Hi all ,

I have an Electrola Deluxe Radiogram with a Garrard turntable , I have revived the radio but cannot get any volume from the phono. I have bought a new styli but this hasn't helped either I have checked all connections etc.

looking for some advice if possible as to what to check next I don't think I am likely to be able to get a new crystal cartridge anywhere unless you know of a suitable swap ??


Regards

Danny

There are quite a few ceramic cartridges around that will fit. The last time I bought one it was from a vintage vinyl store in the eastern suburbs. There is one that's known as a "Universal Garrard" cartridge that's readily available. It sounds just fine.

There are standard mounting hole centres for all cartridges (just about), it's half-inch centres.

The existing one is probably mono, you will be replacing it with a stereo cartridge. Just join left and right together.

Photos uploaded.

The pins on that cartridge look very corroded, I suspect the matching sockets are the same.
You should be able to check the cartridge for continuity with a digital ohmmeter then plug in the cartridge and check at the output wires disconnected from the radio.

With the radio set to Phono and the volume up, putting your finger on the phono input to the radio should produce a hum. Also check the phono earth connector on the radio has a good connection to the chassis. With a record playing you should be able to read the output from the phono wires using an oscilloscope.

Thank you both for your valuable time and advice I will check as advised Tippy and if necessary get a new cartridge Ian thanks heaps guys really appreciate your help.

Danny

A crystal or ceramic cartridge will read open circuit on an ohm-meter. Anything other than that indicates a problem. So you generally can't tell that way.

Yes that cartridge has 1/2" mounting centres, even though the new one will look very different. You may need some longer screws and plastic spacers.

Replacement cartridges generally come with new contacts that can be soldered to the wires. If not, you can make your own out of tinplate cut from a can. Takes some care and patience but it can be done.

Don't even think about soldering wires directly to the cartridge pins, you will destroy it instantly.

If the pin connections are not shown with your replacement, and you have to guess, if you get the phase of one of the two channels reversed, you will get thin, distorted sound when they are joined together as mono.. Try reversing two of the pin connections, keeping track of what you tried.

Ian is correct, ceramic and crystal cartridges will read open circuit, I was thinking magnetic

A quick way to check the whole system would be to select Phono on the radio and turn the volume up, if you touch the red lead that plugs into the cartridge the radio should hum. If you then also touch the earth wire the hum should reduce. If that's what happens then the cartridge is at fault. I'd still be checking the cartridge pins and sockets for corrosion.

The moral is don't write stuff at midnight with a headache

The moral is don't write stuff at midnight with a headache

That is something I've done all too often.

A crystal cartridge of that age would almost certainly be dead. They used a hygroscopic salt crystal (Potassium sodium tartrate) as the active element. Would've well and truly crumbled away by now.

Even if it wasn't dead, I for one wouldn't want to listen to the crappy sound it might reproduce. Even in perfect order, those cartridges were no match for later types for frequency response and distortion. Not to mention the lack of vertical compliance of a mono cartridge which can degrade your stereo vinyl.

Get a new one anyway! Then, if it doesn't work, track down the wiring fault.

Just wondering what the valve line-up is. I can see 7 valves, so a wild guess would be 6BA6, 6BE6, 6AR7GT, 6AU6, 6M5, EM80, 5Y3GT

Thanks all,

It did read open circuit and I agree a new cartridge would be best and after much searching I have found a Garrard cartridge (link below ) however as mine is held into the tonearm by the flip over knob screwing to the metal rod I would need to mount the new cartridges clip to the existing metal bracket which will mean the whole thing will sit much lower. will this be an issue?

the tonearm is not in the best shape either so I am beginning to think It would be smarter to source a donor slightly more modern but still vintage record player?

What do you think?



http://www.soundring.com.au/ks40a-ceramic-cartridge-including-stylus/

Hi Robert as for the valves there are no markings I can find most have rubbed off but all appear to be working thankfully

That Garrard is quite a good model.

There are others on this forum who are adept at restoring record changers. Vintage Pete for one.

That replacement cartridge will fit but you'll probably need longer screws and spacers as I suggested.

Take note I have a Stereogram on the floor and dread of dreads, the Garrard's changer part is jammed: How unusual (sic). I don't know who designed it but it is hopelessly over engineered with too many moving parts. There is one in a HMV here & its a horror.

If you look at that one there is a cam on the left side of the picture. Terrible habit of the arm freezing and it becoming a transcription type rather than a changer: I bet this one's done that.

I hate changers anyway. Invariably the record stack (with help) lands on the tone arm. This would explain why the yolk of the cartridge is split in half. That changer will need its 500Hr service & lubrication that its probably never had. The grease soap goes hard & that's most of the problem.

I spent many years fixing the later models of these when they were new and under warranty. Didn't mind them at all.

But then as a kid I used to strip and rebuild clocks, watches and then car gearboxes. So I'm a bit strange like that......