What a thrill it was to see that thing play again. My grandmother was the original owner and I got passed down to me over the years. You made a comment about the last time it may have worked. it was actually back in the 1960s the last time I saw it actually play. There were several cylinders that went with the player back then. but they’ve been lost over the years. Thanks again and thanks to Randy for getting it to you. He said he knew someone that could get it working again. Thanks again
Beautiful restoration job on the Edison b standard case love it great job I have the exact same one and I'm thinking about restoring the outside of my phonograph case cuz it needs it.
Great work! It’s amazing that without even having prior knowledge on these machines you still managed to make it look nice. The reproducer on the machine is incorrect and it could damage the records. Also that blue record is wrong, this is a 2 min. Machine which is why the record sounds like garbage. The mainspring likely needs to be cleaned and regressed. If you service it again make sure you wind the mainspring all the way down then remove the barrel then open it and clean the spring then regrease it. The new finish isn’t original but it’s BEAUTIFUL, great work! You can find a replacement “Edison Standard Phonograph” banner decal online.
Thank you for the knowledge share. I was pretty happy with how the finish turned out, it came to me pretty rough. It was really fun working on something so old but so well built that it could be brought back to life.
You have a diamond B reproducer and 1918 4 minute record on a 1903 A model Standard. The A model Standard was a 2 minute machine meaning the record was 2 minutes long. Later about 1910 or so 4 minute records were invented. Edison sold a gear kit to upgrade the 2 minute machine to 4 minute. Someone put a later reproducer and carriage on your machine but not the gear kit. You either need to gear kit. Look on eBay or the correct 2 minute reproducer carriage and a C reproducer with 2 minute records. There again eBay. Great video! Enjoy!
i got a very similar machine on Ebay recently, most likely a A or B standard and it came with the same 4 minute reproducer in the video, would the 4 minute reproducer damage 2 minute cylinders?
@@dguy0386 Yes the two minute cylinders are made of wax while the later blue amberols where made from celluloid (an early form of plastic) and if you play a wax record on a 4 minute machine it will carve the groove and ruin the record .
My hypnosis is that sometime in the 50s somebody found this machine and found a 4 minute cartridge and reproducer but did not install 4 minute gearing in the machine. They then probably put the machine back in storage due to not being able to use it correctly. Luckily 4 minute gears for Edison standards are pretty common and their are some on eBay right now. Very easy to install and would allow you to listen to 4 minute records properly.
One thing strikes me as peculiar about this machine. It is clearly geared *only* for 2 minute cylinders, yet somehow it has a late-style horizontal carriage and a Diamond reproducer, with a Blue Amberol on the mandrel. In order to play properly, you would either have to replace the reproducer with a Model C and a reducing ring, and play only 2 minute cylinders (you could also replace the carriage with the original smaller, slanted carriage); or find a 2/4 minute conversion kit to fit on the drive gears. (Edison offered these kits after 1908, for owners of older phonographs; they can occasionally be found on Ebay, or through other collectors). Otherwise, you get what you hear in the beginning and end: a garbled sound, caused by the stylus skipping over every other groove. The Edison Standard is a nice, reliable machine, and fairly commonly found. This appears to be a Model B, circa 1905 - 1908; although the external speed control is a bit unusual. Most Model B and later machines had the speed control under the bedplate, as cylinder speeds had been standardized at 160 rpm by then. Phonographs sold for the International Correspondence Schools (ICS), or International Textbook Company (ITC) did have the external controls, for language lesson records that played at 80 rpm; and some owners may have had the control fitted by a dealer, to play the early brown wax cylinders, or perhaps for home recording.
Thank you so much for your input. Are you saying that the carriage is not original and was made for a 4 minute device? Also that the recording is for a four minute machine? When I got the machine, the needle was not properly contacting the cylinder and there seemed to be too much rotational energy lost when the needle was engaged. I suppose these could be symptoms of a haphazard replacement.
@@RobsFixitShop Correct. this Standard originally came with a slanted carriage, to fit a Model C reproducer. Your best course would be to find a vintage conversion kit, so that it can play Blue Amberols like the one shown (you can also play other 4 minute *celluloid* cylinders, such as U.S. Indestructibles or Everlastings on it: look for the *"4M"* marking on the rims). Model C reproducers are also fairly easy to find; but you will need a reducing ring to fit it into this carriage.
