The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Please don't hate on me too hard, I've been a flat disc guy for a long time. My father, knowing my penchant for old mechanical musical objects, picked up this Graphophone for me many years ago in non-working condition. After having the guys in St. Johnsbury replace a swollen pot metal piece and replace the belt I could finally get it to run but it just didn't sound right so it sits as display. I'm now realizing that both cylinders I tried using are 4 minute cylinders which leads me to think I have a 2 minute cylinder stylus. This never occurred to me until recently as I honestly didn't even know there was a difference. So my question is, is my machine even capable of playing a 4 minute cylinder and can one tell the stylus just by looking at the machine? I've posted a picture here. Any help appreciated. It's a Columbia model AT. I hear they're not the best for sound anyway and perhaps I'll try to hunt down an Edison machine at some point but it's what I've got now, I just don't want to wreck anything!
One is a Blue Amberol and the other is a black cylinder that says 4 min on it.

You're right - the AT Graphophone is a 2-minute machine only, and the stylus on the D2 Reproducer currently in place is also for 2-minute only. That said, your AT should be able to play 2-minute records just fine. If it doesn't, it just needs some attention. ATs are good machines once lubricated and adjusted.

If you want a machine to play 4-minute cylinders, I'd recommend an Edison Amberola 30. HOWEVER, the 30 can play ONLY 4-minute CELLULOID cylinders. Fortunately, these are easily found, and with a wide variety of entertainment recorded on them.

If you want something that can play 4-minute WAX records (available only from 1908-1912), you'll want an Edison Standard Model D or a Fireside Model A. I'd still recommend an Amberola 30 if you're just starting out in 4-minute cylinders.

There are a number of helpful articles on the APS website that you might find useful:

https://www.antiquephono.org/category/introductory/

This one is particularly good on the subject of this thread:

https://www.antiquephono.org/basic-anti ... onal-tips/

Best of luck,
George P.

Adding to what George wrote, it's not just a question of the stylus -- the gearing is different between 2 and 4 minute machines. If you try to play a 4 minute cylinder on a 2 minute machine (even with a 4 minute stylus) it will skip continually since the grooves of the record are twice as fine as the feedscrew driving the carriage along the record.

Two minute cylinders are readily found, including 'Indestructible' cylinders made of unbreakable celluloid. Those should sound fine on your AT.

Enjoy!

Thank you so much, every day is a learning day