My early Amberola 30

I got this just in time for college. Boy, it sure is the perfect size for a dorm room! At first (after getting into disc machines), I shied away from the late Amberola series, especially the 30, as I figured they would play poorly and, with such a small horn, the 30 would be quiet. I was very wrong! My Amberol 30 plays very well and (when the grill is off) disturbingly loud for its size. The grill cloth muffles it a bit so it plays at a much more reasonable volume now. The reproducer has not been rebuilt so it blasts on louder cylinders a bit, but is perfect on lower volume cylinders. Anyhoo, it is the earlier model with the fancier lid, nickle reproducer, external speed control, and the grill is wood-grained.

I do have a question though: The stylus picks up a noticeable amount of dust after every play. However, I can see no lines being left in the run-ou/in areas (even under strong light), and the grooves don't appear to be wearing any either. Do you think the stylus is bad?
I find this odd, as I've expereinced bad stylii on my Diamond Disc machine and the symptoms were quite obvious. I'm going to rebuild the reproducer with fresh gaskets and decide between a couple of well knowm modern diaphragms. This should increase compliance a good deal. Perhaps it is a lack of complience that is causing the dust?

It's very possible that the diaphragm is causing the dust you see. Anything that restricts the ability of the stylus to track the up and down vibrations of the groove can lead to wear.

If, after you rebuilt the reproducer, you still see dust, then it would probably be a good idea to look into replacing the stylus.

Along this line, are you playing the blue celluloid Amberol cylinders or the black wax Amberols? The internal horn models that came later in the series were not designed to play the earlier wax-soap black Amberols.

FROM: Edison Reproducers Primer -- http://www.edisonshop.com/reproducers/ducer.html
"With the introduction of Edison's Blue Amberol Records in 1912 a new series of reproducers were designed to achieve the most accurate sound recreation then possible. ......
With the introduction of the Amberola 30, 50 &: 75 in 1915 the Diamond C was developed. All three used a diamond stylus and had a diaphragm of rice paper and cork. None of the reproducers have any identifying marks. .....
...For use only with Indestructible 2 & 4-minute and Blue Amberol celluloid records. Attempting to use a diamond reproducer on any wax record will result in instance ruin of the record!"

JDS

Don't worry, I know to only play blue amberols and indestructable 4 minute records on this machine! I'm glad to know that perhaps my stylus could still be fine. I'm not going to play it until I rebuild the reproducer. I still can't believe the volume that thing can out out.

On the topic of not playing wax records on these, are there any videos of someone trying just that? I see videos of people playing (and ruining) Diamond Discs on standard phonographs, but have not seen one where a wax cylinder is played with a diamond reproducer.

Out of curiosity, I scoured YouTube, using various search phrases, and out of hundreds of videos, couldn't spot one in which someone attempted to play a wax Amberol cylinder on an Amberola designed for the blue records.

As you note, there are a few in which a clueless person destroys a Diamond Disc on a Victrola. Mostly, though, I spot the ones where the person describes his or her antique gramophone/phonograph/Victrola and then proceeds to place the tonearm on the wrong side of the record, so the needle is angled into the groove as it plays. Seeing that sort of thing always makes my teeth hurt.

Good luck with your reproducer rebuild. Once done, you might be surprised at how full sounding, as well as loud, some of the recordings are.

JDS

I rebuilt my reproducer with Larry H's experimental cylinder diaphragm (it is the cylinder version of his True Tone DD diaphragm) along with new gaskets off of ebay. It has certainly helped with blasting on the louder cylinders (some of them still do, probably distortion that was recorded). I even made sure to clead up the stylus pin so it mover more freely and oiled and cleaned the weight screw in the back so it moved freely. Saddly, it is still picking up dust, even on clean cylinders. I suppose that I'll have to send it in soon.

Hi:

I too just got an amberola 30, and I really like it. I picked up 54 amberola cylinders to go with it and have got a real good range of songs ... here is my list in case you wanted to trade cylinders..........

