"Teardrop" '39 RCA Victrola

[Chip Chester]

I have a similar 'Teardrop', although it came with some interesting modifications... Note that I bought it anyway.

Steel tonearm, for those heavy metal disks. Chunk of wood integrated into cartridge mount, easily pre-dating Grado by four decades.




A few strategic lightening holes, lowering tracking force down to a sedate 16 oz. or so...





Severe abrasion on front edge of "tonearm" makes me think someone dragged it around behind a station wagon at some point.
And perhaps "tone-leg" would be a better match for its heft.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Chip Chester

I have a similar 'Teardrop', although it came with some interesting modifications... Note that I bought it anyway.

Steel tonearm, for those heavy metal disks. Chunk of wood integrated into cartridge mount, easily pre-dating Grado by four decades.




A few strategic lightening holes, lowering tracking force down to a sedate 16 oz. or so...





Severe abrasion on front edge of "tonearm" makes me think someone dragged it around behind a station wagon at some point.
And perhaps "tone-leg" would be a better match for its heft.

Some more common RCA radio-phonos had the bakelite tone arm (I owned one once)...Maybe you can find a sad example to steal a better arm from.