GRAMOPHONE « His Master’s Voice » C102A

Made under license by « La Société du Gramophone Français - La Voix de son maître » to 1930

EXAMPLE OF RESTORATION

Christian Fonck – July 2010

Gramophone at the purchase

Type C102A to restore

Here is a gramophone with turntable cloth dead, motor stops or

many speed fluctuations, reproducer

dead (diaphragm broken), case in bad

condition, very dirty …

1

Dismantling of the board

Contrary to the English HMV which is a wood

board, French have put a board in wooden painted

metal!

Metal board

2

Dismantling of the engine Type 271

Cleaning the engine with

gasoline and greasing with new lubricants:

grease for the gearings and oil for axes. Check

all parts

No track of rust has to remain

HMV 271 B motor

the horn and mostly the visible mouth need new

painting in matt black

(here already paint, but was striped with paint

chips)

3

Dismantling Horn cleaning and new

painting of the complete horn (external and

internal) To remove old paint, use

acetone. (be careful, dangerous product)

No track of rust has to

remain

4

Installation on turntable of a new dress (cloth) which is a black felt of

pure wool

Never use tissues in Synthetic materials no

existing in 1930

New clothing

5

Change the broken Sound box reproducer by a new original one

from HMV (of the ancient stocks of the

factory of Hayes) Boxed new sound box

Old broken reproducer (no brand) New 5 B HMV reproducer

6

Regulation of the speed and control of the

general functioning. Change part of manual brake which was felt by a piece of round leather

7

Cleaning and oiling spring and mechanism

of speed control

This phase asks for the listening of several

records for the regulation of speed… or

using a stroboscope

All Mechanism

8

Dismantling of 16 copper corners and

cleaning the old paint then repainting.

Originally painted in metal brilliant black,

(Paint of screw heads)

HMV 102’s typical corner

9

Reassembly of the typical " His Master's Voice " 102’s horn as snail of which winds around the engine …

Atypical regarding to the

other brands of gramophone, but

increase very appreciably the quality of the sound!

10

Locks and other metallic parts of the box have been dismantled, well

cleaning and repainted. All the black metal parts in matt as originally. For

the internal chromed platted part, also

dismantled and cleaned with adequate products for chromes and sanded.

No track of rust has to

remain

11

Reconditioning of the suitcase leather:

cleaning with soft gasoline (no acetone),

then coloring with black leather liquid color and

after drying shining products

Dismantling of the original

leather handle and coloring with black leather and shining products (same

process of case)

12

Final test Remove duster and all remaining dirty

parts … small finishes

Listening of around

10 records

Gramophone " La Voix de son

Maître " type HMV C102A

Totally restored Ready To Play

Identification Type C102A

s/n 6674

The restoration of a gramophone asks knowledge for :

· Mechanics · Metal sorts · Materials · Chemicals · Leather · Sewing · Painting · Music

Christian Fonck

July 2010