Beautiful restoration. However, I suspect that you're playing a four minute Amberol record on a machine designed to play 2 minute wax cylinders. The grooves are to close for the needle to track, so it's jumping. The speed is wrong too.
Great restoration! I have an Edison Home Phonograph that I haven't tried using in years. It's in great physical shape, with an original horn, and about a dozen cylinder records. The motor works, the cylinder rotates perfectly. Today when I tried using it to show my 25-year-old goddaughter who admired it, the minute the needle made contact with the record, the weight of the needle with and without the horn slowed and then stopped it from revolving. Any clue what the issue is that is causing this problem?
That model plays only 2 minute records, you have a diamond B reproducer designed for 4 minute blue amberols. It will destroy black wax 2 minute records AND black wax 4 minute records. No 2 minute cylinders should ever be played using a diamond stylus, instead use a Model C reproducer which has a saphire stylus. That machine has also not been modified to play 4 minute records, which is why you were unable to get good sound out of it. You can find kits on Ebay to make it play 2 or 4 minute records with the flip of a "switch". You were correctly using a blue amberol record with the reproducer and if you get the 4-minute conversion kit you will be amazed at how good it will sound!
With a edison phonograph he made a permanent stylus on all machines. there's a 2 minute Sapphire stylus and a diamond stylus. And to replace them cost somewhere in the hundreds of dollars.
What a thrill it was to see that thing play again. My grandmother was the original owner and I got passed down to me over the years. You made a comment about the last time it may have worked. it was actually back in the 1960s the last time I saw it actually play. There were several cylinders that went with the player back then. but they’ve been lost over the years. Thanks again and thanks to Randy for getting it to you. He said he knew someone that could get it working again.
Thanks again
Beautiful restoration job on the Edison b standard case love it great job I have the exact same one and I'm thinking about restoring the outside of my phonograph case cuz it needs it.
They are beautiful when restored
Great work! It’s amazing that without even having prior knowledge on these machines you still managed to make it look nice. The reproducer on the machine is incorrect and it could damage the records. Also that blue record is wrong, this is a 2 min. Machine which is why the record sounds like garbage. The mainspring likely needs to be cleaned and regressed. If you service it again make sure you wind the mainspring all the way down then remove the barrel then open it and clean the spring then regrease it. The new finish isn’t original but it’s BEAUTIFUL, great work! You can find a replacement “Edison Standard Phonograph” banner decal online.
Thank you for the knowledge share. I was pretty happy with how the finish turned out, it came to me pretty rough. It was really fun working on something so old but so well built that it could be brought back to life.
You have a diamond B reproducer and 1918 4 minute record on a 1903 A model Standard. The A model Standard was a 2 minute machine meaning the record was 2 minutes long. Later about 1910 or so 4 minute records were invented. Edison sold a gear kit to upgrade the 2 minute machine to 4 minute. Someone put a later reproducer and carriage on your machine but not the gear kit. You either need to gear kit. Look on eBay or the correct 2 minute reproducer carriage and a C reproducer with 2 minute records. There again eBay. Great video! Enjoy!
Thanks for the input. I really learned a lot from the project!
i got a very similar machine on Ebay recently, most likely a A or B standard and it came with the same 4 minute reproducer in the video, would the 4 minute reproducer damage 2 minute cylinders?
@@dguy0386 Yes the two minute cylinders are made of wax while the later blue amberols where made from celluloid (an early form of plastic) and if you play a wax record on a 4 minute machine it will carve the groove and ruin the record .
My hypnosis is that sometime in the 50s somebody found this machine and found a 4 minute cartridge and reproducer but did not install 4 minute gearing in the machine. They then probably put the machine back in storage due to not being able to use it correctly. Luckily 4 minute gears for Edison standards are pretty common and their are some on eBay right now. Very easy to install and would allow you to listen to 4 minute records properly.
Yes, I am guessing this machine has an interesting history. I'll pass the info on to the owner
I just bought one. Thanks for the video
I have a Colombia type AZ cylinder phonograph that has a lyric style carriage that is swollen and barely moves. ANY ideas on how to fix?
