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Q: | How do I safely clean my records? |
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A: | For shellac records (most 78s), warm water and a soft cloth will usually suffice. Dishwashing soap can be used for really dirty records. DO NOT USE WATER ON EDISON DIAMOND DISCS! The "filler" material used in the middle will absorb the water, expand and cause the vulcanite recording surfaces to delaminate. Use alcohol to clean a Diamond Disc. Windex can also be used. With either record type, don't get the label wet.
Water and a soft clean cloth can also be used to clean cylinders, but care should be taken not to get the plaster wet on Blue Amberols. |
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Q: | I want to collect phonographs. How many is "enough"? |
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A: | 189. |
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Q: | Should I refinish my phonograph cabinet? |
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A: | In general, NO! No one expects a phonograph to look factory new after 100 years, and major attemps to make it so, generally reduce the value of the piece. If, of course, the finish is really bad and an eye sore, and attempts to clean it prove unacceptable, refinishing is the only way to go. Be aware, however, that some machines (such as Columbia machines with the early Washington decals) are worth more in most ANY condition than refinished. Of course, it is your phonograph and you can do whatever you feel best. |
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Q: | What should I use to clean a phonograph cabinet? |
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A: | A variety of products are sold to clean fine wood antiques and most of these will probably work very well. Many collectors use a product called "Kotton Kleanser". This product does a great job of safely removing decades of dirt, old wax and crud, and often saves a cabinet from refinishing. The fine book "The Compleate Talking Machine", By Eric Reiss, gives other formulas for home-brew cleaners. |
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Q: | Why do I need to have my Reproducer "rebuilt"? |
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A: | Some of the materials used in the reproducer, namely the rubber gaskets used to isolate the diaphragm from the reproducer housing, have deteriorated over time, drying out and turning brittle. In order to provide maximum sound reproduction (and reduced record wear), it is necessary to replace these gaskets (and often the fatigued mica or copper diaphragm as well). For most reproducers, this will cost around $25. |
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Q: | Why does my phonograph "thump" and "bump" when playing a record? |
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A: | This "thumping" can often be so violent as to cause the record to skip. The reason this occurs is that the grease used to lubricate the spring motor (usually a mixture of Vaseline and graphite) has dried out over the years and turned into a gummy substance that can no longer lubricate the spring as it uncoils in the barrel. This causes it to "bind" until the force of the spring overcomes the friction and the energy releases in a sudden "thump". Not only will this damage records (and possibly the reproducer), but it can weaken the spring and cause it to break. The only "proper" remedy is to have the spring(s) cleaned and regreased. WARNING! Doing any work to an open spring barrel can be dangerous, and should only be done by someone with experience, protective clothing and proper eye protection! |
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Q: | How much are my disc records worth? |
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A: | This is always too general a question to answer, but it gets asked so often I'll generalize. With some major exceptions, most 78's are only worth a buck or two, and dealers will often buy them in bulk for much less (or even by the pound). "But what about my Caruso record?", I hear you exclaim. Mr. Caruso, along with several other stars of the period, were so popular that the record companies couldn't produce records fast enough for demand. Therefore, quite a large number exist today. Of course, like many others, there are exceptions, and some Caruso records are quite rare and worth quite a bit. |
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Q: | How often should I change the steel needle on my phonograph? |
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A: | Victor recommended that you change the needle after every play! The early lateral records contained a substance that ground the needle to shape in the first few grooves of the record. Playing this "customized" needle on another record may cause excess wear to the record, and re-inserting a used needle will almost always cause record wear. For this reason, when you purchase a phonograph that has loose needles in the cups... throw them out! New needles are no more than $5 per 100. |
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Q: | I bought some 1/4" Edison 78s at a flea market, and they sound terrible on my Victrola! How come? |
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A: | These are not '78s' at all, but Edison Diamond Discs. Meant to be played with the diamond stylus on an Edison Diamond Disc machine, these discs, which are recorded vertically instead of laterally, can be damaged if played with a steel needle.. |
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Q: | Several of my Blue Amberol cylinders don't seem to fit on my phonograph. Is there something wrong with my phonograph? |
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A: | No, the problem is not your machine. The inner core of Blue Amberol cylinders is plaster, which, over the years has absorbed moisture and swelled. This causes two problems. The first is that the outer celluloid splits. The second is that the cylinder no longer slides far enough onto the tapered mandrel. To solve the second problem, you can purchase a specially designed tapered reamer which returns the inner core to it's proper diameter. There is no real satisfactory solution to the first problem, however, but drilling a small round hole at the base of the split will generally prevent it from splitting any further there. Keeping cylinders in a cool dry location is the best preventative maintenance. |
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Q: | What is the correct speed for a cylinder record? |
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A: | Early brown wax records were recorded at speeds varying from 90 to 144 revolutions, but by the time of black wax and Amberols, the speed of 160 revolutions per minute was "standard". On some Edison machines, there are two "grooves" cut into the carrier arm rod on the right-hand side. At 160 rpm, the carriage should take 1 minute to travel this distance. |
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Q: | What is the proper reproducer to play my cylinder with? |
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A: | Although these are generalizations, you can safely play the following cylinders on the following Edison reproducers:
| Automatic | Model C | Model H | Model K |
| Brown Wax | x | | | |
| 2 Min Black Wax | x | x | | x |
| 2 Min Indestructable | x | x | | x |
| 4 Min Black Wax | | | x | x |
| 4 Min Blue Amberol | | | x | x |
| 4 Min Indestructable | | | x | x |
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