The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Recently a discussion was had on another thread regarding an EMG machine that was for sale on UK eBay. An accompanying illustration shows the typical EMG tonearm and tracking offset. Obviously, the EMG tonearm has superior tracking compared to any Victor tonearm. My question is this: Can an optional "J' tube be made that incorporates this tracking angle, so that Victor machines can be modified (and be fully reversible) to play valuable records without destroying them? I know that several threads were posted regarding making adapters to change the angle on the backs of Exhibition reproducers, but this modified tube would be a superior solution that is easily installed and removed. It seems that this would be a relatively simple item to produce, requiring the correct size of brass tubing and a tubing bender which could make accurate bends. Any ideas?

I have been using a plastic ball joint which allows adjustment in any direction and can even compensate for needle length.

Maybe Wyatt could cast an isolator with the offset built in.

If you search this forum there are posts of people who made adapters to the Exhibition connection to reduce its tracking error. Some solutions involved making skewed rubber connections, while others required adding pieces of metal tubing.

The Wilson protractor mentioned in this pamphlet was once available from Gramophone magazine, but I don't know who might have reproductions. The late Graham Barber had his own alignment protractor available as a PDF to be printed out and assembled, but I believe his sites have gone dark now.

The Internet Archive has the tracking page at https://web.archive.org/web/20190301080 ... 4590882209 it includes images of several popular gramophones and how their tracking offset is calculated, as well as what tracking errors for each might result in excessive wear.

It did not archive the PDFs for the tracking alignment protractor and assessor, but I saved those long ago and will attach them here.

shoshani wrote:The Wilson protractor mentioned in this pamphlet was once available from Gramophone magazine, but I don't know who might have reproductions. The late Graham Barber had his own alignment protractor available as a PDF to be printed out and assembled, but I believe his sites have gone dark now.

The Internet Archive has the tracking page at https://web.archive.org/web/20190301080 ... 4590882209 it includes images of several popular gramophones and how their tracking offset is calculated, as well as what tracking errors for each might result in excessive wear.

It did not archive the PDFs for the tracking alignment protractor and assessor, but I saved those long ago and will attach them here.

Many years ago I had an original, which I foolishly sold, to my enduring regret nowadays! A few years ago I put this together from the original images, in order to make one.

Daithi wrote:I have been using a plastic ball joint which allows adjustment in any direction and can even compensate for needle length.

Do you have a picture of the ball joint you are referring to?

Curt A wrote: Do you have a picture of the ball joint you are referring to?

Yes Curt please see attached photos.

Interesting... what is that ball joint originally used for and where would you get one?
This looks similar to a shower head swivel socket...

Available on ebay as an aquarium nozzle.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Durable-Flexibl ... 4759431015