Hello Sean, You are correct, the No 4 was made to allow people who could not afford a new machine to play electrical records. The first nickel and gold plated ones are made of brass, the later No 4 "A" 's are pot metal. Some of the 4 "A" 's have a No 2 mica in an aluminum reducer. The HMV 4 first came in all brass, the second version has a brass front and a pot metal back, the final version is pot metal on the front and back. The two differences in the HMV and the No 4, the HMV does not have the lines in the body and the HMV does not have the thin area under the base of the needle bar so it is not prone to breaking in half like the pot metal Victor will. The No 4 was found on suitcase and table models. The HMV pot metal is much more stable. The first style of pot metal No 4 has the small round castings that hold the needle bar sleeve bearings or pivots, it looks like they used the brass molds to make them. The later ones are larger and flat on the back. If anyone want to see any photos of the scan of the only brochure I have ever seen offering the Nickel plated one for $5 or the gold for $6 I will be happy to send them an e-mail. The brochure basically says what the box does. The Exhibition "A" is also pot metal. The pot metal Victor reproducers are not stable until the time when the suitcase models came out. If you read the box the No 4 "A" came in it says: The Victrola No 4 Sound Box was designed and perfected for use with old style Victrolas manufactured by the Victor Company prior to August, 1925. This sound box will immeasurably improve the tonal quality of old Victrolas; but it should not be confused with the New Orthophonic Victrola and the principle of "matched impedance" (controlled by the Victor Company) which has so completely revolutionized the art of reproducing sound.
This sound box on your old-style Victrola will greatly increase your enjoyment of the new Orthophonic Record. But be sure to hear the new Orthophonic Record played on the new Orthophonic Victrola, which represents the ultimate in musical reproduction. OLD STYLE AMPLIFYING HORN used in the cabinet type Victrola prior to August, 1925. ORTHOPHONIC TONE CHAMBER embodying the new discovery - "matched impedance" which permits the smooth uninterrupted flow of sound. This principle is employed exclusively in the new Orthophonic Victrola. Steve > From: smil...@nycap.rr.com > Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:37:31 -0500 > To: phono-l@oldcrank.org > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] victrola number 4 a reproducer > > The #4 came out in, I believe, 1925 when Orthophonics were introduced. The > 4-A is pot metal. The 4 is not and they're not too common. I picked up a 1-70 > last fall with a really nice 4-A on it that wasn't falling apart. Be careful, > I've had them crumble in my hands doing rebuilds. They sound really great if > you can get them apart without them falling apart. You need to use a slightly > cut down Grafonola gasket on one side and a regular white gasket on the other > to get the best sound. It provides the perfect seal. Ebay seller "soundgen" > was selling replacement gaskets that are super, but they seem to be > unavailable these days. > > Sean > > On Feb 25, 2011, at 7:26 PM, David Dazer wrote: > > > I think the needle bars a kind of fragile and break easily. > > Dave > > > > --- On Fri, 2/25/11, zonophone2...@aol.com <zonophone2...@aol.com> wrote: > > > > From: zonophone2...@aol.com <zonophone2...@aol.com> > > Subject: [Phono-L] victrola number 4 a reproducer > > To: phono-l@oldcrank.org > > Date: Friday, February 25, 2011, 7:17 PM > > > > on another note > > anyone know much about this reproducer other than it came out late 20s > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
