The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

So the more I experiment with the old Standard A the more I like it. However, the motor is about the loudest I ever saw in a phonograph--which isn't the worst thing in the world, considering its age and the fact that someone obviously played it to death years ago.

I believe the governor gear is worn. Some teeth seem a little taller than others--this thing's played a ton of records!

The topworks make a loud whizzing, whirring sound and the gear cluster buzzes significantly down below. I haven't changed the rubber mounts for the motor but it's not likely they'll make any difference.

The gears and bearings are lubricated with sewing-machine oil.

Any Edison experts want to take a crack at solving this?

Typical issue with worn governor gears. Replace the governor shaft & the brass gear that drives it. That's most likely 99% of your noise, since no other gears spin fast enough to generate much noise.

Get an eyedropper bottle and put some STP in it.

Occasionally put a drop of STP on the noisy gears
and they quiet right down and they stay quiet for
a good long time.

When the noise starts again, put another drop
of STP on them.

Chuck wrote:Get an eyedropper bottle and put some STP in it.

Occasionally put a drop of STP on the noisy gears
and they quiet right down and they stay quiet for
a good long time.

When the noise starts again, put another drop
of STP on them.

I use STP on all my motor rebuilds. I mix STP in oil like 3 in 1 and apply to all the gears. Runs smooth and you can see a trail on the running gears for a long time.