[D8959ADX], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, September 9th, 1889
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D8959ADX
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- Title
- [D8959ADX], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, September 9th, 1889
- Editor's Notes
- In confirming my letter of the 7th inst, it is of course understood that my order therein referred to, will be filled only with Phonographs of the latest type containing the improvements which you described to me in Paris, even though this should involve delay in the first shipment, anxious as I am to have it as early as possible. ### It is obviously important that Phonographs that are first put out over here should be in all respects the very best, as they will be tremendously criticised if they do not realise expectations. I know that you appreciate this and could have no other idea in your mind, but I write this more with the object of asking you to give very positive instructions to the Works to this effect, lest through oversight or any other reason, they should fill any portion of the order with other than the latest Phonographs. ### The experience of everybody here with regard to the phonograms with the grooves inside is that they slip very badly, so much so as to seriously interfere with any practical use of the machine. My personal experience with these phonograms since my return to Paris, confirms this statement. In other respects they seem to be better than those that came before. ### I feel no doubt in my mind, that if any of these Phonographs that I have thus far received had been put into use with other than experts they would have seriously injured the prospects of the business; and I must therefore make it a condition that the Phonographs which are shipped to me under my order above referred to, are either accompanied with phonograms that will not slip, by reason of some modifications in their construction of that the machine shall have some device attached to it, which shall prevent their slipping. At a very important exhibition of the Phonograph here yesterday, the phonogram slipped to such an extent as to make an exceedingly prejudicial impression. I may mention that the slipping was not attributable to any alteration in the depth of the turning off knife, or the tracking of the recorder, which was set so as to be heard only to the least degree. ### We have already written you in regard to the washer spring on the Spectacle head, and have explained to you personally its weakness. We have had to change them all here. ### We find that the small determining point on the reproducer wears out the record, and shall be glad to know if anything will be done to obviate this in the new machine.
- Author
- Gouraud, George Edward
- Recipient
- Edison, Thomas Alva
- Date
- 1889-09-09
- Type
- Letter
- Subject
- Production difficulties and adjustments
- Cylinder phonograph
- Cylinder record and duplicating technology
- Folder ID
- D8959-F
- Microfilm ID
- 127:878
- Document ID
- D8959ADX
- Publisher
- Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
- License
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Has Version
- Archive.org Viewer, Microfilm Series Reel 127