Amberola 30 won't play

Share your phonograph repair & restoration techniques here
Post Reply
EdisonSquirrel
Victor II
Posts: 434
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:22 pm

Amberola 30 won't play

Post by EdisonSquirrel »

Tonight I put a cylinder on the mandrel, turned the machine on, and the mandrel did not move. In the past I would give the mandrel a spin with my finger whenever that happened and it would take off. Tonight nothing happened. Would anyone know how to resolve this?

:squirrel:
Rocky

Jerry B.
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 8716
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:25 am
Personal Text: Stop for a visit when in Oregon.
Location: Albany, Oregon

Re: Amberola 30 won't play

Post by Jerry B. »

Is it an early Amberola 30 that has the speed control that comes up through the gear cover? If so, is it possible that someone changed the adjustment? Maybe you need to oil the governor. Does it seem to have spring tension when it is being wound? Jerry B.

EdisonSquirrel
Victor II
Posts: 434
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:22 pm

Re: Amberola 30 won't play

Post by EdisonSquirrel »

Yes, the machine is an early Amberola 30 with the speed control readily accessible. And the machine is fully wound. I'm hesitant to open the machine and look around with it being wound.

:squirrel:
Rocky

User avatar
Lucius1958
Victor Monarch
Posts: 4036
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:17 am
Location: Where there's "hamburger ALL OVER the highway"...

Re: Amberola 30 won't play

Post by Lucius1958 »

First thing to do is to remove the gear cover, and see whether something has gotten in and jammed the gears....

Bill

User avatar
OrthoSean
Victor V
Posts: 2912
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Near NY's Capital

Re: Amberola 30 won't play

Post by OrthoSean »

Rocky,

Have you loosened the screw at the end of the mandrel and backed up the retaining piece (it's a small ring) a touch then re-tightening the screw? I've seen several Amberolas that wouldn't play because the end piece had shifted and tightened the mandrel up so much that it won't turn. That would be the first thing I'd check.

Hope this helps.

Sean

EdisonSquirrel
Victor II
Posts: 434
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:22 pm

Re: Amberola 30 won't play

Post by EdisonSquirrel »

Sean,

Many thanks! I did as you suggested and it worked.

:squirrel:

Rocky

Post Reply