The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

...having to wind them on the LEFT. I'm right handed. Any of you other "righties" ever think about this? Please don't get me wrong...I really appreciate and enjoy these Columbia models. Being a long time phonograph collector I never gave it a second thought until recently...

My Columbia Eagles are among my FAVORITE machines to play my brown wax cylinders on. Especially because they're so light to carry around.

But, winding these models left handed is awkward. Maybe Thomas Macdonald (manager and chief engineer at Columbia) was left handed. Who knows. I CAN appreciate that mounting a cylinder right to left was accepted standard practice and, therefore, the winding assembly on open works Graphophones would be most efficient on the left side. But for most of us "righties" having to wind these machines left handed is...well...AWKWARD.

Recently I purchased a group of 2 minute cylinders and the boxes of them were out in our garage. So, I thought it would be fun to take one of my Eagles out there, grab a folding chair and listen to some of them right in the garage before bringing them in the house. Almost every time I wanted to wind the Eagle up I found myself spinning it around on the little table I set up, winding it RIGHT handed and turning it back around to play a cylinder. Now, could I wind it left handed? Sure. But it's just awkward. If I was left handed these machines would be perfect but not so much for us righties.

Doug

I don't stand in front of it to wind it. I turn the machine so its left end is facing me, with the horn pointing off to the right, then wind with my right hand. But yes, they're clumsy little things.

JerryVan wrote:I don't stand in front of it to wind it. I turn the machine so its left end is facing me, with the horn pointing off to the right, then wind with my right hand. But yes, they're clumsy little things.

I'm right handed and I do the same... never noticed a problem.

Southpaw here, and I don't mind winding on the right...

Also, most front mount disc machines wind on the left, when they could easily wind on the right...

One solution is to get a European cor-de-chasse style horn...

- Bill

Lucius1958 wrote:most front mount disc machines wind on the left, when they could easily wind on the right...

The crank on most front mount disc phonographs is on the same side as the traveling arm and the reproducer which makes sense since after cranking you're positioned perfectly for placing the reproducer (needle) onto the skating surface of the record which as we all know is rotating clockwise. Unfortunately, for people who crank their front mount disc phonographs standing on the crank side as I do, the horn is pointed off to the right which was (and remains) awkward since most people then need to move in front of the horn to obtain the full enjoyment of the sound from the horn.

Winding any phonograph with a key is awkward enough since it requires repetitive removal and repositioning of the fingers and thumb on the key versus winding with a crank. It was only recently when I wanted to play a bunch of cylinders one after the other on my Columbia Eagle that I realized after all these years that it was a bit awkward (well, for me anyway). The coin-op Columbia BS basically uses Columbia Eagle works and it DOES wind on the right. But that would have added to the production cost for the Eagle and the price to the customer to do that so I guess it all makes sense. I can deal with it since I enjoy the compact aspect of the Eagle.

Doug

Doug

I am right handed too and always found it awkward winding my AB with my left hand so I put an aluminum hunters horn on it with a 45 elbow and now I can wind with right hand but put on delicate 5" cylinders with the left hand. Can't win them all.

Kevan

I'm a leftie for the most part, so that doesn't bother me. The machine that does bother me is the keywind Gem. That one just seems totally counterintuitive to me and I always have to pay attention when I wind it. That said, my small machines are eye candy for the most part. I generally listen to cylinders on the triumph.

Jim

Kevan wrote:I put an aluminum hunters horn on it with a 45 elbow and now I can wind with right hand but put on delicate 5" cylinders with the left hand.

Hey Kevan, That is a fun idea! I might just try it if I can find a hunters horn. Mounting a cylinder left handed I could get used to after a while but the other oddity would be moving the carriage and carriage lever backwards. I guess that would take some practice to get used to also.

phonojim wrote:I'm a leftie for the most part, so that doesn't bother me. The machine that does bother me is the keywind Gem.

I think using any key wind phonograph is a bit cumbersome. The relatively brief reward that we get from the effort of winding that key to listen to one recording can get old fast. But, again, I DO appreciate their place in phonograph history and their portability aspect scores some extra points! Whenever I want to listen to some 2 minute wax cylinders that I have in a climate controlled area here (and where there are no phonographs) I ALWAYS reach for one of my Columbia Eagles to listen. My next choice would be one of my Edison Firesides.

Doug