You are purchasing a carefully restored Gold Plated Brunswick Balke Collender Panatrope with brand new 24kt gold plating. The reproducer has been fully rebuilt and is in perfect working order. It is suitable for all Brunswick Panatrope floor model and portable phonographs that require the Panatrope style reproducer which is identifiable by the opening and bayonet fitting on the back. Questions? Just ask. All of the work, including the gold plating and service, was performed by me, Walt Sommers, owner of Gettysburg Antique Phonographs.

Because of its 24kt gold plated cover this reproducer is especially suited for Brunswick Panatrope machines like the Cortez that also feature gold plated components, but it will work perfectly with any Brunswick Panatrope machine that uses the same bayonet fitting (1 1/8" o.d. diameter with two interlock pins) on the tone arm mount (see attached pictures). Contact me if you need help determining if this will work on your particular machine. Later Panatrope reproducers are made of pot metal, and, as a result most are swollen, cracked, chipped, and otherwise unusable. But this is one of the earlier Panatrope reproducers that is made of solid brass. The one you are looking at is in excellent physical condition with absolutely no cracks or swollen sections. It looks and sounds great!

With a suitable adapter (not included but available separately) this Panatrope reproducer can be used with a Victor Orthophonic machine. If you are interested in this please contact me for more details before you buy it. I often use this type of reproducer with my Credenzas and other Orthophonic machines.

The gold plating of the cover is, as previously stated, brand new. My gold (electro)plating processes involve Watts baths and are similar to the original setups that would have been used by Brunswick and other manufacturers. The original gold plating on this reproducer was heavily worn (see pictures). I chemically stripped the remnants of the old plating and then polished and degreased the bare brass. It was then nickel plated and then cleaned in a final acid wash and then rinsed. The cover was then gold plated in a 24kt bath. The application of the nickel "strike" or "flash" layer over the brass base metal provides a much harder and far more durable surface for the gold plating than would otherwise be achieved by the brass alone. The result is a gold plated finish that is also more durable. Original manufacturers did not apply strike or flash layers in their processes (note the tarnished brass that is exposed in the "Before" image in this listing). I suppose this was largely due to the significant expense that it adds to the already time consuming process. Nevertheless, when it is necessary for me to replate gold on any component I always apply a nickel strike layer first.

This reproducer was completely disassembled and carefully cleaned as part of the service. Please refer to the pictures in the listing that show the exploded view. Carefully note the 12 bearing system (six per side) that is associated with the needle arm fulcrum. For those familiar with the Victor Orthophonic No.5 reproducer this will seem a bit familiar. The Panatrope diaphragm produces very pleasant sound with excellent volume. The frequency response of the Panatrope reproducer is not quite as broad or as uniform (i.e. flat across the spectrum) compared to the early Victor Orthophonic. It excels with regard to high frequency response and is comparable to the best with regard to its mid range performance, but it does not have the low end ability compared to the Orthophonic. Folks who enjoy vocal recordings (especially tenor range) or music that features abundant strings, winds and upper brass instruments love the Panatrope very much. Brunswick must have thought that their design afforded optimum needle[arm] compliance as their reproducers do not feature any sort of isolation from the tone arm. Although the compliance is excellent my experience is that it can be improved.

The interpretation of sound is highly subjective and there are as many opinions as there are records in the world. So make sure you ask questions if you are not clear about something I describe. One need only look at the Panatrope diaphragm's more rigid structure to understand some of these subtle differences. This is, however, a top shelf reproducer that does perform wonderfully. The Panatrope might very well outperform the Orthophonic No.5 if it had an early original Orthophonic diaphragm. Hmmm...

Just like the Orthophonic service one of the not so obvious but critical points of service involves cleaning and polishing the bearing races and the pivot (needle arm fulcrum). This is important because the old dried oil residue and oxidation that forms on the parts must be removed to assure free movement of the needle arm; hence efficient actuation of the diaphragm. In order to do this, the pivot (fulcrum) must be carefully removed, polished and reinstalled.

The original diaphragm was removed and carefully cleaned in denatured alcohol. The diaphragm is in great condition with no punctures and no dents or dings. The diaphragm gaskets, including the white tissue paper like layers (see pictures), are carefully made parts that I fabricate that have properties just like the originals.

The parts that I service and represent are top quality. I rely on technical information that I have actually studied in patents as well as original Victor, Bell, RCA Western Electric, and other engineering texts to the extent that they apply. Once you understand a design from the engineering point of view you can use your head and hands to properly restore something based on the way it is supposed to function. Sometimes you will discover flaws in those designs. These considerations are the key to accurate work and the elimination of careless mistakes inflicted by weekend warriors and wannabes. Improper service and guesswork always leads to the destruction of irreplaceable parts and records.

This reproducer sounds very nice and it's performance is comparable to what can be achieved from a properly serviced Orthophonic reproducer as previously noted. Remember that the interpretation of sound depends on many factors such as personal preferences and the fitness of your ears, so if you have any questions please email me.