I don’t remember the size off the top of my head, but you should be able to get one from any of the parts suppliers HMV uses exactly the same diaphragm as the victor number 4 or 4a does. Some of the Columbia reproducers also use this size. You can try Walt Sommers at Gettysburg antique phonograph. He has the website he is also cyber_tigger on eBay. I have gotten dozens of these diaphragms from Walter in the past, but really any of the large parts suppliers should have this it’s pretty common item.
Hey there! Is there any other way (like, subtle differences) to identify a potmetal Victrola 4 other than the A suffix? I notice that on potmetal 4’s the “4” under the diaphragm is clearer than on the brass ones. I also notice that the parts that hold the ball bearings for the needlebar are rounded off in the back on brass ones and squared off on potmetal ones. Is that another reliable way to tell? I found someone that may be selling one on a machine and I don’t know if it’s potmetal or brass.
With the Victor made 4's it's easy, all potmetal 4's they made will have the "a" suffix identifying them on the back. Also finding any Victor made 4a without swelling and cracking is pretty unlikely. All brass 4's have a habit of showing up on some of Victors less expensive portables from the mid 20's. like the VV-1-5, or VV-1-6 . Not every one of these machines to be sure, but I have found two original 4's on these model machines in the past.
@@Looney3987 excellent find, now you have to rebuild it. Maybe one day the one piece gaskets for these will be available again like they are for the number two. Right now all we have are the two piece gaskets that are shared with the Columbia reproducer, not exactly ideal, but they work.
@@Rockisland1903 Yes. Interestingly enough, when I went to rebuild it, the original gasket wasn't quite hard as a rock yet but it was too stiff to continue using it. It's the same thing with my HMV No4 lol. Anyway, I found a good gasket supplier called Arizona Victrola Workshop because when I ordered Walt's kit I found that the ones he sent were a little too thin for my liking so I searched for gaskets that would be the perfect size and I found them on eBay. They work quite well! I have them in my HMV No4 and Victrola 4, appropriately colored. I do have a question about my all brass HMV No4 though. My Victrola 4 rebuild went fine. When I was putting the diaphragm screw through the diaphragm and into the needlebar to rebuild it, I found that something went wrong and the needlebar twisted and snapped right where it meets the diaphragm. What would be my best bet for this reproducer? It's really a shame because the unit is in such good condition, like it has just been plucked out of the 1920s by a time traveler. What should I do? Should I seek out new parts try to fix it, or send it to someone?
Nice collection. But I need to say the Electrola/HMV 5a and 5b are not orthophonic. The German and English orthophonic is the no 5. but those are nearly impossible to find.
There is only one true Orthophonic, the Victor Talking Machine Co developed the reproducer and trademarked the name. HMV later chose not to use the Victor design and developed their own instead. Other company's would later use the aluminum diaphragm, but not with the spider setup Victor and HMV used. Later Electrola machines are very rare here in the states. Mostly we see Electrola 101, or 106 portables brought over before the war by tourists who visited Germany, or US soldiers stationed there after the war. Even these are not commonly encountered, and many US collectors will not have heard of Electrola at all unless it's about one of the later Victor electric machines that were also called Electrolas.
@@Rockisland1903 yes i know that Victor Electrolas. I’m here in Germany have nearly no chance to get one of these. But I’m lucky and got an RCA Victor 331 Cabinet from about 1933. I think it came to Germany in the 1950s, because it have a second transformer from the 50s for transforming 220 volts to 110 volts
RCA took over Victor in late '28 and by 1932 they had liquidated most of the company. The acoustic era was over, what RCA wanted was the Victor record catalog and the name. RCA then sold machines that had no relation to the Victor company other than the use of the name in RCA/Victor, and the Victrola name put on some of these later machines. With the large number of US troops stationed in West Germany after the war and during the Cold War it's not surprising that US made machines turn up. Officers with family's would relocate from the US to Germany with their household goods and furniture. Things would get sold off, personal property being the easiest to sell to the local population when it was time for someone to return stateside. It's not impossible to import larger machines, things can be crated and shipped, import restrictions are unlikely. However, it would be expensive, and probably take months to arrive. I have sent antique car parts all over the world. My customers work with brokers who are located in the states who specialize in shipping to their country. They buy something big from us, we send it to the broker who then ships it overseas once they have enough material to fill a shipping container. One of Victors later electric Credenzas would not be as heavy as a car engine. You would have to find a US seller willing to work with you to crate the machine and work with the shipping company. That would be hard as most sellers are not carpenters, or have time for that. Dealers might be willing, but would be charging top dollar.
@@Rockisland1903 yes of course. I mean sometimes I buy 78s from the US. And shipping is in the most times more expensive than the record. I’m the most shipping is between 25 and 30 Dollars. And I don’t want to know what I would pay, if I want to get one credenza 😅😅
Thank you for the great story of No.4 evolution.
Excellent information 👍 Thanks 👍
What a nice collection - thanks for sharing. There was also a Electrola with the writing on the front
Very interesting and a nice collection. Thanks 😀👍
Do you know what diameter diaphragm the Hmv no4 uses?
