The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have some French and American, I think, Pathé 14" records. Would a Pathé Pathéphone phonograph made in Brooklyn, NY be able to play a 14" Pathé record without hitting the tonearm neck? Or do you need a special Pathé phonograph to play them? I'm thinking of buying a Pathéphone. Marc.

Some of the table models will not. All of the floor models will.

I don’t think my Pathéphone model 25 would play them.

If I were going to buy a Pathé machine, I'd be on the lookout for a nice Actuelle with the cone setup, these play 14 inch discs beautifully and I think they're fascinating!

Sean

Sean, my Pathé Actuelle cannot play my 14 inch discs. Maybe different machines are just different. It think mine is early and has no red rooster on the plaque. I can play them on my Pathé VII and even on my Cheney but not on the Actuelle. Another fellow I know plays them on his Actuelle but he has to remove a part that is in the way. On mine the record hits the wall on the right so cannot be played. Neil PS I've added a photo of the problem with the Actuelle. To play a 14 inch disc you would have to move the little rest that the arm sits in. Other wise the record does not spin. Well I am not about to do that just to play these discs. It should work without having to alter anything. So I play it on the other machines as stated.

Well, that's odd, I have owned two Actuelles, the larger model H and one a little smaller (I forget the model letter). Both of mine played 14 inch discs with no issue. It's entirely likely there may have been variations, but that's news to me!

Sean

Sean if you know Roger from facebook he is the one that also said he had to unscrew that part and move it back to play the 14 inch discs. Odd but true.

Some of the table models will not. All of the floor models will

Is that because some table models have an enclosed wall around the turntable? How about this Pathé 15 model without the walls. Would it play a 14" record? Marc.

marcapra wrote:

Some of the table models will not. All of the floor models will

Is that because some table models have an enclosed wall around the turntable? How about this Pathé 15 model without the walls. Would it play a 14" record? Marc.

The motor is not strong enough Marc. Those discs take a lot of motor to turn them, such as the Pathephones, maybe 12, certainly 14 and the concerts and the later big cabinet machines.