The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Thought this was interesting - a letter from EMG to a customer who had had the diaphragm replaced in a soundbox for 7 and six right in the middle of the war , in March 1942. According to the internet, that would be about £18 today , so seems like a good deal ! Anyone know what the reference is to the lead turntable weight which they couldn't repair ? I've never heard of a turntable weight before.... The customer is also interesting as George Wailes and company were inventors and engineers who were involved in many different fields and "specialists in Experimental work" - just the sort of people who might have bough an EMG !!

Really fascinating ! I too have no idea as to what the lead weight might be apart from the type of mass currently available for vinyl records today but, I should have thought, unneccessary for shellac ? It is understandable that new lead might well have been "unobtainium" during the war but it is hard to think of a design that could be sufficiently complex and fragile as to need repairing and indeed turning out to be unrepairable ! Curiouser and curiouser.

The George Wailes Company were pretty special clients, given that they were responsible for inventing the S.U. carburettor amongst many other artefacts. One might have thought that they would have been better qualified than EMG to make/repair such items !

This just a guess, but could "turntable weight" refer to a weight driven turntable? I know of no such EMG device, but if Wailes & Co had made one it would be surprising, as Graham points out, if they were unable to repair it themselves.

Could it be that the turntable was balanced with lead weights, much like car wheels? Maybe the turntable lost a weight or got out of balance? For a high end audiophile machine could that be a possibility?

Just guessing...
Andreas

Could it be the counterweight for the tonearm? It is the only gramophone part with lead that comes to my mind.

Maybe a motor governor weight ?

Early Garrard 11a's had a lead governor weight for example and some floor-standing Victrola's etc.

This might explain why they couldn't repair it - because EMG didn't repair motors (I don't think they did ?) and a simple replacement part 'to order' isn't available because of the war ?

Electric motors are outside my comfort zone, so shoot me down if I'm talking nonsense, but I believe the Garrard 201 transcription motor has a lead weighted turntable. Not weights like a balanced car wheel, but an overall layer of lead under the covering. I have never investigated, but I can think of no other explanation for the extraordinary weight of what looks like an ordinary Garrard steel turntable.

As to how this would get damaged, perhaps it had been attacked by shrapnel in a bomb blast.

Interesting thought Christopher but I am sorry to relate that the 201 turntable/platter I have here definitely has no lead incorporated and is not unusually heavy either. However, like you, I do seem to remember others which are distinctly more weighty. Unfortunately I have lent my spares to a friend and so cannot check at the moment but will make enquiries.

Love your idea of shrapnel damage---could be a wonderful excuse for all manner of ills !

poodling around wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:35 pm Maybe a motor governor weight ?

Early Garrard 11a's had a lead governor weight for example and some floor-standing Victrola's etc.

This might explain why they couldn't repair it - because EMG didn't repair motors (I don't think they did ?) and a simple replacement part 'to order' isn't available because of the war ?

Could be the answer !

soundgen wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 4:48 pm

poodling around wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:35 pm Maybe a motor governor weight ?

Early Garrard 11a's had a lead governor weight for example and some floor-standing Victrola's etc.

This might explain why they couldn't repair it - because EMG didn't repair motors (I don't think they did ?) and a simple replacement part 'to order' isn't available because of the war ?

Could be the answer !

Woo Hoo ! We have a winner ! Isn't soundgen fantastic !