The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a machine that will play both Pathé and Edison disks in addition to laterally cut ones. By accident, I have a small collection of Pathé and Edison disks. I do not, however, have styli for playing these disks.

I am mildly interested in being able to play these records. The Pathé ones I can do sort of OK-ish with a cactus fibre needle. These needles do not work at all with Edison disks.

On EBay, I sometimes see ads for what is purported to be NOS Pathé styli. I see reproduction styli for sale at various gramophone shops online. I see occasionally Pathé steel-ball-tipped needles offered as NOS.

I have encountered a great deal of scepticism about the reproduction needles with doubts expressed as to whether their tips are actually sapphire or just glass. I am somewhat sceptical about the NOS steel Pathé needles.

Does anyone have advice informed by actual experience to offer here?

Thanks.

Lah Ca wrote: Thu Jan 11, 2024 1:38 pm Does anyone have advice informed by actual experience to offer here?

Thanks.

If you buy NOS Pathé needles, give preference to the colored ones - some of the sapphires are colored blue or red. This way you will be sure that it is really sapphire. I cannot distinguish a non-colored glass from sapphire just by looking, even at magnification. I am not aware that new sapphire needles are being produced - despite of what sellers claim, I am still to identify manufacturers for these - so I assume that all new ones are glass, that can be made at home by melting glass.

Thanks.