The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi guys i have an old columbia grafonola we're trying to get working. Everything seems to work fine except the needle is cutting into the records and slowing the turntable to a stop. if the tone arm is lightly held up it works/sounds fine but the minute you stop helping it the needle starts cutting into the record again.
The reproducer/tone arm feels quite heavy (as ive been reading this is normal?) needle looks nice and sharp. Is there supposed to be a spring inside the tone arm joint to help counterbalance it and the reproducer? the Im rather new to these so any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you are using a period correct record and a new steel needle, it should not cut into the record. I suspect you are trying to play a more modern 78 on your machine and maybe using a permanent stylus needle. Jerry

Columbia tonearm elbows are notoriously sticky due to pot metal deformation. Horizontal sticking will cause skipping and vertical stiffness would not allow the tonearm to rise and follow the record.

Covah is correct. The tone arm should move vertically as well a horizontally freely.

Also, a very worn records have been known to slow a turntable down as well as a motor assembly that is in need of a good cleaning and lubrication. I would try a few different records and see if you observe different behaviors between them.

I have seen this on another Columbia (with the tone arm mounted on the L/S of the table). It is possible on that model to set the needle down on the worng side of the record. This has the needle facing the rotation of the turntable and gouging out the record.... Will the tone arm on yours span both sides of the record? Needle angle should point with rotation not against it..

Tom

Tom, That's an excellent suggestion. One time I made an out of town trip to repair a Vic V and that was the problem. The owner was simply starting the record on the wrong side of the turntable. The owner was really embarrassed. Thanks for thinking outside the box. Jerry

My Columbia Grafonola has the same tonearm problem. I have tried oiling the arm in all of the joints, but it won't flow freely... I'm sure that's why it's eating my records. I'm not sure if at this point it must be replaced or if there's an easier way to oil it. I can get into the vertical joint easily but not the horizontal one.