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I installed a new diaphragm on my amberola 30 yesterday, and it works fine. It plays blue amberola really well. Today I tried playing a wax amberol and it cut right through the groves, as if it were recording. I tried it on the end of the cylinder, and it cut a line into it! I have no clue what is causing this, and it ruined part of a great record. Has this happened to anyone else had this happen & what causes this to happen?

The diamond C is too heavy for wax Amberols, they'll do just what you described, they should be played with a H really, the Diamond reproducers are just for the indestructible and celluloid type cylinders

kirtley2012 wrote:The diamond C is too heavy for wax Amberols, they'll do just what you described, they should be played with a H really, the Diamond reproducers are just for the indestructible and celluloid type cylinders

Had no idea, especially because when I was using a cardboard paper diaphragm, it played them fine.

"The diamond C is too heavy for wax Amberols, they'll do just what you described, they should be played with a H really, the Diamond reproducers are just for the indestructible and celluloid type cylinders."

Yep. That's 100% Correct.

None of the Diamond Tipped Reproducers......Diamond A, B or C should be used for playing Black Wax "Amberols" or "Damnberols" as we know them..

As stated above, The Diamond A, B or C should only be used on the 4M Indestructible (Celluloid) cylinders or 4M Celluloid Cylinders such as the Edison "Blue" Amberols.


An External Horn machine with a Model "H" Reproducer is what is required to play a "Black Wax 4M Amberol" cylinder.

The Edison Amberola 30, 50, and 75 all use the Diamond "C" Reproducer and should never be used to play 4M Black Wax "Amberols" or it will destroy the cylinder.

So in Reality......You Don't have a big problem.... Your Edison Amberola 30 is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

To play wax Amberols on a model 30 you need to find one of these adapters that were sold for that purpose:
It consists of a modified H reproducer with the tail weight cut back, the neck cut down and
slotted and a adapter ring to fit the reproducer in the large carriage with a lift assembly that allowed the reproducer weight to be raised using the 30's lift arm.

This one is missing the tube to attach it to the internal horn.

Chuck

Thanks, Chuck for the pictures of the adapter. I never seen one or even a reference to one in many years of collecting. Was this possibly for use with language courses?

Jim

phonojim wrote:Thanks, Chuck for the pictures of the adapter. I never seen one or even a reference to one in many years of collecting. Was this possibly for use with language courses?

Jim

Yes for I.C.S records. There is a picture of it in Frow's Edison Cylinder Phonograph Companion on page 333.



Chuck