This is Steve Hoffman's handcranker....same model as mine. I have a Brunswick Ultona from the 1920's.
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=17543&stc=1
![Image](http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8966/stevehoffmansbrunswickck2.jpg)
It can play three different formats of 78's RPM: The common Victrola-style discs with lateral grooves, the thick Edison "Diamond Discs" with vertical hill and valley grooves (and, 80 RPM speed, actually), and even the French Pathe lateral discs which started at the center and moved outwards (I've never seen one of these discs).
The reproducer can swivel and click to three different positions. The arm stretches forward, as well. That's how it can handle the different discs. It's like one of those little Japanese "transformer" superhero dolls from the 80's!
It doesn't play the Edison discs "correctly". It would need a special tonearm with a tracking mechanism for that. Allegedly this thing will cause more damage to the discs over time. My Edison discs are already pretty worn anyway, so who cares?
The tone arm (or "reproducer" as it is called) is heavy as all hell, and could easily grind the heck out of an acetate in a few plays if the full weight is placed on the disc. I set the counterweight to its lightest setting, in opposition to the instruction manual recommends. I use Graythorne brand antique cactus needles when playing my cuts, because they are softer and do less damage. Unfortunately, they are also much quieter than the standard steel needles.
It doesn't play "electronic" discs very well; it is a pre-"orthophonic" handcranker. That is to say, records made from around 1926 on are louder and have a wider frequency range, because they were recorded using microphones rather than horns. The reproducer can't track them so well. They distort during playback, and it may even be that the grooves are getting damaged. I just found some narrower "quiet" steel needles which seem to play them with a more pleasant tonality.
Despite the limitations of this thing, I love it! If I get more dough one of these days I might start collecting these guys. I'm kicking myself that I passed up a homely portable Sonora handcranker a few years back. I've been told that those have a particularly good sound.
I'd love to do some performance art pieces involving playing a few of these at the same time. It's been done before, but so what?