Busy restoring 1937 RCA console radio which has a gramaphone on top. The tone arm has a magnetic type cartridge which takes a gramaphone needle like the old wind up types. When I played a 78 record the first time, there was virtually no output with the volume full up. The head consists of a horseshoe type magnet with a coil and needle assembly between the magnet poles. I noticed that the magnet was very week so used a round magnet from a PM speaker and rubbed it over the horseshoe to re-magnetise. This obviously worked as I now get plenty volume from the record, but very distorted. Could the poles of the magnet be incorrect i.e. two souths or two norths instead of a north and south seeing as I used a round magnet to re-magnetise the head or could the needle be incorrect. I'm using old original steel needles which fit OK. Any ideas appreciated, thanks.

:Busy restoring 1937 RCA console radio which has a gramaphone on top. The tone arm has a magnetic type cartridge which takes a gramaphone needle like the old wind up types. When I played a 78 record the first time, there was virtually no output with the volume full up. The head consists of a horseshoe type magnet with a coil and needle assembly between the magnet poles. I noticed that the magnet was very week so used a round magnet from a PM speaker and rubbed it over the horseshoe to re-magnetise. This obviously worked as I now get plenty volume from the record, but very distorted. Could the poles of the magnet be incorrect i.e. two souths or two norths instead of a north and south seeing as I used a round magnet to re-magnetise the head or could the needle be incorrect. I'm using old original steel needles which fit OK. Any ideas appreciated, thanks.

I did post this link yesterday: http://philcoradio.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=a48ab44c55c2324a90377935aaa29372

There is a guy there who made lessons on how to restore your own crystal and early magnetic pickups.

I emailed the guy as I had questions about crystals availability but did not get a reply yet. Yours is simpler and it probably is a rubber problem.

Hi

Doug Houston knows a lot about these RCA magnetic cartridges. They aren't the same as crystal. Magnetic cartridges have a winding and magnetic field. Doug reads ARF and posts there:

http://antiqueradios.com/forums/

Sound like you did the right thing with a speaker magnet. Usually distortion is caused by audio tube biasing.

Norm

::Busy restoring 1937 RCA console radio which has a gramaphone on top. The tone arm has a magnetic type cartridge which takes a gramaphone needle like the old wind up types. When I played a 78 record the first time, there was virtually no output with the volume full up. The head consists of a horseshoe type magnet with a coil and needle assembly between the magnet poles. I noticed that the magnet was very week so used a round magnet from a PM speaker and rubbed it over the horseshoe to re-magnetise. This obviously worked as I now get plenty volume from the record, but very distorted. Could the poles of the magnet be incorrect i.e. two souths or two norths instead of a north and south seeing as I used a round magnet to re-magnetise the head or could the needle be incorrect. I'm using old original steel needles which fit OK. Any ideas appreciated, thanks.
:
:I did post this link yesterday: http://philcoradio.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=a48ab44c55c2324a90377935aaa29372
:
:There is a guy there who made lessons on how to restore your own crystal and early magnetic pickups.
:
:I emailed the guy as I had questions about crystals availability but did not get a reply yet. Yours is simpler and it probably is a rubber problem.

:Hi
:
: Doug Houston knows a lot about these RCA magnetic cartridges. They aren't the same as crystal. Magnetic cartridges have a winding and magnetic field.

No offense but, if you took the time to follow the link you would have seen there is a lesson on how to specifically restore those early magnetic pickups.

::Hi
::
:: Doug Houston knows a lot about these RCA magnetic cartridges. They aren't the same as crystal. Magnetic cartridges have a winding and magnetic field.
:
:No offense but, if you took the time to follow the link you would have seen there is a lesson on how to specifically restore those early magnetic pickups.

Thanks all for the input especially the link. The needle was the problem, using a different make has resulted in good reproduction with no distortion - thanks guys.

:Thanks all for the input especially the link. The needle was the problem, using a different make has resulted in good reproduction with no distortion - thanks guys.
:

I see someone has provided the link to the PhilcoPhorum.

Be sure the resilient dampers aren't dried as they provide damping AND compliance for the needle. Dried dampers will prevent the needle to comply to the groove and create damage much faster.

George Epple is rebuilding those if you need help or don't want to tackle the work yourself.

Syl