The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

In the fabulous range of machines, there are different heights of the platter over the motorboard. And here goes my personal appreciation... I hate machines with a high platter, I believe this fact gives the machine a lousy look, kind of sensation of misadjustment. When I see one of those machines, I cannot avoid the sensation that when it will run, the turntable will be seen wavy, going up and down...
I love the look of machines that have a low turntable, just the height needed to clear the brake, speed lever, etc
It's just a personal taste.
Anyone has similar thoughts, or am I a freaky ???

Yes, turntables that sit too high from the motor-board, look like someone installed the wrong motor, or the factory forgot to install the proper spacers.
Or worse, the motor was missing and someone tried to install what ever that person could find, ending up with a Frankinphone.

This doesn't bother me too much on cabinet models when the motor board is recessed a couple inches down, but it does annoy me on external horn machines, portables and hornless type models, where you need to remove the turntable constantly to dust underneath because you can see such a large area that can't be reached with a dust cloth.
When the turntable is close to the motor board you can usually get enough of the cloth in the gap to dust what is visible.

Columbia had the turntable rings which neatens things up.

bob stutz

I really like the raised level of the turntable on the early Zonophones.
It kind of puts the music on a pedestal for all to notice!

Cheers, Bob S.

Aaargh! I don't like that, and the turntable is leaning under the weight of the horn!

Zwebie wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 11:38 am I really like the raised level of the turntable on the early Zonophones.
It kind of puts the music on a pedestal for all to notice!

Cheers, Bob S.

The real reason that turntable sits so high is for the brake to touch the raised ring on the bottom, in order to stop...

Inigo wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:13 pm Aaargh! I don't like that, and the turntable is leaning under the weight of the horn!

I don't like that either, but the lean is caused from years if wear from endless playing of records.
I'm sure the centre shaft is worn in the casting and needs attention and the turntable may even be loose on the spindle.
Anyone with a lathe could correct those problems.

the lean is caused from years if wear from endless playing of records.
I'm sure the centre shaft is worn in the casting and needs attention and the turntable may even be loose on the spindle.
Anyone with a lathe could correct those problems.

Yes, send that project directly to me!

Jerry B.

These guys seem to like the high turntable.