Columbia 201 Gramophone - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Cathal76 · 26th Oct 2025, 8:21 pm

Hi folks.
Finally getting around to restoring my old columbia 201. Alas the tone arm has broken off from where it meets the sound box. Leaking ball bearings from metal ring/clamp. Metal looks like cast iron or something brittle like it.
Just seeking info if anyone had similar issue or indeed a spare tone arm or bracket.
Kind regards
Cathal

Techman · 28th Oct 2025, 12:50 am

Unfortunately that's a typical Columbia problem. It's 'pot metal' degradation and it's common to many of those machines. The pot metal casting breaks up at the swivel joint where the tone arm joins the horn. If it hadn't fallen completely to bits and the bearing was still able to move freely you could have repaired it (bodged it) with plastic metal (or similar), but seeing as it's now completely broken up you've got a bit of a job on your hands. These would be really good gramophones if it wasn't for that particular problem that affects nearly all of them.

26th Oct 2025, 8:21 pm	#1
Cathal76 Diode Join Date: Oct 2025 Location: Cork, Munster, Ireland. Posts: 1	Columbia 201 Gramophone Hi folks. Finally getting around to restoring my old columbia 201. Alas the tone arm has broken off from where it meets the sound box. Leaking ball bearings from metal ring/clamp. Metal looks like cast iron or something brittle like it. Just seeking info if anyone had similar issue or indeed a spare tone arm or bracket. Kind regards Cathal

28th Oct 2025, 12:50 am	#2
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,602	Re: Columbia 201 Gramophone Unfortunately that's a typical Columbia problem. It's 'pot metal' degradation and it's common to many of those machines. The pot metal casting breaks up at the swivel joint where the tone arm joins the horn. If it hadn't fallen completely to bits and the bearing was still able to move freely you could have repaired it (bodged it) with plastic metal (or similar), but seeing as it's now completely broken up you've got a bit of a job on your hands. These would be really good gramophones if it wasn't for that particular problem that affects nearly all of them.