Symphonion Woes
By Jim Heyworth
Help!
I am the not-so-happy owner of a "previously restored" (i.e. the bits were screwed together to look nice, operation not considered an essential factor) Symphonion which I purchased fairly inexpensively a number of years ago on the frivolous assumption that I would be able to fix it up.
The previous restore-person, a Mr. Botcher I believe, had obviously had trouble getting things to work, so he removed the locating pins from both combs (something I did not know at the time of purchase). Presumably this allowed for more latitude in his creative endeavours. But, alas, he must have wearied of his project and gone on to more interesting and profitable ventures.
This leaves me with the problem of locating star wheel gantries, combs and just about everything else in 3 dimensional space.
The box is a 30 cm (11-7/8") Symphonion with the traditional two diametrically-opposed combs. I have tried just about every possible combination of gantry/comb - left/right that I can think of but the best music happens when I start the disc with the label (fortunately not the disc) upside down! -- This doesn't seem right to me. Since I have no other instrument for comparison, If someone out there has a similar machine I would be very grateful for the following information.
1. One of the brass gantries has a serial number (43403 for those into
numbers). This is right side up if this gantry is mounted in the left
position assuming you are standing facing the box.
Is this where it is on yours ? If it isn't, what orientation do you have ?
2. Is the star wheel nearest to the centre spindle located on the left
or right gantry ?
I look forward to your assistance.
Cheers!
Jim Heyworth on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast
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(Message sent Tue 28 Nov 1995, 03:35:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
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