[78-L] I Have An Edison Disc Phonograph!!!

[Philip Carli]

There were many 78 adapters for DD machines, two of the most often found being Perfection and KenTone, and they come up for sale pretty regularly.  I have two KenTones, one strictly lateral and another with a rotating soundbox in order to set it to also play Pathes and other vertical-cut discs; although the latter is more versatile, the former seems to do a better job and I use it frequently.   Lateral discs played with a KenTone or similar adapter on a DD machine can sound wonderful because of the acoustical superiority of the large Edison horn over those in most other internal-horn machines.  The trick is carefully positioning the soundbox on the record after lowering the horn & arm with the lever to allow for the difference in lateral record groove pitch and the Edison mechanical drive. (Edison actually briefly marketed their own Disc Phonograph lateral disc adapter in 1913-14, and these emerge into the marketplace very occasionally - I've seen two on eBay.)

The Brunswick Ultona is an ingenious and generally very effective soundbox, but can be somewhat dangerous on Edison discs if carelessly set.  Edison disc grooves were not meant to propel a soundbox like lateral grooves, as the Edison machines had feedscrews like cylinder machines, so DDs played exclusively with an Ultona (or even on Edison's own non-propelled C-1 and C-2 electric phonographs) tend to wear very quickly, and if the Ultona counterweight isn't set properly the soundbox diamond can break through an Edison groove wall pretty easily. PC

________________________________________
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com [78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] on behalf of David Lennick [dlennick at sympatico.ca]
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 3:23 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] I Have An Edison Disc Phonograph!!!

Only Diamond Discs, although I seem to recall there was an adapter for regular
78s. I tend to play 78s more on professional equipment than on original
machines, we were about to move and someone wanted to buy the machine, so it
was an easy decision. I owned a Credenza for about 6 years as well, but I was
glad to sell it to someone who really wanted it.

dl

On 4/15/2012 2:32 PM, leonard schwartz wrote:
> hi
> why didnt you get that much use of it..does it play regular 78s?only
> edisons records?
>
> lenny
>
>
> ________________________________
>   From: David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> To: 78-L Mail List<78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 2:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] I Have An Edison Disc Phonograph!!!
>
> Enjoy! I owned one for a couple of years but really didn't get that much use
> out of it, so I sold it for what I'd paid for it (between $350 and $400) just
> before our last move.
>
> dl
>
> On 4/15/2012 1:54 PM, OKIN EARL wrote:
>> Hi 78ers!
>>
>> Today, I took possession of a proper 'Edison (Diamond) Disc Phonograph'.
>> It's floor standing on four legs and has a couple of small cupboards
>> either side of the turntable!
>> It set me back £250 or about $375 but now I can play my Diamond discs
>> and hear them properly!
>>
>> (smug smile) ;-)
>>
>> Earl Okin.
> _______________________________________________
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