Phonoland

I've just acquired my first acoustic gramophone, after being bitten by the bug while listening to a friends Orthophonic Credenza back in the fall. Mine, a VV 4-3 with wooden horn, is not so grand but the price was dirt cheap, the motor is nice and quiet, and the few things I've played on it sounded nice with some occasional break-up, but when I played a Lily Pons disc wow, did she ever distort. I did some research and figured the soundbox was to blame. I got brave and inspected the ball bearings, over a safety tray to catch them if any got loose, an low and behold there were none to loose! Zero! Zip! My question now is what size are they?

Thanks!

I don't think I've ever seen the exact size of the ball bearings posted, but you might check with these guys -- http://www.antiquephono.com/victor.htm -- since they stock replacements.

In addition to an improperly adjusted needle bar pivot, distortion such as breakup, chatter, buzzing, etc., can be cause by a loose spider foot connection, or a loose connection of the needle bar to the center of the diaphragm. Also, the diaphragm, itself, may be damaged.

Double check to make sure that there is no side-play movement of the needle bar once the ball bearings have been repositioned -- see: http://www.gracyk.com/orthosound.shtml

Also, make sure that the tiny stop screw, positioned just above the needle's thumbscrew, is not touching the needle bar. This is often overlooked.

Good luck.

Joe_DS

Thanks Joe! While I was waiting yesterday I turned a wooden dowel down on my lathe to make two donuts with center holes to fit in the space where the bearings would have been. I put them in with plumber's teflon tape so there could be some slip to them. Everything instantly sounded worse so I examined everything more closely and found the stop screw was touching and fooled around with it while a disc (that I didn't care about) was playing; you're right about it affecting the sound. Upon further inspection I noticed three of the spider legs were loose from the diaphragm, so I carefully glued them. Lily Pons no longer was distorting and I felt triumphant, at least until I get some fresh needles.

I've just ordered needles from Walt Sommers in Gettysburg, PA (he was highly recommended by the friend whose Credenza hooked me), and Walt is kindly sending along the ball bearings I need. He also filled my head full of info. I can't wait to play the recordings I care about, but only when I'm satisfied I won't be doing any damage. If I only had the room for a Credenza!

Thanks again for the info and the link. I've learned a lot from this site already and am looking forward to learning more. Great place!

David

Update: I had gotten the ball bearings along with my with the needle assortment order and tried installing them and they rolled right out laughing at me, so I thought that I must be missing the races that hold them. Anyway I talked with Walt Sommers last night (super nice and helpful guy) and we figured out the the races were there, so he talked me through the process of centering the opposite side if no bearings were present and also how to re-magnetize the pivot bar. He also emphasized the need for patience in the process. I succeeded in installing the bearings and finding the right fit, after several trials, and this 4-3 is singing.

First off was Tito Schipa singing Handel's Largo: Ombra mai fu; exquisite! Next up Debussy's La Mer with Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony (soft tone needle needed here 'cuz it's a small house here); wow those guys could play together and in tune. Now we're enjoying Moussorgsky's Boris Godonov with Enzio Pinza and man does this system kick ass.

Orthophonic 4-3 with straight wooden exponential horn: what a bargain! I just want to play 78's now.

David