The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi, I am new here. I have a Victrola XI that has been moved several times and is a little worse for wear.
I do not know the technical term for the part, but the tone arm has a vertical piece coming down from it which is
rubbing on the wood of the machine scratching it and the machine won't play.

Any advice on how to fix?

That piece is part of the semi automatic stop- the rest is under the turntable.

Take a small wrench or pliers and turn the nut-like section in the middle- it should loosen and let you raise up the rod at the bottom a little until it does not touch the cabinet.

There may be other things wrong but this will fix the scratching problem.

igraffman wrote:Hi, I am new here. I have a Victrola XI that has been moved several times and is a little worse for wear.
I do not know the technical term for the part, but the tone arm has a vertical piece coming down from it which is
rubbing on the wood of the machine scratching it and the machine won't play.

Any advice on how to fix?

You need to loosen the nut on there as said. Once loose you turn the whole arm (I believe to the right) until it rises off the motor board. Than tighten when adjusted to proper height.

Hi,

Thanks. That did not seem to work. But what I can tell you that there is a great deal of "play" in the tone arm such
that I can move it up and down by at least a quarter of an inch and at the top position it no longer rubs. Should there
be play and if not, do I have a different problem?

Thanks again!

I hope the ball bearings (there should be five and a metal spacer) are still under the tonearm where it goes into the iron back bracket.

By the way, the XI is in beautiful shape.

Does your taper tube (a/k/a "tone arm") back bracket have the adjustable top bearing pin, secured by a set screw? If so, loosen the set screw (which may be missing) and, holding the taper tube up, push the bearing pin down (the thumb is a useful tool!) against the dimple in the tube. Re-tighten the set screw. Works for my XI, which is an earlier model than yours seems to be. There should be no vertical play in the taper tube, and it should swing freely, laterally.

Not having much luck here. Here are pics that may help.

You appear to be missing the 5 ball bearings that ride within the 5 notches in the small ring that lies in the groove of the support base. The tone arm would then ride on the bearings, allowing it to swivel freely.

Thanks...

Can anyone refer me to a diagram/picture of a properly loaded device, and/or size of bearings and possible source to obtain?

igraffman wrote:Thanks...

Can anyone refer me to a diagram/picture of a properly loaded device, and/or size of bearings and possible source to obtain?

Here are some for sale on eBay by forum member cyber_tigger: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-Victrol ... :rk:1:pf:0