UNIVERSAL RECORDER - PROFESSIONAL

[Cypher]

Hi there,

I have with the help of a few friends restored a UNIVERSAL PRO RECORDER

I can't find any supporting documentation so it was quite the puzzle to get back together.

I am hoping to get the Grampian type B mono cutting head reconditioned.

I missed out on a Gotham Mono amplifier recently so im interested in finding a good match for it in future.

Any assistance or direction on finding out more about this unit - very welcome!

Cheers

[13104P1]

Nice Universal lathe. Looks a lot like the ones shown in the book by Robert K. Morrison, who cut some of the first LPs for movie soundtracks at Picto-Sound.

disc-recording.jpg (135.06 KiB) Viewed 1456 times

If you haven't inquired with him, already, you might want to reach out to Mr. Vandyke, in upstate New York, USA. He reports having various cutting amps and lathes available for sale.
Here's his ebay vendor page: http://www.ebay.com/usr/rvandyke?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

By the way, someone named, Rekokut, is selling a Type D Grampian feedback cutting head on ebay.

(Negative feedback greatly helps achieve flat response in the midrange. At some point, non-feedback Grampians had an oil well for dampening the cutting head's self-resonance. It could work, but Burgess Macneal said he had to "tune the viscosity*" (of the silicone fluid), from time to time, since its efficacy at smoothing out the response would drift.)

Also, for work on your Type B, you might try George Alexandrovich, Sr., at Island Audio Engineering, on Long Island, New York, USA. He worked at Fairchild and still winds coils in his shop. {Phone#: available from Laarsø}


Cordially,
13104P1


* Using an eye dropper, some of the existing fluid would be removed from the cutting head to make room for adding drops of heavier or lighter weight (in centiStokes?) fluid, so as to restore acceptable stylus modulation in response to swept tones.

[Cypher]

Hi 13104P1,

many thanks! this is so very helpful.

I will investigate as suggested and post up my discoveries here when i have something to report.

Until such time

Cheers!