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Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 5:06 am
by herrickpickups
Wondered if anybody had any success with replacing the "Diamond" tip of an Edison diamond reproducer with a later equivalent ? The microgroove points made for the HMV Hyper sensitive pickups of the late 1930's look to be of similar diameter ..but I wonder if the profile of the point is significantly different or would damage a cylinder ?
thanks
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 9:11 am
by edisonplayer
Wyatt Marcus has them.edisonplayer
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 10:31 am
by JohnM
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 11:30 am
by herrickpickups
Hi, thanks for the link, since I put this Question up I drilled out the broken tip & replaced it with a period sapphire made for a Hyper sensitive pickup from the 30's-50's period & amazingly, it works, doesn't leave any new marks on a blue amberol. Great ! I used the loctite retaining compound (638) so tha if it didn't work it could be removed with a soldering iron .
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 8:26 pm
by Marc Hildebrant
It is very important to use the correct size stylus that Edison used. A conical 3.5 mil diameter is the size you want. With the Edison weight in the reproducer, a small stylus will wear out your records.
Edison picked the stylus size to keep the pressure low enough for the record material. Smaller, and the stylus pressure increases a lot.
Use the correct parts.
Marc
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 8:51 am
by Benjamin_L
That's not the best, I recommend getting the right diamond point.
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 5:54 am
by herrickpickups
Thanks for the advice, rather than leave anything to chance, I bought a decent stereo microscope by PRIOR years ago, with it's 60X magnification it's possible to hold & inspect, side-by-side, if you will.... any 2 stylii for comparison. There are many opinions on-line from "experts" that have merit but I find the best way to resolve a question like this is to rely on my own eyes & judge it myself. Of course buying an Original new old stock part negates the necessity to think for oneself but an ability to inspect the items in Question with your own eyes is for myself at least, a better option as then also something of value has been learnt rather than simply relying on the Dogma passed around by those without the means to actually check matters for themselves
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 1:54 pm
by Marc Hildebrant
You asked for advice, and I gave you some. Sadly, you added some insults.
I calculated the force on the Diamond Cut Record, Edison Sylus, using the Hertz model for two spheres in contact. Standard models for contact mechanics. The force applied by an Edison Diamond Stylus (Diamond Disc Machine) is about 181,371 PSI with a contact radius 1.05 mil.
Why don't you make some calculations yourself?
Marc
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 11:35 am
by Benjamin_L
herrickpickups wrote: Fri Sep 12, 2025 5:54 am
Thanks for the advice, rather than leave anything to chance, I bought a decent stereo microscope by PRIOR years ago, with it's 60X magnification it's possible to hold & inspect, side-by-side, if you will.... any 2 stylii for comparison. There are many opinions on-line from "experts" that have merit but I find the best way to resolve a question like this is to rely on my own eyes & judge it myself. Of course buying an Original new old stock part negates the necessity to think for oneself but an ability to inspect the items in Question with your own eyes is for myself at least, a better option as then also something of value has been learnt rather than simply relying on the Dogma passed around by those without the means to actually check matters for themselves
It's not the right size... Don't say we warned you...
Re: Replacement stylus for an Edison diamond reproducer
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2025 8:46 am
by JerryVan
Benjamin_L wrote: Sat Sep 13, 2025 11:35 am
herrickpickups wrote: Fri Sep 12, 2025 5:54 am
Thanks for the advice, rather than leave anything to chance, I bought a decent stereo microscope by PRIOR years ago, with it's 60X magnification it's possible to hold & inspect, side-by-side, if you will.... any 2 stylii for comparison. There are many opinions on-line from "experts" that have merit but I find the best way to resolve a question like this is to rely on my own eyes & judge it myself. Of course buying an Original new old stock part negates the necessity to think for oneself but an ability to inspect the items in Question with your own eyes is for myself at least, a better option as then also something of value has been learnt rather than simply relying on the Dogma passed around by those without the means to actually check matters for themselves
It's not the right size... Don't say we warned you...
It'll be okay, he's smarter than we are...
