The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

As some of you may recall from earlier threads, I picked up a Vic II “humpback” missing some bits and have been working for a while to get original parts together to complete it. I thought I was there, but something is not right about either the back bracket or the tone arm I got.

As you will see, the “throw” is about right. That is, the needle sits close to the spindle. The arm appears to be definitely a Victor and is smaller than the arm used for Victor IIIs on up, as I would expect for a Vic I or II. The problem is that the back of the arm will not fit up into the back bracket at all. It is basically just resting on the rim of the hole in the bracket and will go no further. Needless to say this means it keeps coming out, even though the spring (a new one) pressure is good. There is no indication at all that anything (rust or corrosion, etc.) has either increased the diameter of the arm or decreased the diameter of the opening in the bracket.

Which is not right, the arm or the bracket, that they won't mate appropriately. If not correct for Vic II "humpback," do you know what the errant part actually goes to?

Clay

For some reason, the system won't take more than 1 picture at the time, so I will add a couple in separate thread messages.

Clay

And one more.

Clay

It looks to me like you are using a Victrola tone arm on the Victor II. The tone arm used on horn machines has a wedge shaped piece where the arm pivots on the pin. Does the wide end of the tone arm go up into the back bracket a bit or does it butt up against the opening of the back bracket? Your tone arm appears to have a collar at the opening. Could this be heated and removed allowing the tone arm to go up into the back bracket. Regardless, I think you are using a Victrola tone arm. Do you have another Victor that you could look at? If so, notice the wedge shaped piece were the arm pivots on the pin. Jerry Blais

There's good news. I think you have the correct Victor II back bracket. Jerry

What you have Clay is a Victrola IV tone arm. The stepped end is 1 ⅜". The tone arm you need will have a flush end (no step) and it will measure 1 5/16" and fit up into the back bracket.

Larry Crandell

Larry, shouldn't he be looking for a tone arm that has the wedge shaped piece that pivots on the pin? I agree, the photo shows a Victrola IV tone arm. Jerry B.

I see what you mean about the shape. I notice that the arm I have also has the bridge across the opening end that does not seem to be appropriate for the bracket. And yes Larry, the diameter of the end is 1 ⅜".

Anybody need a Victrola IV tone arm?

The good news is that I didn't pay much for the arm. The bad news is that I just had it replated.

Another illustration of "haste makes waste"; getting the arm replated before I had the bracket to make sure it all fit. Oh well, chalk it up to experience.

Clay

Well, it's certainly a good looking Victrola IV tone arm.
Jerry

If that collar at the big opening of the tone arm were heated and removed, would it be the correct diameter? It may they work and fit into the back bracket but you still have an incorrect arm. Jerry

Jerry and Larry, I would think there would have to be some sort of inset with a shoulder at the top of the arm because the bracket is just a straight through opening until you get to the top where the shoulder for the horn bracket is.

Now where did I put that Yuengling? Time to cry in my beer. Can't believe I was that dumb.

Clay