Sticky arm on Brunswick

I've fantasized about owning an antique crank phonograph since I was a little kid and remember seeing a Victrola in an antique store. After reading here off and on for a few years, I think I became a bit overwhelmed and unsure of what I could be getting into, not didn't wanting to make any mistakes (thereby "ruining" an antique). Then I stumbled across a "Victrola" on Craigslist and my husband nudged me to make an offer. $200 later, I came home with a console style Brunswick with an Ultona reproducer. The exterior isn't in perfect condition, but I'm smitten.

Ok, so here's one question out of, I'm sure, a vast many to follow. Occasionally while playing a record, it will hit what I initially thought was a skip on the record. However, this has happened on more than one occasion on different records and always seems to be in the same place, right toward the end of the song. I think that the arm might be getting stuck at that point, but it doesn't do it every time. So I assume there is a way to oil this. I've read a few things here about what kind of oil to use on various parts, but not enough to feel certain. Can someone give me a good walk through, or offer another suggestion of a fix?

I've found that a quick fix for sticking tonearms is a little spritz of WD-40. But, if this is in as-found condition, and the reproducer on the tonearm has never been serviced, you may want to consider having it done.

The thing to check are the gaskets that hold the diaphragm(s) in place. If the rubber is hard, the gaskets should be replaced with new soft ones as soon as possible, to prevent record damage, mis-tracking, etc. (Read over some of the comments made in this post string -- viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3243 )

Along this line, the Brunswick Ultona was designed to play three types of popular records produced at the time -- standard lateral cut 78s such as those made by Victor and Columbia, as well as the vertical cut records made by Edison and Pathe. The Ultona tonearm had to be adjusted to play each type of record. If you haven't seen it, there's a user's manual on this page -- http://www.nipperhead.com/old/brult.htm -- that describes the adjustments. Just click on the thumbnail images to make them full size for viewing/printing.

BTW, when playing standard 78s, make sure you never use a steel needle more than one time to play one side of a record. New needles are available from a variety of suppliers, including those listed on this page, under "Accessories/Restoration" -- http://www.proaxis.com/~settlet/record/links.html

HTH,
Joe_DS

Thanks, Joe. I have seen the manual and already purchased loud & soft tone needles, as well as having quite a few "new" records on their way to me. I will be reading over that thread in a moment, looks like some good information.
The tone arm doesn't seem to be all the way back, though it's hard to tell exactly from the pictures in the manual, and I'm having a bit of a hard time adjusting it, but I think I have it now. I didn't realize that the whole thing lifted right off. I really don't intend to use it for Pathe or Edison's, as I read that you should be sure of the condition of the Edison needle before trying, which I'm not at all. I have no basis for comparison, so I just want to be sure I have it adjusted properly for the laterally cut records.