Phonograph Photos and Repair Journals
Retro Electronics and Audio Lab,
Midland, TX. Updated 3/2/06
Equipment Photos
Retro Electronics Home Page
Decca 45 RPM Changer
with Amp (March 2005) This unit uses RCA components.
RCA 45 Changer Repair
Journal, Jan. 2006
Silvertone
Syntronic 1950's Turntable Repair Dec. 2005. Includes photos of
motor, idler, cartridge, and testing.
RCA 1-tube phono. This unit had
all capacitors replaced, a new
cartridge, and motor grommets replaced.
Photos:
Underside
before repairs. John
working on the amp. Playing
a record.
RCA 45-rpm phono with built-in amp.
This unit needed changer cleaning/lubrication, a new phono cartridge,
new capacitors, and a bad solder joint repaired at the 50C5 cathode
resistor.
Photos:
Underside
of turntable. New
Phono Cartridge. Amp chassis.
Amp
with new capacitors. John
measuring voltage.
1960's Motorola record changer,
needed cleaning,
lubrication, and adjustment. Photos:
Underside,
view 1. Underside,
view 2. Completed
unit.
On June 6, 2005 there was an
estate sale in the area
that featured several types of wind-up acoustic phonos including 2
Edison Cylinder players, a Gem horn-type cylinder player, 2 Victrola
VV-VI models, a Harmony horn-type that used large center hole records,
and a Victor Orthophonic. I bought one of the Victor VV-VI models for
$100 and it works well. I was also able to get some pictures of the
other machines:
Harmony
Horn-type phono top view Harmony
horn-type side view Harmony
Nameplate This unit sold during the 50% off last day of the sale
for $175.00.
Edison
cylinder machine #1 Edison
cylinder machine #2 These machines needed some work and sold
for $100 each.
Victor model
VV-VI Front view. Victor
nameplate This is the machine I bought: according to some internet
research on the serial number, it was made in 1924.
Library of
Congress Talking Book Phono This is a very well-built
portable phono made by Westinghouse. It can play 8, 16, and 33
RPM only. Bought in Alamogordo, New Mexico when Chad was on
vacation.
1975
Acoustic Phono You've got to see this to believe it! Someone
thought it would work to use a Victrola-type pickup and steel
needle on a phonograph with only 33 and 45 speeds! I don't see
how this could work without destroying the records. The old
1900's-1920's 78's included abrasives so that they were harder
than the steel needles used and so the needle would wear to fit
the grooves. Using steel needles on vinyl records will wear them
out fast.