Russ
aka rcamp48

Name of Cylinder Number Group Name Number Condition Of Cylinder and Condition of Case Number
----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
A Dusky Lullaby 3684 The Homestead Trio 3684 Good - Cylinder Only 3684
A Wee Beoch And Doris 3343 C. Ellison 3343 Cracked - Cylinder Only 3343
All For The Girlies 2276 One Step Band 2276 Good - Cylinder only 2276
All For The Girlies 2276 One-Step Band 2276 Good - Case missing lid 2276
An Easy Job On The Farm 1907 Golden & Hughes 1907 Good - Case missing lid 1907
Bell Solo From The Magic Flute 1553 (Mozart) Charles Daab 1553 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 1553
Cecile Waltz 2545 Hesitation Band 2545 Fair - Bottom of cylinder slightly damaged - Case missing lid 2545
Col. Stuart March 3844 Conway & Band 3844 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 3844
Comic Epitaphs 2006 Golden & Hughes 2006 Good - Case missing lid 2006
Day Of Resurrection 2579 Mixed Quartet 2579 Good - Cylinder Only 2579
Dixie Band Fife And Drum 1648 Dixie Band Fife And Drum Corps & Chorus 1648 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1648
Ellis March 3101 Instrumental Duet Ford Hawiians 3101 Good - Cylinder Only 3101
Every Little Movement 2098 Narelle Potter & Chorus 2098 Good - Cylinder Only 2098
General Pershing March 3603 Imperial Marimba Band 3603 Good - Case missing lid 3603
Grandma's Mustard Plaster 1969 Vaudville Specialty Murry K. Hill 1969 Good - Case With lid slightly damaged lid and bottom 1969
Haialae Medley 3141 Waltz Varkiki Hawiian 3141 Good - Cylinder Only 3141
I Am A Roamer 28225 Bold Son And Middleman 28225 Good - Cylinder Only 28225
I Want To Be Down Home In Dixie 1976 Collins & Harlan 1976 Good - Case missing lid 1976
I Will Sing Of My Redeemer 1715 Edison Mixed Quar. 1715 Good - Case missing lid 1715
I'd Feel At Home If They'd Let Me Join The Army 3381 O'connell 3381 Good - Cylinder Only 3381
In The Shadow Of The Pines 2073 Archibald & Fish. 2073 Good - Cylinder Only 2073
It Might As Well Be You 3689 Leola Lucey 3689 Good - Cylinder Only 3689
Jesus, I Come 2189 (Geo. C. Stebbins) Tenor and Baritone John Young and Frederick J. Wheeler 2189 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 2189
Just A Baby's Prayer At Twilight 3504 The Homestead Trio 3504 Good - Cylinder Only 3504
Kitty O'neil Medley Of Reels (Violin) 1519 D'almaine 1519 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1519
Laughing Love 2646 Whistling -Solo) C. Gorst 2646 Good - Cylinder Only 2646
Ma Lady Lu 1536 Van Brunt & Chorus 1536 Good - Cylinder Only 1536
Moonlight Bay 1848 Premier Quartet 1848 Cracked - Cylinder Only 1848
Mother Machres (Violin) 2419 D'amaine 2419 Good - Cylinder Only 2419
Movin' Day At Punkin Center 2279 Cal Stuart 2279 Good - Damaged Case missing lid and bottom 2279
My Little Persian Rose Medley 1802 Two-Step Band 1802 Good - Case missing lid 1802
My Waikiki Mermaid Hula Medley 3227 Waikiki Hawiian Och. 3227 Good - Cylinder Only 3227
On The Bark Of An Old Cherry Tree 2794 G. Ballard & Cho. 2794 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 2794
One Two Three Four 22535 Paka's Hawaiians 22535 Good - Case missing lid 22535
Rev 21 & The Gate Ajar For Me 2219 (S.J. Vail) Rev. Madison C. Peters D. D. and Edison Mixed Quartet 2219 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid - Original Insert 2219
Si Perkins' Barn Dance 2280 Ada Jones and L Spencer 2280 Good - Case missing lid 2280
Silver Bells Medley 1937 Two Step Band 1937 Good - Case missing lid 1937
Song Of The Mill 2261 Elizabeth Spencer & Chorus 2261 Good - Cylinder Only 2261
Stop! Look! Listen! 2984 Jaudas' Society Orch. 2984 Good - Cylinder Only 2984
Sweeter As The Years Go By 4057 Helen Davis , C Hart & Cho 4057 Good - Cylinder Only 4057
Tell Mother I'll Be There 1533 Wheeler & Mixer Quar. 1533 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1533
The Homeward March 4111 (Accordian Solo) J. Kimmel 4111 Good - Case damaged no lid 4111
The Relic Hunters 2723 Golden & Marlowe 2723 Good - Cylinder Only 2723
The Relic Hunters 2723 Golden & Marlowe 2723 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 2723
The Rose Of The Mountain Trail 2388 (Jas. A. Brennan) Vocal obligato by Clementine de Vere Vernon Archibald, Baritone 2388 Good - Slightly damaged case with slightly damaged lid 2388
The Sunshine Of Your Smile 3535 V. Dalhart 3535 Good - Cylinder Only 3535
There Must Be A Little Cupid In The Briny 2640 Murray 2640 Good - Cylinder Only 2640
There's A Little Lane Without A Turnino 2811 G. Ballard & Cho. 2811 Good - Slightly damaged case no lid 2811
Till We Meet Again 3670 Gladys Rice & V. Dalhart 3670 Good - Cylinder Only 3670
Valse Danseuse (XYLO) 3004 W. Dorn 3004 Good - Cylinder Only 3004
Wait Till I'm Old As Father 23042 D Williams 23042 Good - Case Damaged lid 23042
Waters Of Venice 3776 Gladys Rice & V. Dalhart 3776 Good - Cylinder Only 3776
Whispering Hope 1518 (Alice Hawthorne) Helen Clark and Barry Anthony 1518 Good - Good case and lid 1518
Who Will Care For Mother Now 3128 (Sawyer) Counter-tener Will Oakland and Chorus 3128 Good - Slightly damaged case with slightly damaged lid 3128
Woodland Songster 2737 American Symhony Orch. 2737 Good - Cylinder Only 2737

