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Is it standard to have two and four minute options on a BKT? I just picked one up and it has the switch, but do I need two reproducers? Never had a BKT. Thanks!

I think the BKT is more commonly found as a two minute only player but the 2&4 shows up as well. I would imagine that you would need two reproducers but I've heard people comment about Columbia using a stylus that's in between in size for use with both two and four minute cylinders. I've also heard that it does neither type very well. I would appreciate other comments. Jerry

My suspicion was just one reproducer, because the reproducer is held in with two screws. You would have to get a screwdriver each time to change. I did try it out with both two and four, but the whole machine needs a good oiling and retightening here and there before I can tell if its really working right.

I think Jerry's right about the single "in between" reproducer.

George P.

Well, George, I don't think it was an "in between" reproducer, it was a 4-minute. An intermediate stylus size would not have worked for the 4 minute records, anyway. A too-large stylus playing a typically overcut (no land between the grooves) vertical recording is likely to cause echo at the best and skip grooves at the worst. Unlike the case with lateral recordings, a smaller stylus works pefectly well playing the wider groove of a vertical recording, so long as it doesn't cause excess wear. A proper vertical playback stylus sits on the bottom of the groove, not on the sidewalls as with lateral records. Columbia was selling Albany Indestructible 2 and 4 minute celluloid records by this time, both of which could be played with the smaller 4 minute stylus. Too bad if you couldn't play your Edison wax records on the Columbia machine, the answer was simple - buy new Columbia celluloid records!

Check my question about my BK's reproducer. ChuckA posted a pic: http://myvintagetv.com/posts/col4min.jpg

My reproducer is identical. I cleaned the whole thing just now and am trying to get the belt tension right but its operational now. Thanks for the tip about only using celluloid cylinders and no wax ones!

By the way, the sound is pretty measly. I am sure if there were new gaskets and a snug leather belt it would be better, but as of now its not very loud.

Now I am curious, is this a BKT or a BQ? It has the horizontal carriage.

USlakeside wrote:Now I am curious, is this a BKT or a BQ? It has the horizontal carriage.

US,

If you have a horizontal carriage it's probably a BQ. The motors and cases were otherwise identical as far as I know. Some pics of a BQ here. http://www.bojo.cz/phonograph/columbia.html