The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Change of plans... does anyone have a 14" black and brass Busy Bee horn?! These horns are a tad wider in the cone than typical 14" and are much flimsier. Let me know if you have one available. Condition is not important so long as the bell isn't a complete disaster!

-Jake

I never heard of such a thing. What do they look like? Are they light weight like the Columbia aluminum horns? Did they have a steel body like the other types of horns? Did they have any markings or designation stating Busy- Bee? I'd love to see what they look like.
Harvey Kravitz

Hi Harvey.

I've had at least two and sent both of them off to others thinking I'd never need to use them!

The Q-style Busy Bee was equipped with a 14" black and brass horn that at first glance looks like your typical 14" horn however upon closer inspection has a wider mouth at the end of the cone- and therefore a wider bell opening- and is also noticeably flimsier in both body and bell. The black paint is also much thinner and way more fragile than what's found on the typical 14" horn.

I like finding odd variations of typical accessories and really need to post something about the all brass Columbia horns in the recent Columbia Grapho thread!

-Jake

Hi Jake, I started the thread about the all brass Columbia horn. I also collect the old Sears catalogs, original and repro, and that's where I learned about the all brass horns. These were used in the later B series with the more stouter carriage. These horns would be too heavy for the earlier A series machines with the floating reproducer carriage.
Harvey Kravitz