The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

An important component of a C-2 radio/phono is its ability to play Diamond Discs. The pickup on this set looks to have a damaged or missing diamond stylus. I don't know anyone who could restore this.

I asked him to post some pictures of the pick-up and I see he has now. That would be a big problem if that part of the machine is damaged, that's for sure. Mine is out getting restored right now, so I don't have anything to compare his to. His does look like it has one of those bent spayed needles in it though.

If a new diamond stylus can be put into a DD machine I suppose it could be put into one of these.

It looks as if someone let the arm drop pretty hard to bend the needle. It would not surprise me if someone tried playing regular discs with the diamond & ruined it.

estott wrote:If a new diamond stylus can be put into a DD machine I suppose it could be put into one of these.

It looks as if someone let the arm drop pretty hard to bend the needle. It would not surprise me if someone tried playing regular discs with the diamond & ruined it.

The needle is made that way, with the angled end. It's installed in the pickup 90 degrees off, there is a flat spot for the thumbscrew and set so the needle is correct for an acoustic reproducer. The diamond appears to be there, although it does look worn. What worries me is the missing screw on the bottom plate and the wrong screw in the pickup collar, which usually indicates someone was inside and didn't know what they were doing.

Two weak points on these, open pickup coil, and open first interstage transformer primary coil.

Also it's missing the back, the record albums, and top cover on the needle cup.

He makes a big deal about the 50 tube, they aren't worth that anymore. The audiophools have moved on. I've restored worse condition ones.


Chuck