The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

We have cleaned our motor and springs on our Columbia Grafonola G-2. It seems to work well. However, when we play a record, it sounds fine at first. A few minutes into the recording it starts to slow down and "drag." By the end of the recording it may stop completely. Any ideas on what might be causing this and what we can do about it?

Is it an age appropriate record and not a newer 78?
Are you giving it a good winding?
Are you using a new needles?
The springs could be cleaned and have fresh grease but they could be weak.

Jerry Blais

does the tone arm swing freely?

As Jerry mentioned, you need to use age appropriate records. Those from the early 1900's through the 1920's which were made from shellac are appropriate. Records from the '30s, '40s and '50s have different material compositions which do not play well with steel needles and heavy reproducers... Please post the type and titles from the records you are trying to play or better yet, post pics of the labels... All 78s are not the same.

I've never had a problem playing 78s from all eras, acoustic and electrical, except, obviously, vinyl ones from the later period (big no-no!), on my two-spring VV-XI. I once timed the turntable at about eight minutes from a full winding. OP's problem sounds like mechanical friction and/or weak spring(s). Governor bearing adjustment is also a possibility. A systematic analysis ought to reveal the culprit. I'd proceed by looking at every point source of friction, make sure all is clean, adjust and relubricate.

The tone arm swings freely. Some of the records we have seem to work fine and others don't. So, I'm sure we have the wrong type. How can be tell the difference on those that will work and those that won't?

Avoid any that say "Unbreakable","flexible ","vinyl","Victrolac" etc. I also avoid later companies like Capitol, Sun, Mercury, etc. Anything that says "Long Playing", as you can guess, is a no go.
Anything that says "Victor Talking Machine Company" or "Columbia Graphophone Company" will play fine, provided that the disc isn't roached.

mccachern wrote:The tone arm swings freely. Some of the records we have seem to work fine and others don't. So, I'm sure we have the wrong type. How can be tell the difference on those that will work and those that won't?

Your machine probably has a weak spring. That said, it is not the age of the record that is the main factor in creating more or less friction, but its wear. Records with less wear should play through the end, but the worn ones will not. Worn iscs are easily identifiable.

The more recent records should not be played in such old machines because they will wear out fast, but the added friction from modern recording only becomes significant in discs recorded in the 50's at high volumes.

Thank you!

Another thing that causes drag is when you play a 78 that has been played with a worn steel needle or where someone put the soundbox in the first groove(a real no-no)THEN started the machine.edisonplayer