Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[admin]

Yup nothing to do with cars. Anyway, I quite fancy a little record player on which to play some 78s. Any recommendations for a good little unit to look for? I've always fancied the wind-up gramophone as seen on the HMV labels, but something more modest is probably a better bet

Rick

[alfanut]

Rick, do you remember the Dansette record player from the 60s. Even if you weren't around then, they were built to last (unlike the cars of the day) and many were still in use until the walkman came in. Just the the thing for your 78s and they will play 45s and lps as well as the cartridge flipped over to use the other needle. They are probably more available, too. There must be loads of them still gathering dust in lofts; the audio equivalent of a 'barn find'

http://www.dansettes.co.uk/

[admin]

yeah I've heard of them, might keep an eye out for one in the local rag or similar!

cheers, R

[iain]

Hi,
I found a similar one, not a Dansette, but an Ecko in the local charity shop. Rather a low key charity shop as I dont think such places can sell electrical items - safety nonsense... anyway I thought it was worth a gamble at £2!
You should be able to pickup a portable windup gramaphone for anything from £35 to over £100 depending which make and how rare etc. Columbia seem to be a cheapish make, whilst HMV ones seem to be at a premium.
All play just as well, if slightly different (I have one or two myself). The soundbox gaskets being rubber harden with age, but new ones are available which really transforms the sound. New needles are available too - one steel needle plays 2 sides of a record, but its about £3 for 100 or so chepaer if you buy in bulk.
Iain

[UKdave2002]

Rick

What on earth are you going to play thats on 78?!!!....., (thinking about it my dads got some Status Quo, would that be on 78 ?)

[Rick]

some old 78s from 1947 with racing car sounds on

R
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[buzzy bee]

OOOOoooo Now they sound good! Be good to have them playing in the background in the garage! hehe

Cheers

Dave

[iain]

Iv'e got fairly wide musical tastes, so I found plenty good stuff on 78. Jazz - Louis Armstrong etc, swing, dance bands to early rock and roll - Elvis etc and wonderful period comedy and bizarre sound effect records - 'Day break in a Surrey Farm Yard'! Current favorites are the Ying Tong Song - Goons, Winifred Attwell and her other piano, and Reggie Dixon at Blackpool tower ball room Wurlitzer. Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs 'Hi Ho!' is a good morning record when late for work. Wife didnt agree, but it was a laugh.....
To bring things bang up to date, I recorded a Bix Biederbecke number as my ringtone on the mobile. I dont expect anybody else will have it!
Iain

[Rick]

Why start a new thread when there's an old one sat needing an update!

I recently acquired a wind-up HMV gramophone dating to the early 50s. It hasn't been used for nearly 50 years, it winds up ok and the turntable spins but when lowering the stylus down, the drag that it causes on the record slows the RPM considerably and it soons slows to a halt.

Is it likely to improve with use (ie freeing up a bit), or does it sound like it'll need an overhaul???

RJ
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[Rick]

Some more tests suggest that the flatter the record is, the better it turns with the stylus lowered. It still needs lots of re-winding to keep the record going, but I think more testing is required before any thoughts of investigating the mechanism within

RJ
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[peter scott]

Hi Rick,

Most wind up gramophone motors have centrifugal speed governors with little bob weights that fly out and in to regulate things. Perhaps this mechanism has seized up.

Acoustic gramophones are very hard on your records. If you just want to hear them rather than reliving the experiences of the past then a modern deck will be a better bet. I just happen to have one that plays 78s and is available FOC.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Salopian]

I've sorted a couple of ex Grandfather wind ups out - they are both in the attic now!
Anyway Rick in both cases the old grease in the mechanism had become so stiff and inert that its removal cleaning and replacement worked wonders.
As has been said they are hard on the old records - I'd take Peters offer up PDQ.
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[MONTBREHAIN]

I have a Gramophone sitting in my shed that I have thought of selling. It works fine but the case does have a bit of woodworm and is a bit tatty. I havent played it for over a year but it works fine. Not sure what its worth but I am open to offers. see here....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMhZZkQfmyg

"MO"
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A vehicle can be restored at any time, But is original only once !