World’s smallest record player - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

stuarth · 19th Feb 2019, 5:30 pm

It won’t play your latest vinyls though!

Yes, that is a stylus on a pivoting arm.

The “record” is a rectangular card, about the size of a playing card which slots in behind the window, and the “turntable” is the disc which carries the stylus. The stylus and “tone arm” spin, not the record.

I do not have any records for this, but I believe they were available with birdsongs, and had a description and picture of the bird visible through the window while the record was playing.

Stuart

Paul Stenning · 19th Feb 2019, 5:44 pm

Talking soft toys with a pull-cord use a type of acoustic record player mechanism. They contain a disk with several tracks spiralled. Pulling the cord winds the spring and causes the stylus, which is attached directly to a crude plastic speaker-type cone, to land on the record with spring pressure, randomly playing one of the tracks. The tracks are only a few seconds long.

I don't know whether that mechanism is bigger or smaller than your unit, so how it would compete for "world's smallest".

Yours is accessible and can play "records" of the owner's choice. An interesting, unusual, and probably very rare item. It's a shame you don't have anything for it to play.

bluepilot · 19th Feb 2019, 5:48 pm

This one's quite small:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_yToFtXe_k
As is this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmx-nwetRwI

Tractionist · 19th Feb 2019, 6:03 pm

I seem to recall a little motorised 'mouse' that you could place on a record ..... it then 'ran' around the grooves and emanated [poor quality] sound. The mouse looked reasonably realistic [i.e. verminous] ..... I can't remember whether it was clockwork or battery powered.

An interesting 'novelty' anyway ....

barrymagrec · 19th Feb 2019, 6:26 pm

I like this one better:-

https://www.emiarchivetrust.org/the-first-mini-disc/

ekjdm14 · 19th Feb 2019, 8:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tractionist

I seem to recall a little motorised 'mouse' that you could place on a record ..... it then 'ran' around the grooves and emanated [poor quality] sound. The mouse looked reasonably realistic [i.e. verminous] ..... I can't remember whether it was clockwork or battery powered.

I've seen a "VW camper" version of this, Battery powered and with a Bluetooth TX on board. I can't see it being overly kind to your records but a cute novelty item I suppose.

The Microsonic pictured looks altogether a more serious thing & it is indeed a shame there's no material for it to play, I wonder how it would have sounded in comparison to other "novelty" players.

stuarth · 19th Feb 2019, 11:08 pm

I’ve seen sets of cards based on the birds for different areas of the USA. I think bird watchers take them into the field to help identify birds by their sound as well as the picture on the card. So as such, they have a particular application, rather than being just a novelty.

Stuart

19th Feb 2019, 5:30 pm	#1
stuarth Heptode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Heysham, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 668	World’s smallest record player It won’t play your latest vinyls though! Yes, that is a stylus on a pivoting arm. The “record” is a rectangular card, about the size of a playing card which slots in behind the window, and the “turntable” is the disc which carries the stylus. The stylus and “tone arm” spin, not the record. I do not have any records for this, but I believe they were available with birdsongs, and had a description and picture of the bird visible through the window while the record was playing. Stuart Attached Thumbnails

19th Feb 2019, 5:44 pm	#2
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 9,071	Re: World’s smallest record player Talking soft toys with a pull-cord use a type of acoustic record player mechanism. They contain a disk with several tracks spiralled. Pulling the cord winds the spring and causes the stylus, which is attached directly to a crude plastic speaker-type cone, to land on the record with spring pressure, randomly playing one of the tracks. The tracks are only a few seconds long. I don't know whether that mechanism is bigger or smaller than your unit, so how it would compete for "world's smallest". Yours is accessible and can play "records" of the owner's choice. An interesting, unusual, and probably very rare item. It's a shame you don't have anything for it to play. __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

19th Feb 2019, 5:48 pm	#3
bluepilot Heptode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Duffort, Gers, France Posts: 714	Re: World’s smallest record player This one's quite small: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_yToFtXe_k As is this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmx-nwetRwI __________________ Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs

19th Feb 2019, 6:03 pm	#4
Tractionist Heptode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 875	Re: World’s smallest record player I seem to recall a little motorised 'mouse' that you could place on a record ..... it then 'ran' around the grooves and emanated [poor quality] sound. The mouse looked reasonably realistic [i.e. verminous] ..... I can't remember whether it was clockwork or battery powered. An interesting 'novelty' anyway .... __________________ Red to red, black to black. Throw the switch and stand well back!

19th Feb 2019, 6:26 pm	#5
barrymagrec Octode Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Morden, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,557	Re: World’s smallest record player I like this one better:- https://www.emiarchivetrust.org/the-first-mini-disc/

19th Feb 2019, 11:08 pm	#7
stuarth Heptode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Heysham, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 668	Re: World’s smallest record player I’ve seen sets of cards based on the birds for different areas of the USA. I think bird watchers take them into the field to help identify birds by their sound as well as the picture on the card. So as such, they have a particular application, rather than being just a novelty. Stuart