The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I went to a sale yesterday. Mainly because they advertised Edison Records. The did have quite a number of them but they were almost all black label, (not that there aren't some very fine ones of those), but that they were exposed to moisture and some were very moldy and other slightly warped. I didn't see much sense in hauling them home even at a bargain price.

What they did have that evidently had been stored in a better location was a box of pretty early Columbia 10" records. Also a Columbia disc catalog from 1906. In it was a receipt for some records dated 1907 so I am assuming many of these are from that period. The reason I wanted them was they looked very good for such early records. Where I live in the boonies people tended to be poorer and often the records are totally worn to the point you can hardly tell what they are playing. So I decided to save these. What the issue is however is that on many of them when ever the singer or sometimes music gets extra loud the turn table slows down quite a bit. I have had trouble with latter columbia records from the late teens doing similar things but not so many as in this set. They look fine but something is effect the speed. I have tried them on two portables which may be part of the problem but the larger Brunswick Has a pretty decent spring. My larger Brunswick upright had issues with some columbia's doing that as well but they were latter recordings.

Is this a common issue with these early columbia's?

Larry

I ran into this problem in my early years of collecting. I would have the machine to full wind and it would drag and stop. This was on a Humpback Victor II.I couldn't figure out what was going on. My friend told me to check the grooves to make sure they are clean, Also, use a fresh steel needle. Also, for these early records, I use a Merritone or any other brand of Chromium needle. That did the trick. The Chromium needles have a finer shaft and can negotiate the groove better.
Harvey Kravitz

I am thinking like Harvey has mentioned.

When to phonograph slow to a halt has the needle collected black dust?
Is the dust at that point as much as you might normally see after an entire play?

This group of records were in the same environment and though they look clean there are years of greasy dirt in the groove.
Even if you cleaned them, you may need to scrub them again.
After a second cleaning, and maybe a third, let us know if the result is any better.

I do not think it's the vintage or brand giving you the trouble.

James.

Thanks for the suggestions. It may be they are still dirty. I rinsed them with a bit of dawn detergent. They were mostly between soft pieces of material but over time I am sure the dirt could get to them. I didn't notice any obvious build up coming from the grooves but I will check that again. I know on the latter 40's 78's I have even cleaning the grooves with a soft tooth brush they will quickly build up enough fuzz to keep the electric cartridge from tracking and distorting the sound. After you run though them and brush them off it pretty much eliminates much of what was left in the grooves. I have never quite figured out what will remove the dirt from the fine grooves?

Larry

I have also experienced my phonographs slowing down and even stopping when playing old acoustic Columbia records, pre-Viva-Tonal. I think they have a lot of abrasive in the grooves and you need a strong motor to play them.