I would just seal the edges of what you've got there with wax and use it as-is.

Pathé cylinder reproducers originally had a glass diaphragm and rubber gaskets. Mica was often used as a replacement
because it was less fragil, unfortunately the sound quality is inferior. If you want to restore your reproducer use a glass
diaphragm which is louder and gives a richer tone too. You can get one from this site:

http://www.cylinder.de/glass-diaphragms.html

Regards