I don’t remember the size off the top of my head, but you should be able to get one from any of the parts suppliers HMV uses exactly the same diaphragm as the victor number 4 or 4a does. Some of the Columbia reproducers also use this size. You can try Walt Sommers at Gettysburg antique phonograph. He has the website he is also cyber_tigger on eBay. I have gotten dozens of these diaphragms from Walter in the past, but really any of the large parts suppliers should have this it’s pretty common item.
Hey there!
Is there any other way (like, subtle differences) to identify a potmetal Victrola 4 other than the A suffix? I notice that on potmetal 4’s the “4” under the diaphragm is clearer than on the brass ones. I also notice that the parts that hold the ball bearings for the needlebar are rounded off in the back on brass ones and squared off on potmetal ones. Is that another reliable way to tell? I found someone that may be selling one on a machine and I don’t know if it’s potmetal or brass.
With the Victor made 4's it's easy, all potmetal 4's they made will have the "a" suffix identifying them on the back. Also finding any Victor made 4a without swelling and cracking is pretty unlikely. All brass 4's have a habit of showing up on some of Victors less expensive portables from the mid 20's. like the VV-1-5, or VV-1-6 . Not every one of these machines to be sure, but I have found two original 4's on these model machines in the past.
@@Rockisland1903 Thank you for the information! The machine in question is a 1-6 and I’m fairly certain the 4 on that machine is an all brass one.
A little update…
I’m now the proud owner of an all brass Victrola 4!
@@Looney3987 excellent find, now you have to rebuild it. Maybe one day the one piece gaskets for these will be available again like they are for the number two. Right now all we have are the two piece gaskets that are shared with the Columbia reproducer, not exactly ideal, but they work.
@@Rockisland1903 Yes. Interestingly enough, when I went to rebuild it, the original gasket wasn't quite hard as a rock yet but it was too stiff to continue using it. It's the same thing with my HMV No4 lol. Anyway, I found a good gasket supplier called Arizona Victrola Workshop because when I ordered Walt's kit I found that the ones he sent were a little too thin for my liking so I searched for gaskets that would be the perfect size and I found them on eBay. They work quite well! I have them in my HMV No4 and Victrola 4, appropriately colored.
I do have a question about my all brass HMV No4 though. My Victrola 4 rebuild went fine.
When I was putting the diaphragm screw through the diaphragm and into the needlebar to rebuild it, I found that something went wrong and the needlebar twisted and snapped right where it meets the diaphragm. What would be my best bet for this reproducer? It's really a shame because the unit is in such good condition, like it has just been plucked out of the 1920s by a time traveler.
What should I do? Should I seek out new parts try to fix it, or send it to someone?
Nice collection. But I need to say the Electrola/HMV 5a and 5b are not orthophonic. The German and English orthophonic is the no 5. but those are nearly impossible to find.
And I have never seen one from Electrola
There is only one true Orthophonic, the Victor Talking Machine Co developed the reproducer and trademarked the name. HMV later chose not to use the Victor design and developed their own instead. Other company's would later use the aluminum diaphragm, but not with the spider setup Victor and HMV used. Later Electrola machines are very rare here in the states. Mostly we see Electrola 101, or 106 portables brought over before the war by tourists who visited Germany, or US soldiers stationed there after the war. Even these are not commonly encountered, and many US collectors will not have heard of Electrola at all unless it's about one of the later Victor electric machines that were also called Electrolas.
@@Rockisland1903 yes i know that Victor Electrolas. I’m here in Germany have nearly no chance to get one of these. But I’m lucky and got an RCA Victor 331 Cabinet from about 1933. I think it came to Germany in the 1950s, because it have a second transformer from the 50s for transforming 220 volts to 110 volts
RCA took over Victor in late '28 and by 1932 they had liquidated most of the company. The acoustic era was over, what RCA wanted was the Victor record catalog and the name. RCA then sold machines that had no relation to the Victor company other than the use of the name in RCA/Victor, and the Victrola name put on some of these later machines. With the large number of US troops stationed in West Germany after the war and during the Cold War it's not surprising that US made machines turn up. Officers with family's would relocate from the US to Germany with their household goods and furniture. Things would get sold off, personal property being the easiest to sell to the local population when it was time for someone to return stateside. It's not impossible to import larger machines, things can be crated and shipped, import restrictions are unlikely. However, it would be expensive, and probably take months to arrive. I have sent antique car parts all over the world. My customers work with brokers who are located in the states who specialize in shipping to their country. They buy something big from us, we send it to the broker who then ships it overseas once they have enough material to fill a shipping container. One of Victors later electric Credenzas would not be as heavy as a car engine. You would have to find a US seller willing to work with you to crate the machine and work with the shipping company. That would be hard as most sellers are not carpenters, or have time for that. Dealers might be willing, but would be charging top dollar.
@@Rockisland1903 yes of course. I mean sometimes I buy 78s from the US. And shipping is in the most times more expensive than the record. I’m the most shipping is between 25 and 30 Dollars. And I don’t want to know what I would pay, if I want to get one credenza 😅😅