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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment. |
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18th Sep 2019, 3:29 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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HMV 1950s Record Player
Good afternoon
Please can anyone help me I have a 1950s three speed record player Whilst this is in perfect working order, sadly it was made long before the days of Stereophonic Reproduction and is only fitted with a Mono Pickup Head Is there any way I can fit a stereo compatible Pickup Cartridge in the Pickup head Failing that is it possible to fit a replacement Tone Arm Sharon |
18th Sep 2019, 5:39 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Hello Sharon, Difficult one. This record player uses the double C cartridge. It is not easily replaced by a conventional cartridge. No doubt it can be done but will require a certain amount of ingenuity and even then the weight of the arm may not be kind to modern LP records. Good luck with it. Regards, John.
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18th Sep 2019, 5:44 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
If it were not for the make of the turntable in this player - i.e. had it been a Garrard, a BSR or a Collaro - unit it would be realtively easy to do this. But I regret not on this one.
Nor would I try to advise a method of doing it, let alone replace the arm/head asembly. I think you have 3 options: 1: Leave the player as is and use for Mono LPs,45s and 78s which it was designed for. 2: Fit an alternative 3 or 4 speed single record deck, which will destroy its originality, but which will still sound good. You will need to source he replacement deck c. £30, a stereo rcartridge, fitting it in and the wiring of it. 3: Buy a more appropriate stereo-compatible player. When you consider the cost between buying a new stereo cartridge (c. £35-40) and another record player (say from an online auction) you may find there is not that much difference in overall cost. This will mean you have a moe suitable record player with the nice HMV left as is.
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Edward. |
18th Sep 2019, 5:50 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Hi John
Thanks very much I've just seen one for sale on Ebay fitted with a BSR UA8 Tone Arm Goodness only knows how it was fitted Shaz Last edited by Newgirl2013; 18th Sep 2019 at 5:51 pm. Reason: to ad some text |
18th Sep 2019, 6:02 pm | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Here is a picture of the modified HMV Record Player complete with BSR UA8 Tonearm goodness only knows how it was fitted or if it actully works
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18th Sep 2019, 6:20 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 3,758
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
It may well work after a fashion, but the arm is way too long, which means that the tracking angle as the arm goes across the records will soon wreck them!
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18th Sep 2019, 6:27 pm | #7 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
You could well be right there
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18th Sep 2019, 6:33 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
What a bodge and what a way to ruin a record - whether Stereo or Mono!
A better option would be to use the (relatively) short Tone Arm from a BSR TU9 4 speed single play turntable unit.
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Edward. |
18th Sep 2019, 6:53 pm | #9 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Hi Edward
Yes I know the one you mean Ok I'll see if I can find one Sharon Last edited by Newgirl2013; 18th Sep 2019 at 7:04 pm. Reason: To add text |
18th Sep 2019, 11:47 pm | #10 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 2,074
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Nice record player - I also have one. The replacement cartridge for the Double C, fitted by retailers was apparently an EV (Electrovoice). Mine has the replacement. Look at the pics and see if you can see how the modification might be achieved with yours and/or post a close up of the business end of the tonearm and I will see if I can advise.
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19th Sep 2019, 7:03 am | #11 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southend, Essex, UK
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Personally if it works I'd leave as it is as have one myself exactly as RojDW48. Easy to find a decent player that will play stereo.
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19th Sep 2019, 9:07 am | #12 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
When I got the player it had the replacement as a spare head
unfortunately it's empty Could I fit a stereo compatable cartridge in it |
19th Sep 2019, 10:33 am | #13 |
Moderator
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Location: Wembley, Middlesex
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Can you post a picture of the underside of the empty head?
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19th Sep 2019, 10:42 am | #14 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 2,074
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Same head as in my photo? If so I'll take a look and see how simple it might be to fit cart with stereo compatible stylus.
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'....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan) |
19th Sep 2019, 11:03 am | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
It's not just the stylus that makes for stereo compatibility- the cartridge itself has to have the requisite vertical compliance......
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19th Sep 2019, 11:14 am | #16 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Here are three pics f the pickup head
Found it rattling about in the bottom of the cabinet Last edited by Newgirl2013; 19th Sep 2019 at 11:36 am. Reason: to add text |
19th Sep 2019, 3:07 pm | #17 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
How good are you at a bit of machining? If you took those threaded(?) bosses down flat and drilled and tapped two holes half an inch spacing into the new flat rib, I reckon a standard half inch mounting cartridge could be fitted.
A cruder job could be done by simply cutting away all of the lower section of the head to leave just the arm mount and the top plate. Then a couple of half inch spaced countersunk holes through the remaining plate woiuld similarly allow a standard cartridge mount. Further options would be to get a suitable new headshell with the correct arm interface 3D printed or modify a typical detachable headshell to fit the arm.
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19th Sep 2019, 4:13 pm | #18 |
Dekatron
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Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
And you are going to be able to counterbalance that HMV tone arm down to about 5 grams. Because it was made for their unique original cartridge only, I don't know if the tracking weight is adjustable.
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Edward. |
19th Sep 2019, 4:46 pm | #19 |
Dekatron
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
There is currently on sale a BSR 3 speed single player unit (Online Auction) with a small diameter 8" turtnable, shortish tone and with what looks like a stereo-compatible cartridge. This is the BSR TU4? unit which preceeded the TU9 and comes from late 1955/early 1956.
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Edward. |
19th Sep 2019, 4:53 pm | #20 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hayle, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 375
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Re: HMV 1950s Record Player
Hi Chris
I think we could manage something there Would it be a good idea to do away with the connections between the pickup head and the tone arm and wire the Cartridge direct to the amp Thanks very much Sharon Last edited by Newgirl2013; 19th Sep 2019 at 5:14 pm. |