The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi! I am located in North Carolina [USA] and have decided it may be quicker and easier to obtain a new reproducer/sound box for my recently acquired Polyphon table top phonograph. There is a needle that has broke off and the thumb screw is broke off.....

On the back of the reproducer, it states: DOSE 23 ELECTRIC

Unless somebody knows of a magic way to get what's left of the thumbscrew and needle out, does anybody have any appropriate reproducer for this model phonograph or any recommendations of who might have one?

Also, any ideas of the age or history of this one? German, right?

Perhaps you know an engineer or could send it away and have the broken thumbscrew drilled out and rethreaded for a new thumbscrew? This is normally what is done. Someone on this forum will know someone in the US if you can’t do it yourself. It looks like the needle holder chuck has been turned 45 degrees and is no longer in the right position.

The Polyphon is typically German with the small horn mouth. The soundbox looks late 1920s but may not be original to the machine which could be earlier.

I've had success a couple of times with needle screws sheared off by filing a tiny slot or edge and then pushing the stub round and getting it to unscrew little by little.

As Jamie says, it doesn't look to be in the correct orientation.

Orchorsol wrote: Thu Dec 04, 2025 2:22 pm I've had success a couple of times with needle screws sheared off by filing a tiny slot or edge and then pushing the stub round and getting it to unscrew little by little.

As Jamie says, it doesn't look to be in the correct orientation.

What I've done in the past is to use a hand drill with a very thin drill bit to make a hole in the centre of the broken thumbscrew. Eventually the thin outer remains of the screw just break away and can be pulled out cleanly leaving the original threaded core of the chuck intact; no need for re-tapping.

All good points! I appreciate the input!