The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A few months ago I stumbled on an usual long throat reproducer. It was made by the Universal Talking Machine company. This started me on a search to find something to put beneath it. Recently I just happened to find a Zonophone machine about 1100 miles away that was missing the reproducer. I am not sure it this is the correct reproducer for this machine but it looks good to me. Is this the correct reproducer? I could not find a lot of info on Zonophone machines on line. Does anyone know what year this machine was manufactured?

I've never rebuilt a Zonophone reproducer. It looks like the needle bar is just glued to the diaphragm. What is the best thing to use to reattach?. The remains of the glue look black and maybe a ½ inch in diameter. What should it look like?? It looks like the diaphragm is held in place with a ring that is pressed in. How do you replace the gaskets?? Any advise appreciated.
Thanks,
Jeff

Wow - finding a Zonophone missing its sound box is pretty good fortune, but finding a loose V Concert sound box is REALLY lucky!

The crank seems to go through the cabinet, which would suggest late 1900/early 1901 for this machine. To be sure, please post a photo of the crank side of the machine (where there should be a celluloid plate). You will also find the serial number stamped on top of the motor plate above the crank.

Congratulations - -

George P.

Here is a picture just above the crank. It does not have a tag but a decal.
I could not find a serial number on the top plate.

The decal dates the machine to no earlier than 1902. I'm a little stumped by the off-center through-the-cabinet winding shaft on the machine. The catalog illustrations don't show that side of the Home cabinet, so it may be pretty conventional on the transitional models. In addition, the larger horn and arms are not typically seen on that cabinet, so the transitional years (1903/04) may be the obvious answer. Zonos are tricky during those years. I wish I knew more about them.

George P.

This is an earlier Zonophone "Home" even though there is no decal. It is nice that it has the extended horn set up, which would have been an option at the point of sale, or added at a later date.

As for rebuilding the reproducer? They do not sound great anyway. Unless you have a burning desire to play this machine, I would leave the reproducer well enough alone. The needle bars are fragile, and break easily. The mica is not a standard size, so you actually have to trim an Victor Exhibition diaphragm. The gaskets are flat. You have to get ring gaskets from a hardware store and cut a portion out of the ring to make it fit. You need two of them.

My best advice is to leave these alone.

Good luck!
Jeff
Wisconsin