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Came across this interesting early electric pick-up... apparently meant to sit side by side with an acoustic tonearm.

Anyone ever see / hear one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0292647718

How would this work?

Where did this seller get the idea that $45 in 1925 dollars is $2450 in 2009 dollars?!? Forty five bucks in 1925 would be about $540 in today's money. Still a hefty sum, but not as hefty as the seller's estimate.

I suppose you'd sit it in the cabinet (looks like the base is weighted) and plug some wires into it, running them to a radio set. There were a lot of electric pick-ups designed to fit on the end of the tone arm replacing the soundbox, this just has its own arm. Probably fairly lousy sound but in its day it was way cheaper than buying a new electric phonograph.

estott wrote:I suppose you'd sit it in the cabinet (looks like the base is weighted) and plug some wires into it, running them to a radio set. There were a lot of electric pick-ups designed to fit on the end of the tone arm replacing the soundbox, this just has its own arm. Probably fairly lousy sound but in its day it was way cheaper than buying a new electric phonograph.

Folks,

Estott is right. I've always wanted on of these-just as a display piece-for the most part. I would imagine that the tracking could be pretty bad depending on how it could be placed.

Regards,
John

Interesting. I’d be curious to get to see one, but I’d question how well it works.

— MordEth

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eBay Item #130292647718

BristoPhon Model L Tonearm, for 78s, Victrola

Nice BristoPhon model L phonograph tonearm. Has the distinction of being the first electrical phono reproducer ever manufactured. Made around 1925, cost $45 back then. $2,450,632 in 2009 Dollars. Serious audiophile equipment in 1925! Made to sit beside the original acoustic tonearm on a Victrola or similar phonograph.

Immersion gold plated. Looks complete, includes needle set screw and knurled knob on top. Has phone jacks for battery and output.

Has bakelite trim with no cracks. Made by The Bristol Company in Waterbury, CT.

A nice rare addition to your audio emporium. First one I have ever seen.

Thanks!

Hi,
I have been searching for this item up and down the web and finally came to this thread where low and behold you have the correct name and matching photo. I have one of these that does not have the "round canister" part, is that the reproducer? Please excuse my ignorance on this topic. It has the bracket/hinge and the wiring is in place with three leads at the end each with a metal connector. This one is not gold but looks like it may have been. I did see today that one of these in excellent condition sold last month, for 159.00 on Ebay. I'm not sure where to go from here with this but would appreciate any input and if there is any interest from anyone on this site, great, this is where I found the info I was looking for to begin with.

Thank you,
Vickie

I notice the base has 4 terminals, and one is labeled "BATT". This would mean this is a carbon button unit, not a magnetic unit.
Like a carbon microphone. Sound would be quite inferior to a magnetic unit.

I saw am online video of one of the magnetic units attached to an HMV table grand and played through a radio. The sound was equal to an electric machine of the era- so some of the better quality attachments offered real value if you couldn't get an entirely new machine.

The Bristolphone used a double button carbon transmitter connected to a center-tapped iduction coil. It was intended to be connectd to a battery ten directly to a Bristol Senior horn loudspeaker. These Bristol pick-ups were not very satisfactory. I've used one, and it really is not much more than a novelty. I have another, somewhat more sophisticated carbon pick up, which uses six carbon buttons (3 on each side) the multiple buttons allowed for an exceptionally heavy current, so that the puck-up coul:d drive a large, heavy loudspeaker like a Magnavox Telemegaphone.

The magnetic accessory pickups were much more satisfactory. The Pacent Phonovox, Bosch ReCreator, and Audak Type A pickups are fully the equal of the GE units used on the thousand-dollar Electrola and Panatrope models. In the 1928-9 season quite. a number of Victor dealers offered the Victrola combination 7-11 (a Radiola 18 with 100A speaker combined with a VV2-65 Orthophonic portable in one attractive cabinet, selling for $285.00) with a $15.00 Pacent Phonovox to customers who moght otherwise have purchased the $475.00 VE 7-26, which used the same radio and loud speaker chassis. The performance of these two outfits was virtually indistinguishable. Victor was forced to improve the value fo the 7-26 by fitting later examples with a more expesnsive electrodynamic speaker.

I found the site I remembered- Norman Field. Excellent site, with videos.

http://www.normanfield.com/pickups.htm