You're welcome Edward. The rubber idler wheel can sometimes be reconditioned -softened and surface-dressed with a chemical. If it has a notable flat spot (from decades resting against the inside of the turntable rim under tension), it will need to be replaced. When these get hard it transfers all kinds of noise to the platter which then acts like a diaphragm to magnify the noise. The motor board, if the motor is bolted directly to it, then acts like a sound board, further amplifying the rattle.
The original stylus might have been a metal alloy. One such was called "Osmium", which would give more plays than an ordinary steel needle. It could also have been a jewel-tipped metal shank. Electric Admirals from that era with no radio are pretty rare. The repairs are pretty straightforward. Best of luck, Andrew On Sep 2, 2012, at 5:42 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Andrew, > > Thank You for taking the time to respond as you did, with all that helpful > information! I guessed aright that if the symptoms were described, someone > who knows them would indicate a prognosis. I think that since these > machines are fairly rare, and yet when working properly play records with a > lovely, iconic sound, they should be restored. They're easier on the old > records than a Victrola, also, if you like to play them a lot, as I do. I > have > a great GE phonograph, with an AM radio, that I would estimate to have > been available in the 40s, extrapolating from your description of this Admir > al. > > The original stylus must be gone. I got it with a standard steel needle > in it. And yes, the garbled music was from the record. There is no radio > with this unit, it only plays records. > > I'll wait and see if anyone in the area responds, but appreciate your > making yourself available. I used to know someone in the antique radio club > that came down to the Salem, Sounds of Nostalgia show, but it's been awhile. > > I've lost touch. It would be nice to know who's doing this now. > > All the Best, > > : ) > > Edward > > > > In a message dated 9/2/2012 3:01:52 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > Hi Edward ~ > > Your Admiral is more likely late pre-war; ca. 1939 to 42, or early > post-war; ca. 1946-1947. > > The symptoms you describe are typical of this technology when it ages, and > are: > Hardened rubber on the idler wheel (turntable noise); > > Dead electrolytic capacitors, two to three of these will be found in need > of replacement (loud hum and garbled sound). This is a job for a soldering > iron, and the correct types and polarity will be needed. These are > available. > > If when you say "the music sounds garbled" you mean music from a record > and not from a built-in radio, then it's a small miracle that your crystal > cartridge might actually be good. 99% of these are found dead or > substantially diminished in unrestored phonographs of this era. > > The fact that there's a set screw for the stylus indicates that yours > still has the crystal cartridge. These can be rebuilt with a new element if > needed (some of the distortion can be from the cartridge), or replaced with > a > more reliable type of cartridge and stylus. > > The unit may need some other minor work. Usually motor bearings, idler > wheel arbor & bushings and platter bearings need de-gumming and new > lubrication, and if it has a changer, these usually need some attention as > well. On > the electronic side, the power cord may be brittle if it's original and > certain of the "paper" capacitors will likely benefit from replacement as > these get electrically leaky and can also contribute to distortion. > > I don't know who in Portland works on antique radios, but I know you can > find someone through the radio collector community out there or a museum. > If that fails I restore these types of items but you would incur shipping > charges in addition to the usual parts and labor. > > Good luck with this. > > Andrew Baron > Santa Fe > > On Sep 2, 2012, at 2:26 PM, [email protected] wrote: > >> Greetings Phellow Fonoteers, >> >> Can anyone recommend a repair man for an electric-powered, 78-player, >> hopefully in the Portland, Oregon area? I have an Admiral tabletop > that's >> likely from the 1930s. It has some interesting Art Deco features, and > has a >> thumb screw at the head of the tone arm for changing needles. The > turntable >> makes enough noise to stampede the cattle, and when the tubes warm up > it >> hums very loudly, and I fear it will frighten the peasants who have no > way of >> appreciating what manner of sinister experiments are going on here. > Also, >> the music sounds garbled. I suspect it has an electrical short going > on >> but this isn't something I know a lot about, but I don't want to awaken > my >> creation prematurely, or burn our castle down. >> >> Anyway, if you know somebody, possibly an antique radio man, I'll call > him >> or her forthwith. >> >> Many Thanks, >> >> : ) >> >> Edward >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.org >> > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
