The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am restoring my suitcase home and it came with an automatic reproducer that was not working so i have some questions

Did they all have a glass diaphragm? Mine has a high serial number

No hole or linkage was present ?? How were they linked? It has a metal diaphragm

Do/ can these sound as good as a later one

TIA.

These early automatic reproducers originally came with a glass diaphragm. When mica and later copper diaphragms came out, many owners brought their reproducers for an upgrade. Since your reproducer has a metal one, copper?? was probably an old repair. The copper diaphragm looks very old. I would have it rebuilt using the metal diaphragm. To me, that's part of the history of the machine.
Harvey Kravitz

As Harvey wrote, Automatics came with a glass diaphragm. An eyelet was affixed to the center of the diaphragm using a type of glue, the name of which I can't recall at the moment. The eyelet was similar to the one in the center of your metal diaphragm.
I cannot say how glass diaphragms sound in comparison to metal or mica as my 2 Automatics came with stepped mica diaphragms.

Jim

Duplicate post removed.
Jim

It would be interesting to hear a glass one Mine is copper but not stepped ...I guess it must be more complient than glass though ,but less than a ribbed one

The eyelet on a glass diaphragm is called a “foot”.

Rich Gordon

phonojim wrote:As Harvey wrote, Automatics came with a glass diaphragm. An eyelet was affixed to the center of the diaphragm using a type of glue, the name of which I can't recall at the moment. The eyelet was similar to the one in the center of your metal diaphragm.
I cannot say how glass diaphragms sound in comparison to metal or mica as my 2 Automatics came with stepped mica diaphragms.

Jim

The glue is called "Stratena". Somebody still makes it in small batches. It shows up on ebay.

Thanks. I would think that liquid shellac could be used also.

Jim

I love the older trade names back then

The diaphragm and styles were held together with a copper link on later model B and up and that was easily repaired as they fit in small holes. When it gets to gluing the link to the diaphragm I would ask for advice. I have not worked on an automatic but I send them out to Steve Medvid for rebuilding. He does a great job. There is a big article on the phonograph magazine that may explain that reproducer. That looks like a nice suitcase. That is one of my favorite machines. Tom