They will play on a regular 78 rpm modern turntable with 78 setting. They do not sound their best that way but with the light stylus weight I do not think wear or damage would be an issue.
I welcome other comments, especially from those who have special modern equipment to play them with. Steve > From: ge...@comcast.net > To: phono-l@oldcrank.org > Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:39:50 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] The last word on Diamond Discs...I think > > The machine is gone. If a table model is 70 lbs, the London must have weighed > well over a 100 lbs. I could not even lift one side. It was way too heavy for > me to realistically deal with...I'm glad I went back though and checked it > out. It was a good adventure. As far as the table models...if they're 70 lbs, > they're too much for me as well. My limit...is 20 lbs...just about what the > records weigh. ;) > > The cabinet was black. No shine. It had spots of white mildew on the inside > wood. Nothing we ever got (back in the 1950-60's) looked as bad as this. > Those old machines had that nice old wood antiques smell...still do as a > matter of fact...and with a little lemon oil shine up nicely. This was beyond > lemon oil. I think even my Pop, the inveterate collector would have passed on > it. He would have needed help moving it too. > There was a small brass knob just sitting there...don't know where it came > from; loose screws floating around; the horn looked kinda green and bent; the > front grill had the 4 side pieces stuffed into the cabinet with none of the > frilly middle stuff. The closer I looked, the worse IT looked. > > I know you guys like to preserve these things, and I agree with that wish. > The weight, in my opinion, is what really made it unrealistic to even > contemplate. It was a big white elephant. > > I'm happy to have the records though. I've seen thick DD records in the past, > always with the edges all messed up. These have pretty sharp edges; only one > had some small bubbling. > And some day I'll get to hear them. > > Happy New Year to everyone. Stay healthy and safe. :) > Ger > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: DanKj > To: Antique Phonograph List > Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 1:11 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] The last word on Diamond Discs...I think > > > Too bad you didn't get some pics of it - I wanted to see what made it seem > such a mess. The solder is supposed to be there, as Ron L'H said, and if > there was anything running into the horn it was just a volume control, > which > I remove anyway because it muffles the sound. The straps behind the slots > sound correct, too. Except for the missing grill, how bad is the cabinet? > > You might be disappointed to learn that the few Edison table models are > less common than floor models and they're HEAVY, awkward things. My Chalet > weighs about 70 pounds, and my B-80 nearly as much. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "ger" <ge...@comcast.net> > > > > The poor London model of Edison's Diamond Disc machine looks like it had > > been tortured. The vertical section was there afterall, but a cable, wood > > block and some other things (part going into the horn) were missing. > > Someone had SOLDERED the horn on th.... > > > > Needless to say, the machine still sits with the seller...who is now a > bit > > wiser, since I shared the photo and what I knew with her. She seemed not > > at all disappointed and actually fascinated to learn something about the > > poor mess. > > > > As for its WEIGHT. I've got an "AH-HAH!" I took the flashlight and > checked > > out the left side where the 24 slots for records was. I could see that 2, > > that's TWO, thick metal weights were in place behind the slots. They went > > across the back, one high, one low. \ > > > > > > I will, however, now keep an eye out for an Edison (table model) which > > could play my records > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
