The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am in the process of rebuilding a Pathé Concert reproducer (large diaphragm, straight connector in the back). The old gasket material seems to be round rubber tube, which has hardened beyond use. I tried to use the white Exhibition gasket material (silicone tube?) I bought from Wyatt's Musical Americana, but it is too thick or too firm or both. Does anyone know if there is either thinner or softer gasket tubing available? I think I have seen white rubber tubing which seemed much softer, but don't know where to get that either. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Andreas

Andreas,
Try Tim Fabrizio(phonphan) or Ron Sitko. Both are at Union so you won't be able to get ahold of them right away.
Harvey Kravitz

The Pathé gasket rubber I've bought was the same diameter as the white stuff, but had a larger hole through the centre. It was a reddish brown colour & quite soft, & it came from US ebay but I cant remember the seller. I dont have any Pathé reproducers, but it fitted other off-brand reproducers I have & worked very well.
It's the perfect size for the armiture in electric magnetic pick-ups too.

George Vollema (Great Lakes Antique Phonograph) just rebuilt my Pathé reproducer for me and will probably supply the correct gasket material if you want to rebuild yours yourself.

Clay

I have tried the material supplied by Wyatt's Musical Americana and found it to be of the wrong durometer. I now purchase my tubing from Ron Sitko, and it worked fine when I rebuilt my Pathé.

Thanks everyone. I'll ask George and Ron for the proper material.
Andreas

Just to give an update here:
I purchased two different types of tubing from George Vollema, the white "Exhibition" type tubing and some other off white softer tubing. I found that both worked well in my Pathé reproducer. These were both rubber tubing, whereas the one I had used before from Wyatt was silicone tubing. The silicone looks great because it is bright white, but it is harder than the rubber tubing.
Lesson learned: From now on I'll keep supplies of both types around.
Andreas