rcamp48 wrote:Hi:

I too just got an amberola 30, and I really like it. I picked up 54 amberola cylinders to go with it and have got a real good range of songs ... here is my list in case you wanted to trade cylinders..........

Russ
aka rcamp48

Name of Cylinder Number Group Name Number Condition Of Cylinder and Condition of Case Number
----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
A Dusky Lullaby 3684 The Homestead Trio 3684 Good - Cylinder Only 3684
A Wee Beoch And Doris 3343 C. Ellison 3343 Cracked - Cylinder Only 3343
All For The Girlies 2276 One Step Band 2276 Good - Cylinder only 2276
All For The Girlies 2276 One-Step Band 2276 Good - Case missing lid 2276
An Easy Job On The Farm 1907 Golden & Hughes 1907 Good - Case missing lid 1907
Bell Solo From The Magic Flute 1553 (Mozart) Charles Daab 1553 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 1553
Cecile Waltz 2545 Hesitation Band 2545 Fair - Bottom of cylinder slightly damaged - Case missing lid 2545
Col. Stuart March 3844 Conway & Band 3844 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 3844
Comic Epitaphs 2006 Golden & Hughes 2006 Good - Case missing lid 2006
Day Of Resurrection 2579 Mixed Quartet 2579 Good - Cylinder Only 2579
Dixie Band Fife And Drum 1648 Dixie Band Fife And Drum Corps & Chorus 1648 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1648
Ellis March 3101 Instrumental Duet Ford Hawiians 3101 Good - Cylinder Only 3101
Every Little Movement 2098 Narelle Potter & Chorus 2098 Good - Cylinder Only 2098
General Pershing March 3603 Imperial Marimba Band 3603 Good - Case missing lid 3603
Grandma's Mustard Plaster 1969 Vaudville Specialty Murry K. Hill 1969 Good - Case With lid slightly damaged lid and bottom 1969
Haialae Medley 3141 Waltz Varkiki Hawiian 3141 Good - Cylinder Only 3141
I Am A Roamer 28225 Bold Son And Middleman 28225 Good - Cylinder Only 28225
I Want To Be Down Home In Dixie 1976 Collins & Harlan 1976 Good - Case missing lid 1976
I Will Sing Of My Redeemer 1715 Edison Mixed Quar. 1715 Good - Case missing lid 1715
I'd Feel At Home If They'd Let Me Join The Army 3381 O'connell 3381 Good - Cylinder Only 3381
In The Shadow Of The Pines 2073 Archibald & Fish. 2073 Good - Cylinder Only 2073
It Might As Well Be You 3689 Leola Lucey 3689 Good - Cylinder Only 3689
Jesus, I Come 2189 (Geo. C. Stebbins) Tenor and Baritone John Young and Frederick J. Wheeler 2189 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 2189
Just A Baby's Prayer At Twilight 3504 The Homestead Trio 3504 Good - Cylinder Only 3504
Kitty O'neil Medley Of Reels (Violin) 1519 D'almaine 1519 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1519
Laughing Love 2646 Whistling -Solo) C. Gorst 2646 Good - Cylinder Only 2646
