[78-L] 78-L] Bell Hood needle for 78 record players (Ron Fial)

[Ron L'Herault]

Looks like part of mine, the  rearmost section with the pivot could be cast something.  It looks quite smooth though, and if it is pot metal, it is the best looking polish and plate that I have seen.

RonL

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Ron LHerault
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2015 9:50 AM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] 78-L] Bell Hood needle for 78 record players (Ron Fial)


The arms are hard to find, but I think there are nickel plated brass ones.  I'll have to check mine when I get home.  George Vollema is one source and there is another, closer to you who posts to facebook.  I will have to search out his name later.

Ron L

Iñigo Cubillo <ice261263 at gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>Ron:
>
>Years ago I bought a magnific Aeolian Vocalion gramophone (with 
>Graduola
>device) in a low curled-legs pretty carved console, which seems a 
>period model, some "old spanish style". It is  a very special machine. 
>The guy from whom I bought it, told me the gramophone was formerly 
>located in a big luxury hotel (what we call in spanish a "Parador") 
>which is in a main road near Madrid. That hotel closed its doors, probably due to our civil war.
>The guy told me that the original owners were selling the building to a 
>new owner, and they told their granddaughter to take what she wanted 
>from what was left at the hotel. The gramophone was in there. 
>Miraculously, the building did not suffer any bombing nor salvaging 
>during the war, and was closed for fifty years with its contents almost 
>completely intact. The girl took the gramophone for his boyfriend; the 
>guy who sold it to me. The gramophone has a sick zinc alloy tonearm, 
>but that was the only failure to repair. It seemed to have been well 
>used, but admirably preserved. Indeed, I only had to repair the 
>tonearm, cause the motor etc was all in good condition. Nevertheless, I 
>did some woodwork on it: complete disassembling, thorough cleaning, 
>reassembling with new glue and polishing with walnut wax, which 
>restored the beauty of the wood. Formerly, the gramophone was very dark, and now it looks very nice at home.
>The guy was fine, and it sold the machine for a mere $450, which is a 
>real bargain in Spain, for such a special machine.
>
>Well, and here it is. When i disassembled it, many needles came out 
>from between the wood junctions, among them two (yes, two...!) sapphire 
>needles in brass shafts. And one of them has the bell hood shape you 
>said. The gramophone has a revolver tonearm which allows playing 
>vertical or lateral records. But I didn't notice any difference in the 
>sound when using that needle...
>
>PS. Is there any known reliable source for a tonearm replacement? 
>Normal steel or brass woudl be desirable, for the zinc-alloy is very 
>fragile. I repaired it using super-glue and thin wire, and it works, 
>but a replacement would be fine. All interior metals are gold-painted... !
>
>Inigo, from Madrid, SPAIN
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