Recordette 3 problems

[morrisjer]

I have a Wilcox-gay Recordette 3. I had the cartridge rebuilt by West Tech and it plays beautifully. However, it had an original microphone that was bad, plus it was connected directly into the machine. I cut the microphone off and installed a modular jack where I could just plug a mic into the jack. When recording, I had to raise the volume all the way before I could feel the needle vibrating.
I recorded some talk, then when I played it back I could hear myself talking but I sounded like I had a pillow over my face, (like a muffled sound). Now the grooves on a disc looks wavy. Now I am posting this problem to you guys with hopes I can be steered into the right direction to solve the problem and enjoy recordings.
Thanks,
Jerry

[tragwag]

my guess is either over-modulation (too loud, even though it's nowhere near commercial level) or rumble in the platter.
I have both issues with my recordette.
Did you play back the recording on the same machine?
If it was a different machine you'd be missing the RIAA Encode process during recording (IRIAA), causing a very muffled playback.
Also even at it's best the recordette is limited in frequency range and overall performance.

[morrisjer]

Thanks for your reply. I would say you are right. I did play back the recording on another machine and as I had said it sounded muffled. Plus the cutting needle vibrates very little even when I turn the volume up when cutting. Now on my Recordio everything is fine. I can cut a disc and then play it back on my califone player and it sounds great. I will have to get someone to fix the Recordette for me and that may be another challenge as there are just not many people who work on these devices that much. I have a good friend in Germany who loves working on these devices, but that is another matter.
Jerry

[tragwag]

interesting! let us know how it goes.
which Recordio do you have? I'm guessing the heavier recording arm helps a lot

[morrisjer]

My Recordio is model 1C10. It works nicely. It doesn't have a heavy recording arm. It is also a tape recorder/player all combined but the tape function stopped working a few years ago. Perhaps it needs a tube, but I opened up the unit and didn't see any belts that were broken. They all looked new. I did play the tape player when I first got it and it sounded awesome.
Jerry

[morrisjer]

interesting! let us know how it goes.
which Recordio do you have? I'm guessing the heavier recording arm helps a lot

I need help with my Wilcox-gay Recordio. I use it to test my needles i make. I cannot get the platter off!! I have the original owners manual and it says to move the washer, tap the spindle slightly and remove the platter. I have no washer (that is on the spindle on many platters) and a couple of times i have removed the platter but had to work with it forever before it released. HELP!

[Perisphere]

Those little Recordette machines that used a combo play/cut cartridge are apparently better playback devices than cutters. There is no high-frequency pre-emphasis in the recording scheme, and they couldn't cut anything above somewhere between 4K and 5K even with all the planets aligned, and at nowhere near the overall levels of the older, larger Recordio models. They were the last gasp of Wilcox-Gay as a home disc cutter manufacturer in the very early 1950s, though the company continued as Recordio (and made entry-level tape recorders) to somewhere around 1960.

[morrisjer]

Thanks for the info. I use a Recordio with a reel to reel tape player in the machine and it is very good. I use this machine to test my needles I sell on ebay. Jerry