Mystery Reproducer

Folks,

I got this reproducer recently. It has an odd adaptor with it. There's no rubber isolator in the rear of this one. I tested it out on a portable without the adaptor and a bit of sheet rubber as an isolator; it nearly blew me out of the room!



Does it look familiar to anyone? I know I've seen one like it before, but I'll be hanged if I can remember where!

Regards,
J.

Hi John:

That's identical to the sound box that was attached to a Waters Conley Phonola I used to own. In that case, though, it was fitted with a rubber collar to hold it onto the tone arm. I'm not all that familiar with who supplied the components for the Phonolas, but I've seen the same tone arms, sound boxes, needle bins, etc. used on a number of different "generic" or off brand wind-up suitcase models sold during the late-1930s into the mid-1940s.

DS,

I figured it was generic and from the mid-thirties or later (Due to the chrome plating). I was wondering if it was European, but if it was on a Waters Conley it's most likely of U.S. manufacture. With a piece of roofing rubber as a gasket it just fits the tone-arm of a French HMV101 type of portable, without the odd adaptor. Thanks for the info!

Regards,
J.

I had a reproducer like that on a Birch brand suitcase phonograph that appeared to be made of generic components. Sound was OK, but didn't blow me out of the room. It did not have the adapter, but did have a rubber isolator.

The weird thing about the reproducer was the diaphragm gaskets. One side was rubber, the other side was just a hard cardboard ring. I replaced both with new rubber, and it seems to work OK. But I rarely use this phongraph since I have better portables (HMV & Columbia).