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Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500

216.165.95.70
Posted on October 2, 2010 at 19:31:40
jarnos08@yahoo.com
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: New York City
Joined: October 2, 2010



Hey, ya'll.

I recently picked up an old GE Trimline 500 at a garage sale, got it super cheap, but am also super ignorant about record players. I am going to post a picture of the end of the arm (cartridge?, is that the term). There is no needle, and I would just like to be able to get this up and running. So, does anyone know of what type of needle, cartridge, whatever else I need need to get this working is? Please let me know. On the end of the arm, it says GE Tonal 1, on top of the cartridge, I believe. If, or when, you choose to reply, please make sure to talk about it in very basic terms, a lot of the terminology of record players is new/unknown to me. Hope to hear from you someone, and thanks so much in advance. JOHN.
johnarnos

 

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RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on July 30, 2020 at 08:36:01
wmorris007@gmail.com
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: IL
Joined: July 30, 2020
 I have a GE Trimline 600 with a Tonal 1 that is missing the screw that locks the tonal 1 headshell to the tone arm. Can anyone help me with what size of screw and length of screw to replace it with. Thanks!!!

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on August 12, 2016 at 12:11:11
jimfrederick55@rocketmail.com
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Joined: August 12, 2016
 That black cartridge at the end of the arm that has 4 very small wires going to it is called "phonograph cartridge" That cartridge is called -GE C650- Please go here>> TURNTABLENEEDLES.COM<< Be very careful taking it in and out of the tonearm. Also be very very careful removing and reinstalling tiny wires from cartridge. You can get just the needle at the same web site, The web site gives you a 360* view of the cartridge so you can see how the needle slides into cartridge.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on May 26, 2015 at 19:11:34
moore@ptd.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: Pennsylvania
Joined: May 26, 2015
 I have one like this that I am trying to install new cartridge. Seems like spring clips but can't seem to get it in. Afraid to force it. Ant suggestions?

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on February 11, 2014 at 15:31:38
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1253
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi Jarnos, I have no clue about the cartridge,but the head shell looks a lot like my AR turntables.If you find that cartridge it might be hard to align it properly.The AR had 2 stationary screw holes and to align it you had to adjust the arm with a small set screw.I may be way off,see if anyone else thinks so....Mark Korda

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on September 19, 2011 at 17:10:20
tinsol


 
Did anyone read the initial post about not using complicated record player terms? I dont see an answer for his post really accept one link. Just keep it simple record player otaku.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on February 11, 2014 at 10:46:43
vintageperson
Audiophile

Posts: 208
Joined: November 11, 2000
 The GE C 650 was a Euphonics cartridge. These were decent. Tracked a bit heavy but modern replacement styli are less compliant than originals were and they have not aged well.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 3, 2010 at 09:12:50
Eli Duttman
Audiophile

Posts: 10455
Location: Monroe Township, NJ
Joined: March 31, 2000
 Talk to the folks at Garage 'A Records. They have lots of stuff related to "the care and feeding" of vintage players.

I suspect that unit uses a piezoelectric cartridge. Those buggers can literally scrub high freq. info. from the groove. So, caution is indicated if you own really good pressings.


Eli D.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 3, 2010 at 18:22:03
orthophonic
Audiophile

Posts: 861
Location: Central Florida
Joined: January 21, 2003
 The replacement would be a Phanstiehl 510 DS77 or 510 DS73, Garage a Records would have it,
also several e-bay sellers have them such as Needle Daddy and Stereoneedleslady.

That was one of the better Ceramic cartridges, it tracks at 2.5 - 3 grams.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 4, 2010 at 08:13:22
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Even the best of the ceramic cartridges are still record chisels. As you point out, the tracking force is relatively low, but you still have to twist the ceramic element to get a sound. I wouldn't put any record on it that I did not consider trash. I know this is harsh, but I feel the original poster should know before he uses it.

Dave

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 4, 2010 at 17:36:42
Eli Duttman
Audiophile

Posts: 10455
Location: Monroe Township, NJ
Joined: March 31, 2000
 Dave,

I think the overwhelming bulk of piezoelectric carts. are record destroyers. However, a very small number of said carts. may be OK. Decca made a "HIFI" ceramic and check the link from Garage 'A Records out. Look at item D4. Notice the standard 1/2 inch mount and relatively low O/P of 200 mV., which suggests small elements which don't scrub the HF info. out of the groove.

FWIW, I've had the desire for quite some time to try such a cart., in a suitable arm. I would JFET buffer the "beast" at the arm base with a VERY "tall" Caddock gate to ground resistor. My seat of the pants feeling is that some capacitive roll off would be needed to prevent excessive brightness, as in not so self equalizing. ;>)


Eli D.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 5, 2010 at 09:40:32
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 The Decca was completly off of my radar. You idea is intriguing! If you do it please post your results. Maybe you could start a new movement in audio! I had thought that the electret, Microacoustic cartrige was in some way related to a piezo, and those cerainly were not record destroyers.

-Notice the standard 1/2 inch mount and relatively low O/P of 200 mV., which suggests small elements which don't scrub the HF info. out of the groove.

Point taken. I also noticed the one that had a tracking force of one ounce!

Dave

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 5, 2010 at 09:18:50
orthophonic
Audiophile

Posts: 861
Location: Central Florida
Joined: January 21, 2003
 The majority were pretty bad but they were not all record chisels. I have records played countless
times with a 1968 Zenith Micro Touch and they still sound near mint today played with a Moving Coil. I also have some Lps that were my cousins played on an Identical GE the poster has and they don't display any damage, and she played her records alot!

There were a few other good ceramics, a Euphonics and an E/V model come to mind and of course
the Weathers and the Grado ceramic.

All of these were low output for a ceramic, under 200MV, so that is probably the secret.
The ones that I have seen to cause excess wear were all 500MV and up.

 

RE: Vintage Record Player Question -- General Electric Trimline 500, posted on October 5, 2010 at 09:46:35
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 So low output is the key. I still would be reluctant to put anything valuable on the GE. I would want to hear a direct A/B with an identical fresh record before I would trust even my own ears on that. A lot of the older records I buy appear to be damaged by piezo cartridges.

Dave

 

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