The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I purchased a project BGT machine and have a few questions.
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The back bracket is installed over a decal. Does this indicate the installation was done after the machine left the factory?
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Should a tone arm Graphophone have a two and four minute mechanism or is a two minute mechanism appropriate?

Thanks, Jerry Blais

Not all tone arm Columbias were 2/4 minute, in my experience very few were. I do suspect that tonearm was a later modification but I will defer to others on that question.

I've seen several BFTs, BGTs with the back bracket right over the decal. I'm not sure if that means they were retrofitted but I think not. I'm guessing the cases were probably already at the factory ready to go. Perhaps you could also still buy them with or without tonearms.

My BGT is 2 & 4 min and has the back bracket installed over the decal for whatever that's worth.

My observations are the same as Bruce's. I see nothing on your BGT to suggest that anything has been done to it since it left the factory.

George P.

Is the metal ID tag stamped BGT or BG? I've seen them both ways and I think if it has the "T" stamped it is a factory installation.


Chuck

I have a BGT and it's 2 min only. Back bracket is over the decal on the back. But my back bracket is black. The serial number is 10510.

Jerry

I have a BFT and the back bracket is over the decal as well.

Bruce

My BGT has the decal under the bracket, both my BFT's have decal under the bracket, BET, BVT, BKT, BO,& BQ don't have decals on the back.


Chuck

I think I answered my own question. The partial paper label on the inside of the lid shows a price of $65. I checked the partial label on my BG and it shows a price of $50. Unless there was a terrific amount of inflation in a short time period, I suspect the price difference was between the two models. Jerry Blais