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I have recently acquired a Columbia Grafonola G-2 model. It looks like someone may have started working on it and disassembled it. So far, I've worked on it quite a bit with lemon oil and have been trying to disassemble the motor. However, when I have gotten to the case where the springs are located, we can't figure out how to get it opened. There don't seem to be any screws but possibly rivets and maybe a tab that could be pushed. Any ideas on how to get this apart and then get it back together again before I start tearing into it?

Also, anyone have any idea what year the G-2 model may have been produced?

Thanks so much!!

Coincidentally, the same question has been asked elesewhere and the answer is in a self-explaining picture below.

As a side note, the rivets you see are those to which the springs are hooked inside, so leave them alone.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=26329

Nice G-2! I had a E-5, and I can say that the cabinet on my E-5 was cheaply made. It seems Columbia produced a range of machines, alot of different models and all sorts of different grades of quality. The Columbia motors are strong and for the most part silent. I think the only thing that keeps me from collecting Columbia Grafonola's was there were too many different models.

As far as the date of manufacture on yours....circa 1922 (again this is based upon the mention of this model selling in a July 1922 trade publication).

Any other collectors may have other info.

Thank you all for your help with this. We have finally gotten the motor up and running. It is playing but as the record starts to play it sounds just fine. As it goes along, it tends to slow down and drag a bit. Any suggestions about what I should do to stop this? It is almost like the tone arm is to heavy.

I appreciate knowing the date of my machine. That really helps! I'm so excited to finally have this in my dining room!

That's a 3-springs model motor and it should play more than one record (= side) flawlessly if fully wound up. The weight of the tonearm, supposed it's the original one, is certainly not an issue.

Did you correctly lubricate all of the governor's parts, including the endless screw (wormgear), axle bearings, friction disc and felt pad?

Have you tried more than one record?
I have a few that won't play. They just bog down the motor until it stops. These few records in my collection do this on any of my phonographs.

I found that especially true of the old, acoustic Columbia records.

Victrolacollector wrote:
As far as the date of manufacture on yours....circa 1922 (again this is based upon the mention of this model selling in a July 1922 trade publication).

Any other collectors may have other info.

According to Baumbach & Lackey, the G-2 was introduced in 1918.

Bill