Ma Lady Lu 1536 Van Brunt & Chorus 1536 Good - Cylinder Only 1536
Moonlight Bay 1848 Premier Quartet 1848 Cracked - Cylinder Only 1848
Mother Machres (Violin) 2419 D'amaine 2419 Good - Cylinder Only 2419
Movin' Day At Punkin Center 2279 Cal Stuart 2279 Good - Damaged Case missing lid and bottom 2279
My Little Persian Rose Medley 1802 Two-Step Band 1802 Good - Case missing lid 1802
My Waikiki Mermaid Hula Medley 3227 Waikiki Hawiian Och. 3227 Good - Cylinder Only 3227
On The Bark Of An Old Cherry Tree 2794 G. Ballard & Cho. 2794 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid 2794
One Two Three Four 22535 Paka's Hawaiians 22535 Good - Case missing lid 22535
Rev 21 & The Gate Ajar For Me 2219 (S.J. Vail) Rev. Madison C. Peters D. D. and Edison Mixed Quartet 2219 Good - Good Case and slightly damaged lid - Original Insert 2219
Si Perkins' Barn Dance 2280 Ada Jones and L Spencer 2280 Good - Case missing lid 2280
Silver Bells Medley 1937 Two Step Band 1937 Good - Case missing lid 1937
Song Of The Mill 2261 Elizabeth Spencer & Chorus 2261 Good - Cylinder Only 2261
Stop! Look! Listen! 2984 Jaudas' Society Orch. 2984 Good - Cylinder Only 2984
Sweeter As The Years Go By 4057 Helen Davis , C Hart & Cho 4057 Good - Cylinder Only 4057
Tell Mother I'll Be There 1533 Wheeler & Mixer Quar. 1533 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 1533
The Homeward March 4111 (Accordian Solo) J. Kimmel 4111 Good - Case damaged no lid 4111
The Relic Hunters 2723 Golden & Marlowe 2723 Good - Cylinder Only 2723
The Relic Hunters 2723 Golden & Marlowe 2723 Good - Case missing lid and bottom 2723
The Rose Of The Mountain Trail 2388 (Jas. A. Brennan) Vocal obligato by Clementine de Vere Vernon Archibald, Baritone 2388 Good - Slightly damaged case with slightly damaged lid 2388
The Sunshine Of Your Smile 3535 V. Dalhart 3535 Good - Cylinder Only 3535
There Must Be A Little Cupid In The Briny 2640 Murray 2640 Good - Cylinder Only 2640
There's A Little Lane Without A Turnino 2811 G. Ballard & Cho. 2811 Good - Slightly damaged case no lid 2811
Till We Meet Again 3670 Gladys Rice & V. Dalhart 3670 Good - Cylinder Only 3670
Valse Danseuse (XYLO) 3004 W. Dorn 3004 Good - Cylinder Only 3004
Wait Till I'm Old As Father 23042 D Williams 23042 Good - Case Damaged lid 23042
Waters Of Venice 3776 Gladys Rice & V. Dalhart 3776 Good - Cylinder Only 3776
Whispering Hope 1518 (Alice Hawthorne) Helen Clark and Barry Anthony 1518 Good - Good case and lid 1518
Who Will Care For Mother Now 3128 (Sawyer) Counter-tener Will Oakland and Chorus 3128 Good - Slightly damaged case with slightly damaged lid 3128
Woodland Songster 2737 American Symhony Orch. 2737 Good - Cylinder Only 2737

I'd Feel At Home If They'd Let Me Join The Army 3381 Is a great tune that I have only heard (in person) in a 78.