One thing strikes me as peculiar about this machine. It is clearly geared *only* for 2 minute cylinders, yet somehow it has a late-style horizontal carriage and a Diamond reproducer, with a Blue Amberol on the mandrel. In order to play properly, you would either have to replace the reproducer with a Model C and a reducing ring, and play only 2 minute cylinders (you could also replace the carriage with the original smaller, slanted carriage); or find a 2/4 minute conversion kit to fit on the drive gears. (Edison offered these kits after 1908, for owners of older phonographs; they can occasionally be found on Ebay, or through other collectors). Otherwise, you get what you hear in the beginning and end: a garbled sound, caused by the stylus skipping over every other groove.
The Edison Standard is a nice, reliable machine, and fairly commonly found. This appears to be a Model B, circa 1905 - 1908; although the external speed control is a bit unusual. Most Model B and later machines had the speed control under the bedplate, as cylinder speeds had been standardized at 160 rpm by then. Phonographs sold for the International Correspondence Schools (ICS), or International Textbook Company (ITC) did have the external controls, for language lesson records that played at 80 rpm; and some owners may have had the control fitted by a dealer, to play the early brown wax cylinders, or perhaps for home recording.
Thank you so much for your input. Are you saying that the carriage is not original and was made for a 4 minute device? Also that the recording is for a four minute machine? When I got the machine, the needle was not properly contacting the cylinder and there seemed to be too much rotational energy lost when the needle was engaged. I suppose these could be symptoms of a haphazard replacement.
@@RobsFixitShop Correct. this Standard originally came with a slanted carriage, to fit a Model C reproducer. Your best course would be to find a vintage conversion kit, so that it can play Blue Amberols like the one shown (you can also play other 4 minute *celluloid* cylinders, such as U.S. Indestructibles or Everlastings on it: look for the *"4M"* marking on the rims).
Model C reproducers are also fairly easy to find; but you will need a reducing ring to fit it into this carriage.
I have one that needs that TLC that you just gave that one.Any chance you’re in central California
Beautiful restoration. However, I suspect that you're playing a four minute Amberol record on a machine designed to play 2 minute wax cylinders. The grooves are to close for the needle to track, so it's jumping. The speed is wrong too.
great job
I was hoping I could contact you about a part that we have missing on our cylinder phonograph. Do you have a phone #? Thanks.
Mine also came with a giant some sort of super thin metal horn
Great restoration! I have an Edison Home Phonograph that I haven't tried using in years. It's in great physical shape, with an original horn, and about a dozen cylinder records. The motor works, the cylinder rotates perfectly. Today when I tried using it to show my 25-year-old goddaughter who admired it, the minute the needle made contact with the record, the weight of the needle with and without the horn slowed and then stopped it from revolving. Any clue what the issue is that is causing this problem?
Probably the half nut screw needs an adjustment
I need an Edison recorder stylus? do you have one?
Man, I would love to work on one of these...even without any experience in mechanics...
The machinery is really simple actually. I tried fixing mine and it worked again, you should buy one
Nice restoration. How about a multi-part series on restoring my '98 Ranger? :)
I have one where are you located
Beautiful
Where are located?
That model plays only 2 minute records, you have a diamond B reproducer designed for 4 minute blue amberols. It will destroy black wax 2 minute records AND black wax 4 minute records. No 2 minute cylinders should ever be played using a diamond stylus, instead use a Model C reproducer which has a saphire stylus. That machine has also not been modified to play 4 minute records, which is why you were unable to get good sound out of it. You can find kits on Ebay to make it play 2 or 4 minute records with the flip of a "switch". You were correctly using a blue amberol record with the reproducer and if you get the 4-minute conversion kit you will be amazed at how good it will sound!
I've had other comments telling me the same thing. I never suspected that parts would have been mixed and matched! I had a lot to learn on this one.
How do I put a needle in one , thanks
With a edison phonograph he made a permanent stylus on all machines. there's a 2 minute Sapphire stylus and a diamond stylus. And to replace them cost somewhere in the hundreds of dollars.
👏👏👏😊
Have you ever heard WD40, Würth cleaners and magnetic screwdriver?
get to the point stop the waffle