I just bought a Philco 46-1209 console. Some previous owner had yanked the original phono and replaced it with a multi-speed phono so they could play LPs, 45s. I am now seeking advice on what Philco phono to replace it with. It came with the Philco model 10A with a magnetic Cart. I heard these are better than the crystal carts., but Gib Epling of WestTech told me needles are next to impossible to find for it. So a friend of mine told me to get a Model 10 phono which has a crystal cart. He said that the crystal cart. can be taken out and substituted with an Astatic cart. for which needles are available. KAB told me the trouble with substituting a ceramic cart. is they only work up to a tracking weight of 5 grams, which most 40s tonearms exceed. Do you have any advice for me? I want to play a lot of 78s. Thanks, Marc.
If you want to play a lot of 78s might you be better off using the newer multi-speed changer in there now? Or is one of your objectives to restore the console with its original changer?
In the early 1950s is was very common for servicemen to replace 78-only changers with 3-speed so the console owners could play newer records. These changers would generally do a very good job on 78s as well. Webcor was a common replacement changer.
-David
I don't think the postwar changers had a very heavy tracking weight, as did many of the prewar phonographs - especially those made in the mid-1930s and previous to then.
Gib could probably tell you more about that.
The multi-speed changer that was in there was an ugly, no-name piece of junk. Yes I want to put in a model 10 changer with the crystal cart. and switch it out to an Astatic Power Point which my friend recommends. They take a flip style needle which used to be available with 78 on both sides, but now you can only get the 78/LP ones. He said I can even wire one of the needles so it can play vertical Edison Diamond Discs!
Yes if you use a stereo cartridge it can be wired to play vertical-cut records like Edison or Pathe. But if you want to play conventional lateral-cut records also, you will have to install a small 4PDT switch on the tone arm or else rewire the tone arm with stereo cartridge leads.
-David