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A few weeks ago I posted photographs of my grandfather's Victrola 4-3 straight from the attic of his house. (see post http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=6058) Since then I found a lid from Great Lakes Antique Phonograph. George Vollema also replace my broken tonearm support. Here a quick video of it playing Is It Possible - Fox Trot 20819-b

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn30i6RTaUo[/youtube]

I want to thank everyone how offered advise, leads on parts, and encouragement.

It looks like you've done a great job, but the turntable is spinning WAY too fast. It sounds like it's turning about 90 rpm, instead of 78 rpm.

The record should sound like this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifb48PEVKOQ[/youtube]

If you don't have a strobe handy, you can clamp a bit of tissue paper under a record and count the number of times the paper it hits your finger as the turntable spins -- For 78 rpm, the paper should strike your finger 39 times in 30 seconds.

You can actually get a good disc strobe online--that you can print with a standard printer--that works with a light bulb shining on it, but I can't find the link for it right now.

You'll notice a considerable improvement in the sound quality once you get the turntable at the correct speed.

HTH,
OF

Here's a link to the vintage record changers site that allows you to print out a strobe card:

http://myvintagetv.com/strobe.htm

Hi Recordo:

Yes that's that link. Many thanks.

There are other, simpler strobes, available online.

I found the one I use, this morning, which I got from the Old Crank site --

http://www.oldcrank.com/articles/ (60 Hz for US/50 Hz for Europe, etc.)

It's very basic--just three speeds--but it works pretty well.

You know that is what I thought. I thought I could do it by ear but I guess my ear is off . Thanks to the link to the strobe. I'll work calibrating the speed with that but the example of the recording playing at the correct speed is a big help. I make the new video and at 78 rpm without the Alvin & Chipmunk effect.

Thanks again,

Hi Paul:

I look forward to seeing/hearing the new video. The Consolette, for its size, is a very powerful performer. While the horn is too small to pump out true bass, you do get excellent mid-range sound and solid treble. Depending on the room's acoustic properties, there may also be a good "impression of bass." I remember that the one I had did an especially good job of playing later electrical recordings, such as those made during the "Big Band" era, providing I used a soft tone needle.


OF

The Victrola looks great!

Here are some photos of the cabinet before I received the lid and installed it. I followed the basic restoration process that is available on this forum. Kotten Klenser is a wonderful product and was used to remove decades of dust and exposure to wide temperature swings. The only thing I didn't do is rebuild the orthophonic reproducer or change the gasket between it and the tonearm. I am afraid that the pot metal will crumble if I mess with it.
The one orthophonic record I have is the one that my brothers and I would play when we were kids using the same needle multiple times or a used needle since we didn't know any better. Unfortunately that record is pretty beat up as a result. I know now that it is one needle to one play and in the discard pot it goes.

Thanks for pointing me to the strobe patterns. That was very helpful in correcting the speed. Here the playback of side A of the same Victor VE record (20819-A " What Do We Do On A Dew-Dew-Dewy Day"). I apologies for the poor condition of this recording. It was subjected to children (me and my bothers) that didn't know the proper way to the machine.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOcQ83tzR6w[/youtube]

Congrats. It is alwasy great to see another survivor brought back to life.

Clay