columbia grafanola gouges into records

[dub]

I have a "eclipse" columbia grafonola from 1912, everything else seems to work fine except the needle will cut deep into records.
i have tried nearly everything i can find, i am using brand new needles and the tonearm seems to move freely. i can get the needle to a point where it only
creates a light scratch on the record. but whenever i replace the needle or change the angle of the reproducer it starts cutting deep into the record again,
does anyone know why this is happening?
thanks.

[Hoodoo]

I suspect that Mambo record is from the 1950s and is made of a material that is too soft to be played on a gramophone with a steel needle. Have you tried a shellac record made before 1925?

[dub]

i have tried playing records from around the same time that the gramophone was made and it seems to have the same problem.

[Lucius1958]

I'd suspect the likely culprit[s]:
. Stiff tonearm joints
. hardened gaskets
. needle bar too stiff

At least that's a start...
- Bill

[dub]

thanks, i will see if that's the problem. i will update if it works.