Re: Symphonion Woes
By Howard Wyman
At 02:03 AM 11/28/95 PST, Jim Heyworth wrote:
>
> To: automatic-music@foxtail.com
> From: james_heyworth@sunshine.net (James Heyworth)
> Date: Mon, 27 Nov 95 19:35 PST
>
> Subject: Symphonion Woes
>
> 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 ?
I have a Symphonion just as you describe. The serial number on mine is located on the left gantry and it is in the upper right corner of that gantry.
>
> 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 took a rough measurement on mine and the star wheels on the left gantry and right gantry appear to be the same distance from the center spindle. This appears to be 35 millimeters. This is the distance to the first actual star wheel and not the plain disk guide which is at the end of the star wheel shaft.
Just for reference, my box looks like the Model 25A at the top center of page 220 in Bowers Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments except that mine winds with a lever in a slot at the bottom front rather than with a crank. Someone had ground the locating pins off of the left comb on mine and apparently set it too close to the star wheels, perhaps in an effort to make it louder. The result was that two pins eventually broke off. I just had that repaired and was careful not to set the comb any closer than the right one, which still has the guide pins intact. If you need any comb repair work done, I can give you a good recommendation on that.
I hope this will be of help. If there is anything else you would like measured or described please let me know.
Howard Wyman hwyman@digital.net
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(Message sent Tue 28 Nov 1995, 21:02:18 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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