The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello phono phreaks, long time no forum(?)

I'm looking for a part, but before I place a post in the Yankee Trader section I thought it might help to know the name of it.

I'm attaching a photo to hopefully better describe what I'm missing.
This is an image of two backs from Victor Orthophonic reproducers. The nice black one is from a brass unit and the other a pot metal.
The brass one is missing the three spoke thinga-ma-bopper that is visible on the pot metal one. I know it would be slightly different as the brass ones don't screw into place, but that's the part I need.

Side note: does anyone have one? Save me a bit of time typing out the Yankee trader post?

Thanks in advance!

Phase plug?
I'd wait for someone else to name it but I think that's what I've seen them called.

The part it looks like you are referring to is the phase plug. They were only added to the Orthophonic soundboxes around late 1926 or sometime in 1927.
The brass soundboxes never had them. The potmetal soundboxes without the phase plug did have a guard to protect the diaphragm from fingers and too small of tonearms. not sure if all brass soundboxes came with them.
I believe that some people do add the guards to the brass soundboxes while rebuilding.
The phase plug, in simple terms, improves the clarity of the sound but the back casting has to have been built to accommodate it.

As Broso says, the Orthophonic brass back plates never had a phase plug, nor did the early pot metal ones, so it's probably best to leave it as-is. There have been a few discussions about the role of the phase plug on this forum:

viewtopic.php?p=103162
viewtopic.php?t=23070

OrthoFan

Hi Grump!

My brass reproducers have a small 3 arm piece that slips in the back end, before the rubber isolator bushing goes in. Not sure they all had that either. You probably don't need one, as long as you can resist the urge to stick your finger inside and mess up the diaphragm.

Thank you all for the replies. It did originally have a three spoked thing before the isolator bushing as Jerry mentioned, but I understand now it was only a guard.

I will try to resist my newly acquired urge to stick something sharp into the back of the diaphragm.

Vince,

Glad to see you and your sense of humor back. Your brass reproducer does not seem to need the phase plug. If you feel it does, let me know and I will send you one.

Good to hear from you, you have been missed.

Respectfully yours,

Matt

Thanks for the offer Matt, and the kind words.

We moved a few years ago and my collection and associated items have been in storage for 3 years. Just starting to take things out and tinker again.
You should be seeing more of me now.