Mom's old record player

[electra225]

This is the first record player I ever used. I wore out a half dozen Arthur Godfrey recording of "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover" on this thing. Your typical one-tube wonder, circa 1946. My mom worked at Sears and bought this when she worked there. I was three, when I got sick. They couldn't keep me quiet, so grandma got the brilliant Idea of teaching me to play records. This record player is called "Gilt Edge" and was a no-name cheapie sold at Sears. The cartridge died 50 years ago, so it has just been a family heirloom since. I found a good cartridge, so I put it in this record player. It sounds pretty good. I had to replace the motor mounts and the drive tire has flat spots, but it works and that was all I was after. I wanted to hear it play one more time. I have played this player a million hours. It was all I had until 1959 when I got my new one, which I still have and still works. This one has the original tubes as far as I know. I recapped it before I started it up. The tone arm weighs a ton and makes a hum when I touch it. Probably needs a ground on the tone arm. The picture of the spinning record was the first in probably 50 years. Win, lose or draw, it was worth it if it never makes another sound. I might hotrod this one. Put a newer, lightweight tone arm and ceramic cartridge along with a P-P amp and a bigger speaker.

[TC Chris]

Bet you could revive the idler wheel with a suitable big O-ring. In those days, simple models did not have a release for the idler when turned off, so it stayed agajnst the capstan. My little RCA one-tube wonder portable goes clunk-clunk-clunk too, but it is multi-speed and I find that if I shift it between speeds, the idler is pulled back. My childhood GE tabletop AM radio/78 rpm phono will get a little stiff wire added to pull the idler back when not in use, when its turn for restoration arrives.

78 rpm phonos required a bit of weight for the old crystal cartridges to work. If you aim for more modern weights the stylus may chatter around in the groove. A modern cartridge might tolerate lighter stylus pressure.

I donated a LIncoln record-flipping changer to a museum. What I remember is that it used a plug-in-head GE VR cartridge, one for 78 and one for microgroove, and the 78 rpm one had an extra weight added in the headshell.

Chris Campbell

[TC Chris]

And I see your big Heath amp sitting in the background. That gold chassis makes it newer than my silver hammertone chassis model.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Using a GE VR cartridge would be perfect. I'd need more amplification, but that is an idea....

[TC Chris]

The phrase "lipstick on a pig" come to mind, or more politely, overkill. But you could probably cobble together a little preamp, and it would be interesting to see how the old phono sounded with higher-quality input program.

Chris Campbell

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

Greg,
It really isn't a cheap looking record player.
And I'm glad you got it back to snuff.

That sure looks like a 2-tuber to me.
May be why it sounds pretty good.

Is that a 50L6/35L6 output tube ?
And a cool looking domino capacitor.

I've used those larger rubber O-rings in several
1950's RCA record players, to replace bad idler rubber.

Those are the RP-205/RP-198 changers that have the
idler plus 4 speed turrets.
They work fine, and save you $30, so you
can spend the money on a speed turret.

[electra225]

Thanks, Mr. Mogul. Mom would appreciate your kind words about her record player.

This old record player has a tone control and a 5" speaker. I don't see a model number or manufacturer anywhere, but it has Silvertone knobs. The power switch and tone control are on the left, volume control on the right. The tube complement is 35Z5 and 50L6, both Hytron tubes. The cartridge I used is an Astatic, but must be a different model from the original. IT must be a touch bigger, because the tone arm runs uphill. I can shim the post up a touch and even it out a little. That may help tracking, if you want to use that term on an old 78 player. If the cartridge turns out to be dependable, I may see if Gary has a bent-shank diamond needle for it. It would be nice to be able to use this thing occasionally for old time's sake.

[Motorola minion]

A 12AV6 would make a good preamp if you need only one triode to match a GE VR cartridge output.

[electra225]

How heavy of a tone arm can you use with a GE VR cartridge? I don't know what this one weighs, but that baby is HEAVY!....

There is more than enough room in the bottom of the cabinet to use a different amplifier. My old Newcomb uses a 6SC7 for a pre-amp. I still think a nice little homebrew amp with a power transformer and P-P audio would be the cat's pajamas for this thing. I remember I could get buzzed if I touched the tone arm just right. I suspect reversing the plug in the outlet was the cure.

Just as a brain fart.......I could buy a Magnavox SE amp off ebay that would work just fine for this.

[TC Chris]

How heavy of a tone arm can you use with a GE VR cartridge? I don't know what this one weighs, but that baby is HEAVY!....

Might be interesting to know how much of that weight is the cartridge. The GE VRs were (until the very end) mono devices, pretty much insensitive to stylus pressure. But you'll grind up the stylus faster if it's overloaded. I may have a little plastic tonearm around here if I look for it. Holler if you want me to look. Or you could get fancy and make a wooden one.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I probably should check with Gary to see if a GE VR cartridge is still available. I like the idea of changing the tone arm, though. I don't have the equipment anymore to make one of wood.

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

Greg,
Gary does have them, and the tracking force
is 14g, right for a properly balanced tonearm.

They are a bit pricey for guys like us,
but then they are really fine carts, and will
never be made again.
And Gary always guarantees what he sells.

https://thevoiceofmusic.com/catalog/par ... (Magnetic)