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Does anyone have any idea what the hole is used for in the front mount cover plate for a Victor converted to a back mount horn? I am also in need of one and have a post in the Yankee Trader section.

I Never Saw it in the Catalog!!!!!

Good one!!! The only thing I ever heard of was a possible rod that came up to hold a clip for a needle tin. Plausible but it would be great to "See It In A Catalog"

I understand that this was to fit a crane to help add additional support for a large horn on rigid arm models. The elbow fitting for the horn is rather weak on the rigid arm.

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:13 am I understand that this was to fit a crane to help add additional support for a large horn on rigid arm models. The elbow fitting for the horn is rather weak on the rigid arm.

I have heard that also but I haven't seen any documentation or a Victor horn with a hanger loop.

Phono-Phan wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 9:38 am

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:13 am I understand that this was to fit a crane to help add additional support for a large horn on rigid arm models. The elbow fitting for the horn is rather weak on the rigid arm.

I have heard that also but I haven't seen any documentation or a Victor horn with a hanger loop.

Neither have I. Perhaps the idea was quickly overtaken by the arrival of the taper tonearm. There’s been a few threads on this over the years. Of course most of the attachments are lost but here’s one showing a bracket:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49991

Thanks for the link to the other post. I must have missed that one. Still a mystery.

Aha! I own a 19” Victor front-mount horn that has a small hole near the bell. I wondered why anyone would drill a hole there, but perhaps it was so it could be suspended from a crane.

Aaaha….. I have a 21/22 inch all brass horn , which may or may not be a Victor product , but is identical to my Victor horn of same size, with crane loop base right where it would have been for rigid arm “Horn assistance” if you will.
I believe the hole covers with that mystery hole on top were to support an Edison Gem style of one piece horn crane to solve the weak elbow predicament. Victor knew that they were coming out with much superior Taper Arm system , so there was no real need to spend much time or money on a “Rigid Arm” problem. And at that time , what did anyone do with a large horn of any make or model? …. You used a crane. And the extremely limited time between Rigid Arm and Taper Arm was so quick , there just may not have been enough time to Advertise this idea. Also Victor knew the Taper Arms would be available in a matter of a few months so why waste time or money advertising a “Victor Talking Machine Boo Boo”.
By the Way I have pages and pages of official Victor documents and letters proving my point….. I just can’t remember where I stashed them all ! .

I had an all brass horn like that one with the adapter to use it on a cylinder machine. It must have been an aftermarket horn and not a Victor product????
I have also heard that the hole in the cover plate was used to hold a rod that came up and had a clip to put a needle tin in it. But yet there haven't been any documentation found on either suggestion.