The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am going to look at an Edison Opera (Concert) in a couple of days time with a view to purchasing it.
The seller reports that it is in perfect working order, but that the small end of the horn elbow has been modified or repaired in the past where it fits into the reproducer mounting.
Could some kind Opera owner please post some closeup pictures of the elbow fixing so that I know what it should look like, and can see what would be needed to restore it to it's original appearance.
Any other advice for a prospective Opera owner would be much appreciated. For me it will be a major purchase.

Roger.

Roger:
Here are a couple pictures of the horn connection on my Opera (tagged "Concert").
As far as purchase advice, look for cracks or seam separations in the horn. Check to see that the sliding autostop piece and small record brush (attached to horn stanchion) are present. These are expensive to replace.
The straight spring (resembling a short piece of wire) running through the mandrel shaft and flywheel (underneath the flywheel cover) is often broken but easily replaced. You can check this by turning the mandrel both ways and letting go while the machine is stopped. The mandrel should gently return to the rest position if the spring is unbroken. The motor should run very quietly with an even sound.
If possible play a loud-volume cylinder (Uncle Josh's loud talking is an excellent example) to see if you hear any pre or post "echoing." This would indicate a worn stylus that would need replacing and the expense should be taken into account.
Good luck, and I hope you post pictures if you get it!
Bob

Many thanks for your help and advice Bob.
I know that the autostop is present and working. Not sure about the brush yet.
I don't have Uncle Josh, but a Sousa march should test the reproducer.
I will certainly report back here with pictures if I buy the machine.
Meanwhile kind regards,

Roger.

Use an early direct - recorded cylinder when quality checking the reproducer. If you have a copy of Stars and Stripes Forever by Sousa's Band take it with you. It is well recorded and loud - will show up any defects in the best reproducer.

Thank you Jim. I have now bought the machine which is pictured in the eBay alerts section.
I will be having the reproducer serviced, possibly with a new diaphragm from Wyatt Marcus.

Congratulations, Roger.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Opera/Concert owners. After listening to your Opera for a few days, you'll wonder why you ever listened to cylinders on any other machine.

If Keith Badman still refurbishes Edison reproducers (01837 82701), it may be safer to send your Diamond A to him in North Tawton rather than trust the post to America and back.

If you need to replace what Barnettrp21122 calls in his post the "straight spring" otherwise known as the balance spring or flutter spring, in the left hand flywheel, I have wire of the correct dimension I can send you.

All the best and happy listening

Tim W-W

Wagnerian wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:25 am Congratulations, Roger.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Opera/Concert owners. After listening to your Opera for a few days, you'll wonder why you ever listened to cylinders on any other machine.

If Keith Badman still refurbishes Edison reproducers (01837 82701), it may be safer to send your Diamond A to him in North Tawton rather than trust the post to America and back.

If you need to replace what Barnettrp21122 calls in his post the "straight spring" otherwise known as the balance spring or flutter spring, in the left hand flywheel, I have wire of the correct dimension I can send you.

All the best and happy listening

Tim W-W

I highly recomment Wyatt's diaphragms and styluses. They sound much much better than the originals - all of them degraded over the decades and lost their flexibility. As to the stylus, you can post the needle shank to him and he will replace it with a new diamond and ship back to you together with a new diaphragm and a new rod for the shank. The new stylus was specially developed for the Edison and is of high quality. This is what I did both on Edison DDs and on the Opera, I did not ship the full reproducer to the US. The replacement process is easy, and the adjustment is also quite straightforward, it only takes changing the number of turns of the retainer ring until the sound is to the listener's satisfaction.

Tim, no-one has heard from Keith Badman for a couple of years. He must be nearer 80 than 70 and has probably retired.
Thank you for the wire offer, but I think all is well. With the motor stopped the mandrel returns into position when slightly turned in either direction, and there is no trace of any wobble when playing.

Inigo, Wyatt's stylus and diaphragm sound like a good idea, but I have never touched an Edison reproducer and am not confident about removing and reinstalling the parts. I am sure that Paul Morris, who is only an hour from me, will help. He makes regular trips to the USA and may even have the parts in stock.

Thank you both.

Roger.

Paul Morris is probably a good bet for assitance.

Good luck and happy listening.

Tim W-W

As an owner of 8 Opera machines, and an Edison School House, (Opera) they are the best! Love them. if the little wire in the flywheel is broken, slide the securing ring over and inside the side, and pull it up through the little hole. If it is broken, it would be broken inside the shaft. The bottom ½ will stay behind when doing this. Also, what I use is Oakland singing Where the River Shannon Flows. There are long sustained notes that will sound like a "whow" sound. This can also be the little spring, or the governor drive gear.
Hope this helps.
P. S. I have the little springs.
Burdette Walters